Author's Note:
O wow x.x! Ok, let's start off first with a little explanation- I am –so- sorry for the prolonged uploading of this Stave! But interestingly, enough, I do have a good explanation; my computer had a virus. I had to save everything I could (yes, I managed to salvage this story!), then take it into the shop for a complete clean wipe that took a little over a week, heh. When I received my computer, my ISP was down, how ironic ;U. Anyway, once I had everything re-installed, I had other, more important business to attend to, I'm afraid ;0;
With that aside, let's talk about this Stave. This one was probably my most favourite to write, for obvious reasons as you progress with the story; and you finally find out who Kim is married too -lol.
Another reason why it took me awhile to upload this Stave is because I added an extra scene, which I had originally planned in my head, but it never made the cut. Probably because at the time this was written, I had different, aa- 'situation' surrounding Kim and the father of the child (who will be revealed in the story, but I don't want to spoil it just yet), this extra scene was written to explain and go into detail about the emotions between the two characters, Shego's reaction, yadda, yadda But, since I changed the relation (note, not the person) of the father of the child between Kim, I felt this scene no longer had importance. I was wrong. I wrote it in, tailoring it to fit the current story, and, personally, I'm so glad I gave myself the allowance.
NOW. ON TO THE STORY XD!!
(insert Kim Possible disclaimer here)
-A. King (SE)
Stave 3
The Second of the Three Spirits
When Shego was to next find herself, it would be in her own bed once again, awaking from (apparently) a sleep. But how could this be? Was it not just too long ago that she had been consulting with Spirits (one that looked like Monique!) and viewing visions of her own, wretched past? Yet again, only such things could occur in dreams, could they not? … So why was Shego fretting over the fact that it might have been real. When it obviously wasn't.
Still… that didn't help ease her. Not when the memories of her long ago past now newly acquired once again, haunted her afresh. Had she ever been that cruel? To her own brother? And over what..? Stop! Shego's mind screamed, Why am I judging who I am? I'm damned well content with who I am! First I have dreams of Drakken (whom Kim had defeated) coming back and talking to me about unfashionable chains in my afterlife and then a stupid ghost that (resembles a friend of Kim Possible) decides to show me images of the past. And not good scenes either. Like… like I'm supposed to feel guilt.
Well THAT was highly unlikely! A psychiatrist might analyze that Shego's conscience was beginning to stir her conscious being; and the added fact that both people that had been in the dream (Drakken and Monique) both linked to Kim Possible. So, point in fact, it was not her argument with her brother that day that was troubling her dreams, but the confrontation with Kim!
But what? Shego huffed, sitting herself up in the pitch-black room, like she had never left her room from before the Monique-Spirit had visited. I've had loads of goes at Kim and it never bothered me before. I've laughed in her face, had joy in her pain… so why is it bothering me now? Why should it!? Just because I made her work two extra hours with no pay on Christmas day? You've got to do better than ghostly apparitions and memories of the past to stir my heart!
Or did the memories have any truth?
Nay, they did not. At least, not to the apathetic heart that lurked within Shego.
So that was that, the matter was settled, back to sleep Shego would go. That was twice she had awoken in the middle of the night. Never, not ever had this happened before!
Stupid Kim Possible… Shego hissed in her thoughts. At first I was going to dock her pay for the whole day to-morrow, but now… O now! I'm going to be malicious to that brat and take away her pay for a full week! See how she survives on that with her posse and pending member! It'll make her think twice before messing with my mind… sleep schedule, more like…
And with a huff and a puff, then a trademark snort! Shego tossed her herself to lay on her right side and pulled the comforter around her so it billowed overtop.
Shego didn't even have time to even think of closing her eyes which was what had been her prior decision of action. Wide-open they shot and stayed, blown like a ball to a bat, was this reality? Nay, but surely yes!
Because there… yes! Right there in her very own bedroom a new and anomalous sight had beheld her, captivating her entire being. It was just… so utterly random. Out of the blue, there was no-way to have expected such a spectacle. The room looked no longer to be her own; it was filled to the brim with wondrous delights! Not a moment ago, Shego had been in surrounding darkness, but now, behold! the fire shined bright and crackled in merry cheer; it warmed the room and everything it touched. And was there ever a lot to touch! Food… food was everywhere. There were tables and chairs, and upon each piled precariously high were silver trays bearing fruit (grapes, pears, apples, oranges and more!), cheese, bread that contained lustrous spices, cakes: strawberry-shortcake, chocolate, vanilla, fruit, O! too many to number and give name! Cakes meant dessert and they were not alone in this category, that would be blasphemy! Puddings, treacle, flaun… pies and ice cream (it didn't melt a drip!) of every flavour in the world. Saliva-craving meats were chicken, turkey, ham, suckling pig, duck, lamb (a massacre, no doubt!), all were roasted to the most perfect point that would do any chef or butcher proud. Wine, tokay… Shego had no licked a drop, but she was sure it would be a delicate fine.
So many foods, they had to be scattered on blinking silver on the floor too, adjacent to the presents. Presents, scattered the floor; all in odd shape boxes and wrapped in metallic colours that complemented the fire; all topped in glistening bows. And to the side, there was a tree: a Christmas tree! It was tall, green and not a branch to be seen, it was all so absolute in its greenery. Decorated with glittery ribbons (red, purple, green, blue!), sugar canes (white, red, green!), bobbles (silver, gold, red, blue!), tinsel (silver and gold!) and the heavenly Guiding Star gold in its glory, the finishing touch to warm the heart.
So much to observe, so much to see, but one thing more! For in the middle of all this splendour was a single green plush chair, a fine chair made of wood and felt. But it was not the chair that Shego found absurd of all, but the person who sat in the chair.
She was sitting side-ways, her bare legs thrown over the side. She was dressed only in a green robe trimmed with white fur with an enormous black belt and golden buckle to hold it all together around her waist. It hung bellow her bare shoulders, leaving some cleavage and showed an awful lot of leg. And capped upon her head was a wreath of holly. Her manner was humdrum, not even noticing Shego, but appeared instead to be intent on filing her nails.
Shego didn't know whether or not she ought to speak out; and if she tried, would anything come out of her throat?
But Shego didn't have to, for the intruder turned her head lazily and cast a glance over her shoulder. "O good." She said holding her nail file in her hand. "You turned around, I was wondering when you'd get to that… brooding terribly in the other direction… You know if you brood too much it'll leave crease marks in your forehead."
Was she for real?
"Look," The intruder said, now swinging her bare legs over the chair handle and placed her bare feet on the floor, sitting straight. "Let's just cut to the chase, shall we? I am the Ghost of Christmas Present. And no- let's not get into this. Not present2: n. /prézzn't/ gift but present1: /prézzn't/ adj. existing or being dealt with now. Get it?"
Shego snarled, "Yea, um, hello? I knew that!"
"Whatever." The Spirit flipped her brown hair over her shoulder, it came to just a little past her shoulders, actually. Her skin was a dark-tan and her eyes were like a turquoise. Her appearance… her attitude…
"I know you!" Shego cried, thrusting an accusing finger forwards. "You were that witchy cheerleader girl known to-" Shego gasped audibly, "To Kim Possible! Bonnie, that's your name! Bonnie Rockwaller."
The Bonnie-Spirit made an agitated sound in her throat, "Did you not hear a single word I just said? I'm not Bon-Bon or whatever, I'm The Ghost of Christmas Present. So if you'll grab a hold of my robe (don't pull!), we can be on our way; I'm on a time limit you know."
And she tossed her nail file aside and flung herself to a standing stance. Strolling over to the window in bad posture, she turned to face Shego. "I said bust a move! We've got places to go and I don't have all night."
Shego eyed the Bonnie-Spirit suspiciously, first Drakken, then Monique and now another link to Kim Possible! This was becoming outrageous… But nonetheless, Shego rolled her eyes, caved in and strutted forwards.
Taking a hold of the Bonnie-Spirit's robe, the last thing Shego said was: "When we get back, you'd better have removed that junk from my room-"
And they were off!
Through the window they flew, the Bonnie-Spirit's robe rippling in the wind, this flight was much different than that of the ride with the Monique-Spirit. Instead, they flew over Middleton, no blurring buildings, no speeding lights, but at a stable speed, as though Shego was supposed to be taking in the sights. And so she did.
Down below, people still walked the streets, but what hour it was, Shego had no notion. Stores were still open, yellow light streaming from the stores onto the snowy streets… people in shabby clothes exchanging 'And a Very Merry Christmas'es to each other, not a scant of deficit in their voice, so unlike their clothes.
Indeed, people were laughing as grouped in throngs, they sauntered lively as they approached houses in poor condition, but were greeted most gleefully by the home-owners intent on partying the Christmas night away.
How in the world can those people act so content and carefree when they're all so sickingly poor? Shego pondered as she flew above their heads.
They continued to speed through the air when Shego cried out above the wind, "Are we almost there yet?"
"Hold your horses!" the Bonnie-Spirit retorted, "Just down here…"
It was when they landed did Shego come to realise they were in a poor part of Middleton (but then most of Middleton was poor now that Shego had taken reign). The house was in squalid conditions and she could only think baffled as to why they came to this place.
"What are we doing here? Who lives here?" She demanded of the Bonnie-Spirit who now stood; hand on hip, inspecting her finger nails through her ever narrowed eyes.
"Why don't you take a step inside, go through the walls, no-one can see us," She said, her eyes still on her nails.
Shrugging inwardly, Shego trudged forward to the house the Bonnie-Spirit following shortly after. Only one moment of hesitation outside the house, then Shego stepped through the walls and found herself inside the house.
The walls were a bland off-white and undecorated, the floor of worn wood. There was a table with seven chairs, one at the head, both a matching set and made of a cheap wood chipped and worn, not much unlike the floor she stood on. To the left was a flight of stairs that led to the second floor. The room was lit with a bulb overhead, not casting very much light. Directly across from Shego on the other side of the table and chairs was a kitchen, much apart of this room. An oven, a stove, a counter and a pantry. And three figures who Shego recognised instantly.
"So how's the dinner coming along?" Wade Load asked, standing beside the counter.
"As much as it can be with what we have," Ron Stoppable replied while stirring a pot with a wooden spoon. "But hey, we splurged a little since it's Christmas."
"Whee, Christmas!" Rufus chirpped, standing on Ron's shoulder.
(Is that thing still alive?! Shego thought.)
Ron craned his neck around the room, "So where's the twins?"
"In the next room," Wade replied eyeing the pot Ron was stirring.
"Without supervision!?" Ron cried, "They'll blow something up! We can't afford to loose anymore appliances. We lost the toaster, the microwave, the TV…"
Wade helped Ron count by holding up his fingers and sticking one up every time Ron named a different appliance.
"Or did we sell the TV? I can't remember. If Jim and Tim continue to mangle our appliances they'll be the ones to send us to the poor house, not Shego." Ron growled, giving the spoon a spiteful flick. "It's a good thing Kim put boundaries to the oven and stove, I dunno what we'd do without it."
"Yes, yes," Wade chuckled, "We know if it were legal you would have married the oven instead of Kim."
Ron scowled at Wade and flicked him with the spoon; Rufus laughed. "You know," Ron said after much thought, "It's actually been kind of quiet in the next room… think maybe they fell asleep or lost any ability whatsoever to cause trouble?"
"Yea, when the sky rains money!"
Before Ron could make any sort of response, a loud KABOOM!! resonated from the neighbouring room and a billow of smoke flaunted into the room.
"Waaade!!" Ron cried out tersely.
"On it!" Wade replied, bustling from the room in a flash.
Ron raised his head to the roof as if in a silent cry for help. Not a moment later, Wade strolled suspiciously casual-like back into the room to take his previous place by the counter.
"So, the weather… it's nice, no?" Wade asked.
"What's the damage?" Ron asked piteously.
"They blew up a mail box."
"…"
"?"
"We don't have a mail box."
"I know," Wade replied, trying (but failing miserably) to act and look nonchalant. "O, and on a totally unrelated topic that has nothing in any way to the previous conversation whatsoever, we owe the neighbours ten bucks."
Ron threw up his hands in desperation, "We don't even have ten bucks to spare! Wade, what are we going to do?"
"Uh… is this a trick question?"
"You're supposed to be a super genius, can't you come up with anything?!"
"O, sure! Blame the guy with a four digit IQ for the current state of poverty!"
Ron sighed heavily and resumed stirring the pot, "Sorry, Wade. Didn't mean to bark at you, we all know it has nothing to do with you."
"It's ok, I often feel bad for not being able to do anything…"
"Don't."
"I know," Wade sighed, his eyes drooping, "But I can't help it."
"I know the feeling," Ron responded and Rufus let out a little squeaky moan expressing his own displeasure. A few moments past in silence and Shego was just too caught up in the entire situation to notice any difference or react to a word that had been said.
Then Ron spoke again: "So, where's Kim? I don't think I've seen her around for awhile."
Wade cast a crestfallen face, "Upstairs, in bed. She wasn't feeling well."
"Again?" Ron implored; both their voices became soft and full of concern. "This isn't right, Wade. She shouldn't have this pain that she feels, I'm worried. It's been happening for how long now? Ever since the second month and it's now the fifth? She also looks pale at times… we need to take her to a doctor."
"You think I don't know that? I'm worried for them both, but who's got the money for a doctor? They're not exactly cheap…"
"Shego jacked up the prices… I bet she'd rather we suffer in pain than see professional help," Ron looked as though he had just seen something cryptically morbid.
"She's sadistic," Wade put in.
Rufus nodded in agreement on Ron's shoulder, "Macabre!" He stuck out his tongue in dislike.
"And she goes out of her way to make sure we suffer worse than anyone else just because we tried to prevent people like her from taking over the world." Ron added, his nose wrinkled. "All this talk of Shego is making me nauseous, I'm… I'm going to go check up on Kim, ok? And Wade? Could you watch over the supper? Rufus- you're head of Tweeb Duty."
Rufus saluted him, bounded off his shoulder and scampered out of the room to keep a careful eye on Kim's twin seventeen-year old brothers. Wade nodded and took the wooden spoon from Ron and continued the labour of stirring the pot.
Walking out of the room, Ron leaned back and pointed at Wade, "And no taste tests!"
"Hey!" Wade cried out indignantly, "I resent that!"
"What's happened to Kim?" Shego turned to ask the Bonnie-Spirit. "I-I didn't even know anything was wrong, she didn't tell me."
The Bonnie-Spirit looked at Shego through her narrowed eyes and shook her head from side to side slowly, "Did you really expect Kim to come and tell the 'sadistic' and 'morbid' Shego her pains and troubles?" She retorted.
Blinking, Shego had no response.
Ron walked up the stairs, a hand on the rail and Shego and the Bonnie-Spirit followed him undetected. The upper floor hall was very small with one bathroom, and just two rooms. Turning down the hall on his right, Ron walked the short distance to a door that was not completely shut, it was adjacent just a sliver, no light shone through the crack.
Shego and the Bonnie-Spirit paused just behind Ron, he held his breath, then faced the door and knocked softly, "Kim?" He called quietly. He placed a hand on the loose doorknob and pushed it open slowly. Walking in, the room was dark, but light from downstairs carried to this flight and shapes could be seen in the room.
"H'm?" Replied a voice that Shego knew to be Kim's, "You can turn on the light, Ron."
Ron obliged obediently, strode into the room and seated himself on the bed close to Kim. "Did I wake you?" He asked.
"Huh, no," Kim responded. She lay underneath the blanket, one arm on her stomach, the other cast over her forehead. "I couldn't sleep."
"Um, hard day at work?" Ron ventured.
"Yes, but that's not why."
"I know." A pause, then, "How're you feeling now?
"I bit better, I guess."
"O. That's good."
"I suppose."
The two were silent for awhile, not looking at each other. Shego held her breath and leaned against the wall (no, she didn't go through it, for she willed not to) with her hands behind her back.
Kim spoke next, breaking the profound silence, her voice breaking and a tear or two sliding down her cheek. "Ron, I can't take this anymore! It's so insane! I just can't handle all of this, it's like I'm stuck in a nightmare and no matter how much I try to run, I'm stuck in slow motion. I never thought something like the sitch we're in would ever happen, it seems so unreal! I just… I wish my parents were here…" And she sobbed some more.
This was something Shego had never seen before. The Great Kim Possible crying?! Was that even an emotion Kim was capable of? Shego thought in astonishment. Seeing this tough girl, who was the only equal match Shego had ever fought, cry was something… almost… maybe, yes perhaps, a reality check for Shego. Now it was Shego who felt her surroundings to be unreal.
Ron didn't speak but gazed at Kim sympathetically, allowing her to continue.
"I don't know what happened to them, they just disappeared the day after Shego took over; haven't seen them since! Yours too… and Wade's… It's not a coincidence, Ron. I'm sure it was Shego… she did something to them. And now she indirectly torments us for never knowing their fate!" And she brought her hands to her face and sobbed some more.
"Hey, don't blame it on me!" Shego shouted, although in vain. But it was the truth. Shego had done nothing to Kim, Ron or Wade's parents, in fact, she didn't even know of their disappearance, it was a shock to her.
But Ron did what he does best and tried to lighten the situation. "Maybe they joined some sort of underground rebel group!" He suggested cheerily, in efforts to calm Kim down.
To Shego's surprise, Kim actually found this funny and laughed lightly. "If they did, I'd like to join them rather than sit here on my butt twiddling my thumbs!"
The couple laughed together softly, but then Kim stirred and said in a depressed tone, "But we can't because of these bracelets Shego trapped us with." And she held up an arm into the air to show off the silver tracker Shego had specifically marked the Possibles, Ron and Wade with. They were, after all, her number one threat. She had to keep some sort of tab on them, didn't she?
Ron held up his own wrist and examined the silver band that tracked him. "You'd think with Wade and Jim and Tim in tow we'd be able to get them off… I was never one for bling-bling."
Kim nodded silently, then stirred again, but this time to prop herself up against the pillow and headboard. "Talking about the tweebs, how have they been behaving?"
Ron evaded this question easily, "Shh. I was going to say something, let me say it before I forget."
Tilting her head down, Kim evaluated Ron. "Are you just saying that to avoid my question?"
"Of course not."
"Then what were you going to say?"
"…"
"…"
"The weather… it's nice. Look! Snow!" Ron sprung from the bed and flew to the window on the other side. Indeed it was snowing, it hadn't been when Shego and the Bonnie-Spirit took flight. Odd, that. It had been when Shego walked to her penthouse.
Shego walked over to the window and stood beside Ron who did not know she existed. The snow was drifting down from the rich, blue sky, the golden stars above gazing down upon Middleton sombrely. The snow lighted down on the white ground below. Against the night sky, the snow appeared to glow, like the radiant wings of angels, torn from the owner and dropped carelessly onto the streets.
Realising that Kim's sidekick was beside her, she turned to take a look at him. Shego had never really acknowledged him in the past, after all, Kim had been her opponent. And even though she did not know him well, she had to admit, to see him so silent and solemn felt foreign to her.
His light brown eyes watched the snow fall from the heavens, tears of the angels, bless the ground. They shimmered sadly, the world outside reflecting depressingly like a window to a realm that had been taken away from them. For although all he had to do was step outside his door to be in the snow and the scene before him, it still felt worlds away, not the physical outside, but what it was representing… the freedom, the peace… the snow… how entrancing it could be in it's fresh purity that Christmas night.
"Ron!" Kim appealed, breaking the sentimentality, "You're avoiding the question! Jim and Tim have done something, haven't they?"
Ron flashed a grin and spoke: "And just think: to-morrow is Christmas day! You asked Shego for the day off didn't you? Because you told me you would before you left for work this morning." Kim had planned to ask her?! Shego thought and she shrunk small against the wall. "Just think… a whole day off, you hadn't had that since… since, like, forever! We'll be able to have a nice sleep in, h'm?"
Avoiding Ron's cheerful expression and unbeknownst to him, Kim turned her head and bit her lower lip. Don't tell him! Shego thought warningly, Just slip off unnoticed to-morrow and I'll give you the day off!
Ron ambled back over to the bed, and this time slipped himself under the covers to nestle close to Kim.
"Ron," Kim spoke suddenly in a much gentler tone as if Ron had walked into the room for the first time, "I… I'm, actually frightened…"
Ron said nothing. He just stared at the bland ceiling above him, his hands resting on his chest with a solemn face. If his eyes were closed (and with his pale complexion), Shego might have taken him for dead.
"About the future, I should say," Kim carried on; she too stared at the ceiling. With the two of them so intent on staring at the ceiling, someone might think it was the most fascinating of ceilings in the world. "Ron, I'm only twenty-three! I'm too young to have a kid… a child... a baby…"
"Are you blaming me?" Ron asked, still not looking at anything but the ceiling.
Kim was the first to steal a glance at the other, her eyes darted rather nervously. "Of course not." Her voice was much more confident than her facial expression lead Shego to believe. "You know, because of what happened, Shego taking over the world when we were so young, I sometimes wonder if, inside, I've aged at all. Ever since she took over, and even though the years have turned by, I still feel the same. It doesn't feel like any time has passed at all. Maybe that's why I'm feeling like I am…"
"Which is?"
"Too young; nervous, anxious, scared… everything I never used to feel. I don't…" She didn't complete her sentence; Shego was very curious to know what Kim would have said next, but she couldn't ask and Ron was not pressing her to say. "Maybe we shouldn't have…"
"Bit late for that."
"But what if-"
"Seriously, KP, what's done is done. Don't dwell on the 'what if's', you'll just dig yourself into a pit of depression and then you'll bring down the whole house, including me. They rely on you, Kim and so do I."
Kim looked back at Ron, but this time she held him in her gaze. "That's deep, coming from you."
Ron smiled crookedly, "Is it?" He mused.
"But Ron…" Kim said softly, "I feel worse and worse all the time, the pain... One time when I was walking home from work, I felt like I was going to collapse…"
Before Kim could say more, which she was intending, Ron turned to face her abruptly. "When was this?"
"Tchach," Kim waved a hand dismissively, "I dunno, awhile ago."
"You didn't tell me."
"Because I didn't want you to stress, duh."
"Duh," Ron mimicked sarcastically, rolling his eyes- back to staring at the ceiling.
Shego smiled sadly to herself without knowing she did, for all their talks and acting like adults (which, technically, they were), like Kim had said, they still were teenagers deep inside, which was rather disturbing if Shego contemplated the matter. In fact, they didn't seem to have matured at all in character, not that she knew much of their character. But she could still recognise their teenager-like behaviour. She wondered what the circumstances were surrounding their pending child (heh, she had her guesses) and whether they were actually mature enough to nurture one (again, she had guesses for that one too).
"Ron…" Kim continued, selecting her words with caution, but this time, her voice began to choke, as if she was on the verge of a terrible realisation. "You, uh… um… you'd still take care of everyone no matter what, right?"
"Huh -what?"
Tears began to form in the corners of Kim's eyes, "I think it's a really big possibility that something could happen to me, you know, with the way I've been feeling lately- the pain. It's terrible… I'm frightened… frightened about when it's time, I mean, my goodness, Ron- I'm so young, my Mother never talked to me about any of this or what to do because of my age when she disappeared, there was no reason for me to have bothered with knowing; and- and we don't even have money for a- for a doctor… for when it's time!"
Ron instantly paled.
He shifted uncomfortably where he lay, "We'll manage somehow…"
"Remember that movie we watched in class based on the novel we read for English Lit-"
"Don't remind me!!" Ron wailed, "Please, I think it's been burned into my memory forever…"
"Even if I was… healthy… I doubt I'd make it if it's going to be like that…"
"Dear God, I hope that was over-dramatized…"
"…and yet… somehow, I doubt that…"
"Kim, I'm no doctor, so, is it, like, ok that I'm, like, in another room?"
"Beyond ok, I don't need you in the room freaking out and having seizures, the doctor might have to tend to you instead!"
Ron laughed, "Naw, I think I'll just faint… or go into a coma."
"At least it'd silence you!"
The two laughed genuinely, acting like their old selves from a past long since left behind.
Ron snuggled himself closer to Kim, tucking his head right next to hers, "Maybe I'll get Wade to pick up a book from the library, after all, he is a super-genius."
"O?"
"Yush, 'Midwiving for Dummies'."
That made the two of them laugh again, Kim comically agreed that Wade would make a suitable replacement should they not afford a doctor. They went on to discussing, jokingly, how the two of them planned to spring their plan on Wade.
After their chatter dimmed down, they just rested together, enjoying each other's company in silence. They did not need words to express how they were feeling nor their emotions for one another; just staying still together were words enough for Shego.
It made some feeling of some kind run down the spine of her back, making her feel confused, and yet somehow at peace at the same time, she wasn't sure how that was possible. To Shego, it suddenly dawned on her that perhaps these two had something she did not. Yet how could that be, when she had more money than them? Whatever they had, it was current in this very room, she could feel it. Looking around the room at all the material items, she saw nothing that she did not already have (and in a much better state tool!). Shego promised to dwell on this some more, whatever it was, it would take more thinking.
"I think dinner's just about ready, are you going to come down with me?" Ron spoke, breaking the tranquillity of the surrounding silence. He said tenderly, "Maybe if you're not feeling well, you should just stay in bed. I can bring something up to you if you feel hungry."
Kim tsked at Ron and attempted to sit herself up. "Yea, Ron? Ok, a) stop avoiding my questions and b) don't be a fr00b. Of course I'm coming down to dinner, it's Christmas Eve, after all." And she smiled, "And I think you, Wade and Rufus require some help exercising some control on the tweebs?"
Helping Kim up, Ron took her arm and they walked together from the room to the hall and stairs, Ron turned off the light to conserve their very limited energy.
"Only if you're feeling alright, we don't want to make you feel like you're obligated to eat with us." Ron said.
"Gee, Ron, that hurts," Kim laughed. "And tell me what happened with the tweebs. I'm serious, Ron!" She gave him a quelling look. "It'd be better if you told me than if I receive the blow from seeing if for myself."
Heaving a sigh, Ron caved in, "Sweat not, Kim, it's nothing of ours."
"O, that makes me feel so much better," Kim retorted sarcastically.
"Yea, and on a totally unrelated topic that has nothing in any way to the previous conversation whatsoever, we owe our neighbours ten bucks, ok?"
"What!?"
Before Kim could wrangle a decent answer out of Ron, they both (and Shego and the Bonnie-Spirit) reached the kitchen slash dining room within it they could hear fervent whisperings and the water tap running.
"Hurry, I think I hear their voices-"
"-If Kim notices anything, we're in huge trouble-"
"I have nothing to do with this!"
"-It's not coming off!"
"What's going on? What won't come off?" Kim commanded upon entering the scene. Jim and Tim were by the kitchen sink washing their hands hastily, soap frothing high. Wade was at the side, wringing his hands, sweat on his brow and Rufus was on the counter squealing in distress.
"Aa!" Wade cried out, when he heard Kim speak. "Hi! How are you?"
Caught unaware, Jim and Tim wheeled around right on the spot, their hands dripping water and their hands covered in soap froth. "Kim!" They both cried as one.
Glaring at Jim and Tim, Kim raised her haunches, "What's going on..?"
"I am not in any way apart of this!" Wade declared and took a seat at the dinner table.
"Gee, thanks!" Tim scowled at Wade.
"Yea, way to help us!"
Ron watched distressed at Kim, who grated her teeth and sighed heavily, rubbing her forehead with her hand. She reached out and grasped Tim's hands, looking underneath the soap she found their hands to be charred black. "Ok, someone tell me what happened. Let's get this over with so we can eat."
"We were only trying to help!" Tim exclaimed.
"Yea!" Jim concurred. "For you, Kim… a Christmas present."
"Are you two just trying to butter me up?" Kim demanded, purely stressed.
"No!" The tweebs shouted in unison.
"But what did you do?" Kim cried, exasperated.
Jim and Tim exchanged nervous glances with each other and shuffled their feet. Seeing as no proper answer would come out and Kim looked so full of anxiety, which wasn't recommended for someone in her position, Wade decided to end the matter. "They blew up a mail box."
"Ten bucks worth." Ron interjected; he was back at the oven and was now preparing the plates.
Kim looked like she was about to break down again, "Ron! Why weren't you watching them?!"
"He was preparing our dinner," Wade helped.
"Not my kids." Ron replied absent-mindedly while bringing out cups from the shelf.
"Not mine either," Kim growled and glared at her brothers.
"Look, we're really, really sorry!" Jim pleaded with his older sister.
Tim nodded at his brother and turned to Kim in earnest. "Yea, it wasn't supposed to blow up yet!"
"YET?!?"
"Well, fine! Spoil your Christmas surprise!" Jim huffed, crossing his soapy arms.
Tim said proudly, "We were making you a home-made bomb!"
"A WHAT?!?"
"Yea!" Tim said enthusiastically, holding up his hands, his eyes bright obviously ignorant to Kim's bewilderment.
"We were going to give it to you to give to Shego on Christmas Day!" Jim nodded at his sister this time.
Tim grinned devilishly, "I'd be all wrapped up-"
"Like a Christmas gift!"
"-And give it to Shego-"
"-Then it would blow up in her face-
"-Ridding us of her-"
"-For ever!" Jim finished excitedly.
Shego sucked her lips, keenly disturbed.
Again, Kim brought a hand to her forehead, "Yea, thanks, I appreciate your concern and all, but no." A smile played about on Kim's face and she drew herself closer to her brothers. "Jim, Tim, I can't do that, it's not right. If we get rid of her, it has to be fairly."
Jim cried out intensely upset, "Why?!"
"She's never fair with us!"
"Yea, look at what we have to live in!" True, it was a far cry from the Possible residence Kim had lived in with her parents and brothers before Shego took over.
"I know," Kim replied softly, putting her arms around them both. "But that's not the way, even for Shego. Now go finish washing your hands."
Wade nodded but Ron said nothing. Shego, on the other hand looked at Kim quizzically. Through all the fights and banter they had had, Kim replied with the answer that she did. It baffled Shego, that's not what she'd say if she were in Kim's shoes.
"Dinner!" Ron chimed.
"Alright!" Jim and Tim smiled and leapt into their seats along with Rufus who sat on the table; Kim took her place at the head of the table.
Passing out the plates, Ron circled the table, giving everyone (Rufus included) a meal. Lastly, Ron laid his own plate on the table then returned to pass out the cups. One last trip to the kitchen, Ron placed the turkey tray in the middle of the table for all to see. Lifting off the lid, he then took his seat on Kim's right.
Shego looked upon their meal and frowned intensely, wrinkling her nose. That was their meal? Why, altogether, it was barely a meal for one! On each plate was a small pile of mashed potatoes and barely a sprinkle of sauce on top (perhaps one of their Christmas splurges), a couple of peas and to the side, a small saucer (maybe the size of a sake cup!) of soup with some spices (another Christmas splurge). The bird itself was the most scrawniest bird Shego had ever laid eyes upon. It certainly could not be a turkey, why, it was far too small. Is that a lark? She thought despondently while poking her nose with an arm crossed
"You know," Kim said, before they ate their meal. "We should thank someone."
'Who?' they all had asked.
"Don't bite, but I think we should thank Shego for our meal."
Blank stares followed from all around the table, including Shego herself.
"If it weren't for her-" Kim was having trouble forming the words and Shego reflected back guiltily for how she had treated Kim, forcing her to work extra hours the next day for no pay. "If it weren't for her," Kim continued, "We wouldn't be having this meal."
Something sparked inside Ron and he shuffled with hostility in his seat. "You're right!" He snapped at no-one in particular, his face flushed, "We'd be having better!"
Angry agreements coursed through Jim and Tim, they nodded their heads and leaned forward, peering at Ron.
"Ron, I'm serious." Kim said serenely.
"And so am I!" He replied defiantly. Shego didn't think she'd ever seen this usually sensitive boy become so brash. "We have nothing to thank her for. Actually, we should all pray for her downfall!"
Kim nodded, her hands placed upon her lap, "And we should, but we should also thank her. She could have put us in worse conditions we could be in a prison-cell or on the streets. At least she pays us and lets us live together."
"She only treats us the way she does to watch us suffer because she gets some kind of sick pleasure from it!" Ron insisted stubbornly. "It's not kindness; it's her own brand of cruelty."
"But still, Ron; even so. We give thanks to her for making this decision to pay us when she could watch us suffer without pay to live…" Kim still said this after Shego had treated her, and how she was persisting it so! What guilt stirred in Shego's cold heart?
Ron cast his head away from Kim and closed his eyes in bold resistance, "I'll drink to her for your sake, Kim, because you work for her and have to deal with her day in and day out. But not for her."
Kim seemed to accept this and they raised the glasses (Rufus had a little cup) and drank, "To Shego!" They all said and drank their drinks.
If only I could express in words what Shego was feeling then, but I can not. Not even she knew what she was feeling. It was such a jumble of emotions all rushing at once, there was no way to even name them all, for some even opposed others.
After they drank their glasses, they bean to eat. But once the bird was cut and pieces were handed out to each of the six plates, to Shego's curiosity, not one made complaints towards their meal. No, why instead, they complimented Ron on his fine cookery skills and said things like 'You cooked the bird just right, Ron!', 'This soup is scrumptious, I've never tasted anything like it, Ron!' and 'Is it just me, or did you mash this potato just enough so it's not too chunky and not too smooth, Ron!?' (and '-pick up Midwiving for Dummies!' 'SAY WHAAAT?!?!'.)
Indeed, they were a grateful, rag-tag family. Not one unpleasant face, not one tear, no-one looked into the spoonful of soup and wished for better. Shego found this deeply stirring inside her heart of ice and wasn't too sure why. If she had been in their place, she'd have complained and demanded for better. And yet this group was so humble about their dinner.
When they had finished eating their meal (it was a short meal, naturally) and Ron brought out the dessert, a treacle pudding (again, another Christmas specialty), Kim halted them all before launching themselves into the dreamy food.
"What is it, Kim?" Wade inquired, holding his spoon chancy in the air above his pudding.
"Well," Kim stalled, Shego anticipated what she was about to announce. "I have an announcement; I think I should say it before dessert."
"Is something wrong?" Ron asked; he placed his spoon down beside his saucer.
Again, Kim cast her face away, bit her lower lip then turned to face them again. "I didn't ask Shego for a day off." She blurted out.
Oh, bloody hell, girl! Shego's mind raced, I said, don't tell them!
Everyone at the table looked startled, and Jim and Tim exchanged upset expressions. Ron was about to open his mouth when Kim continued hurriedly. "Shego brought it up herself, actually…"
The frowns flipped upside down into jubilant smiles. Jim and Tim now exchanged joyous expressions ("Hoosha!"), Rufus chattered happily, Wade smiled and Ron looked solaced. O! How crushing it would be once the truth became known to them!
"And…" Kim continued, now standing and wringing her hands anxiously, "She… she won't let me. I-in fact, I have to arrive two hours earlier than usual and… and I won't be paid for it."
Now how the anger flowed through the table occupants like a tidal wave! Just the reaction Shego had been expecting, none to happy either. Rufus chattered angrily; Wade: annoyed and began speaking while waving his spoon about as he did so; Jim and Tim hollering across the table to Kim; and Ron, his reaction was something of an enigma, Shego contemplated. He just sat in his seat, his face expressionless.
Kim wasn't the only one who noticed and when Jim, Tim, Rufus and Wade quieted down (for they too noticed Kim's attention had turned to a most curious Ron), they waited for someone to speak first.
And it was Ron who did, his voice was soft and quiet, he looked up at no-one, only starred at his plate, although not looking at it entirely. "And you told us to thank her." He said, his voice, such a calm, it was almost frightening.
"Ron, I tried!" Kim persisted and reached a hand out to his shoulder. "I really did…"
Shego expected Ron to furiously shrug off Kim's hand and storm out of the room, but he did not. No, instead, he lifted his spoon and said in the same soft voice, "Well, let's eat."
And they did.
It wasn't at all like how they had eaten their dinner, so full of laughter and life, and now reserved, sombre… saddened… The only sounds that were made were when the spoons scrapped the bottom of the saucer in attempts to scrape all the remaining pudding. This dessert appeared to last longer than the dinner had, it was most likely due to the unnerving factor that was felt throughout the room, including Shego and the Bonnie-Spirit.
Why, it was so silent, Shego's nerves were startled when the Bonnie-Spirit spoke.
"Pathetic, huh?" She said, conceitedly inspecting her nails again.
"Excuse me?" Shego said, turned her head to face the Bonnie-Spirit, she had been so enraptured by the going ons, she almost forgot the Spirit was still with her. Quite, she had forgotten.
"Them. Patheitc, huh? I mean, heh, getting worked up over silly things like having to work."
"But on Christmas day!" Shego waved her hand at the Bonnie-Spirit indignantly.
"So? Christmas is just a day with a name and a number. What's the big deal?" The Bonnie-Spirit turned over her hand and began gazing around the room, seemingly interested in laying her eyes anywhere but on Shego.
"But it's a special day, and they won't even be able to spend it together! Look at them… their dessert is spoiled…"
"Because of you."
That remark silenced Shego and she turned her head away from the Bonnie-Spirit and watched Kim, Ron, Wade, Jim, Tim and Rufus eat their dessert in solemn silence. She had, hadn't she? Why? Because she was angry at her brother? Because she was bored and wanted to torment someone just for pleasure? Had she been that cruel, not even twenty-four hours had it been! Was a warm flame melting the ice from Shego's heart?
They had finished their dessert, not a word had been uttered. Kim stood up precariously, Ron, Wade, Jim and Tim helped pack their saucers into the sink for cleaning.
"It's my turn to-night," Jim said, "To wash the dishes."
"And I'll dry." Tim said. No youthfulness filled their voices, it was monotonous, no lively expressions, so unlike these twins.
Wade and Ron nodded gravely, expressing their thanks to the two brothers. Kim, who had walked away from the dinner table, wobbled and said, "I… I'm not feeling well. In fact… I'm going to go lay in bed. Merry Christmas."
"Merry Christmas," chorused the family, the expected cheer in their voices replaced by concern for Kim's well being.
Slower than Shego had ever seen her move, she watched Kim slowly make her way to the staircase. Both Wade and Ron moved close to her, should she need their help. And she did.
Firstly, Kim winced in a sudden attack of pain and buckled forwards. A hand flew to her stomach and the other to her head. The sudden movement jarred Tim and Jim from their dish washing duties to rush to the aid of their sister; Ron, Rufus and Wade were already at her side faster than a flash of light.
"Kim!" They all cried out.
She collapsed to the floor on her knees where she continued to clutch her stomach, engrossed consuming in pain. Her face was contorted with a distressing expression and she lent forward on her knees now clinging to Ron's shirt who knelt in front of her with the rest of the family.
Shego forgot herself and her bitter emotions for Kim Possible, she became caught in the hustle surrounding Kim and too launched herself forward in intent to aid Kim. Realising she had nothing to offer for she was not known to them, Shego leered in panic over the group enclosing Kim, expressing great concern. She became lost in the shouts and sudden rush of movements, Shego couldn't even hear who was saying what; to Shego, they were all speaking at once.
"Quick!" Somebody cried out in misery, "Help her!"
"Kim, where does it hurt?!"
"Kim, can you hear me?!"
"Kim, what's wrong?!?" Ron cried out desperately, laying an urgent hand on her shoulder.
But Shego was never told what had occurred to Kim nor the reason why she had fallen to the floor, stricken with overwhelming pain; for Shego was suddenly whisked away out of the room against her will through the roof and into the sky. She cried out, stretching a hand to the family who was now diminishing in size as she flew further and further away. Backwards she was forced, her upper half willing to move forwards but her back half forcedly moving forwards.
Soon, the roof of their home concealed the perilous circumstances surrounding Kim and Shego was flying (now forwards) through the dark blue night sky, the stars laughing above her head. She found that her hand had been, unknowingly to her, placed holding onto the Bonnie-Spirit's green billowing robe.
Immediately after Shego and the Bonnie-Spirit touched the soft snowy ground (the location, Shego did not care), she strutted forwards, her hackles raised.
"Why did you take me away like that?! That's so rude!!" Shego snarled, pointing a finger at the Bonnie-Spirit.
If Shego expected the Bonnie-Spirit to tremble and stutter, she would have been greatly disappointed. Instead, rather, she stood with her hands on her hips and again in a bad posture. Her eyes narrowed as always, and responded: "Are you, like, what? Deaf? I told you we're on a schedule and I'm running out of time. This is our last stop, so take a look in that house over there," (she jerked a thumb in the direction of a house Shego had been too blinded by rage to even have noticed) "And let's get this over with."
"You brat!" She shouted back, not even looking at the house, "You whisked me away right at that moment on purpose! What's going to happen to Kim?! Is she going to be alright? Tell me!!" Shego craned her neck forwards and hissed at the Bonnie-Spirit.
Unmoved, the Bonnie-Spirit did not snap back right away, which was what Shego would have expected. But rather just stood facing Shego, evaluating her through slit eyes. After a few moments of pause in which Shego huffed with anger, her breath smoking in the cold night's air, the Bonnie-Spirit finally said, "You really want to know?"
Taken aback, Shego had not expected she was going to receive a proper answer. "Well, yes, damnit!" She spat back.
"Like, you really want to know?"
"Damn straight!"
"Like, you really, really want to-"
"Spit it out!!"
The Bonnie-Spirit looked about herself, biding for time perhaps. Then she turned her gaze once again to calculate Shego then said, "It's like this: She'll be fine for now. Kim'll just lie down and feel better later. But," The Bonnie-Spirit lifted up a finger and closed one eye, "If the future remains unchanged, they will both die."
Shego felt like she had been struck in the back of the head with a frying pan. Stunned, all she could muster from her throat was a whisper: "Die?"
The Bonnie-Spirit nodded.
"But…" Shego spluttered, holding her hands out in front of her, "But she never told me anything was wrong. I never noticed anything wrong. It's, like… so 'whoah!' and all of a sudden. Die, you say? But why? How? When? What's wrong? Kim Possible and her future kid die?"
Shifting her weight to her other side, the Bonnie-Spirit snorted a sigh. "So what? Who cares anyway? That's just killing two birds with one stone, I say."
"How can you say that?!"
The Bonnie-Spirit shrugged looking cruelly bored with the whole matter, as if death meant nothing to her. How could she appear so cold to such a dire matter? What's wrong with her? "Look, if you're done, get your ass over to that house."
Shego recoiled wrinkling her nose at the Bonnie-Spirit who waited for her to move forwards. So she did, trudging through the snow, her fists swinging angrily at her side while muttering, "Bossy, much?"
This house was in much preferable conditions than that of Kim Possible's, although it still had the scant image of poverty to it. As soon as Shego had come within range of the house, she could hear laughter, singing and jovial behaviour. In fact, it reminded her of the house party she had seen in her past with the Monique-Spirit. So much it reminded her, Shego half thought she had travelled to her past once again, but she was quite sure she did not know this house.
Yet once she peered inside through the frosted windows, the sight that beheld her was much the same! Quite true, the lights were all on, not a shadow to be seen, and O! the colourful ambiance! What can be said about this house that hadn't been said describing the other? It was all there yet a less amount of people danced inside, but that did not mean there was any less exultation. And there was something else that was the same, Shego took notice, twas her brother: Hego.
Intrigued to eavesdrop on his conversation, she stepped inside and walked close to her brother. He was standing off to the side of the hoop-la in the house (Shego recognised various peoples, but none interested her as much as her own brother) holding a cup of apple cider chatting with Mego, Wego #1 and Wego #2 (who were fellow family members of Shego's and were also apart of the Go Team).
Once Shego was within hearing distance of the group, this was what she heard:
"Did you try to invite her again, Hego?" Wego #2 asked also holding a glass of apple cider.
Hego nodded his head, "Yea, and she declined-"
Mego scoffed, "Of course she won't. She hasn't attended a Christmas with us since she left our team!"
Wego #1 nodded hastily, "Why in the world does she hate it so much? Why does she have to neglect her family? Especially on Christmas!"
"I'm not sure, but I'll tell you what she told me," Hego said, dropping his voice in precaution. "Ever since she took over the world, she's become more callous then when she signed her contract with the late 'Duh'-something." (Mego and the Wegos leaned forward, absorbed on Hego's every word.) "These are words from her own mouth, I won't improvise at all! She said that Christmas was just a commercialized holiday for companies to profit from; that we have no right to make merry because we are so poor. You should have seen the greed in her eyes and the venom in her voice, it was terrifying to see what she has become, I tell you. She will not share her money and the way she treats Kim Possible is unjust. I feel almost ashamed to know her…"
Crestfallen. That was how Shego was feeling. To hear her own brother say these words about her… and what made it all the more worse was that every word he said was true. She had said those things, they were her words. Her own brother was ashamed to know her now! You could have said Shego wouldn't have thought twice what her brother thought before her nightly visitors, but now… now it penetrated and stung her terribly.
The other three brothers nodded their heads in unison, not in a sad manner, but in one of understanding and speaking fact. But then Hego said something that truly struck a cord inside Shego.
"Actually, no. I'm not ashamed of Shego, I am ashamed of what she has become."
That meant that he did not hate her, and that there was room for forgiveness in Hego's heart for Shego. Would Shego be able to step up and open the gateway to the forgiveness? It was she who would have to act first, Hego already had given her the initiative.
"I don't understand her," Hego continued after lifting his glass to his lips and taking a sip. "I'm sorry for her, for seeing the sins that have corrupted her. They consume her like toxic wastes spilling over her heart, dripping in oil. She sits there in her office, but she is alone and I want to be there for her. But should she ever need a friend, I'll be there for her, that I can say."
"You have more patience than me," Mego stated.
"And me!" Wego #2 concurred.
"Me too," Wego #1 agreed.
Mego stepped forwards bravely, "I don't think we'll ever expect to see her at one of our Christmas dinners."
"I left the invite open to her," Hego said.
"Don't expect her to accept it!" Mego retorted brashly. "She'll dine with Beelzebub to-morrow!"
The Wegos expressions widened at their brother's cold comment towards their sister.
"Hush!" Hego scolded, "Don't say such things, all we'll have to do is hope she'll turn around and join us in our merry making to-morrow."
"You'll hope and I'll party," Mego shot back.
"Stop!" Wego #1 cried, "Let's stop talking about Shego, all this conversation can do is bring upset. Let's go gather everyone else and have dinner."
Hego and Wego #2 nodded while Mego tossed his deep purple hair in a bold resistance (which was his own personal way of agreeing with the others) and together they strolled away from each other and began calling out to everyone above the ruckus expressing that they were to all go to the dinning room to eat.
It took awhile, but soon everyone cleared from the room, shuffling in droves through the doorway, still much alive with chatter and laughter as they went. Shego and the Bonnie-Spirit were all alone in the room now, even though Shego could hear the distant conversing in the neighbouring room, she still felt an eerie silence.
"I can't believe after how viciously I treated him up in my office, and in the past that he still thinks kindly towards me. How is that possible? I'd hate me if I were him. I'm the one who doesn't understand him." Shego stood with her arms hanging limply at her sides, dazed completely.
"I dunno, you tell me." The Bonnie-Spirit shrugged and looked about the empty room. "Well, heed what you see to-night, Shego, for I say it's just nearly about time…"
Snapping out of her stupor, Shego shook her head, her long black hair waving back and forth. "Huh? What? Time for what?"
For the first time, Shego witnessed the Bonnie-Spirit smile. Nay, not a smile, but a grin! A grin that was so vitriolic, it could have belonged to Shego. Truthfully, Shego thought the very same and wondered what on Earth the Bonnie-Spirit could be grinning at so spitefully like a Cheshire, that she squinted her eyes and leaned forwards.
Then the Bonnie-Spirit raised an arm, her right, long and straight and pointed towards something just behind Shego. Alarumed more than curious, Shego whipped around, again her prolonged hair swirling about her body. And just as the Drakken phantom had spoken, there was the Third Spirit shrouded in mist, making its way towards Shego.