Chapter 2

Early March

It had been two days since Anne had learned the whole truth about her Father. She was able to accept it surprisingly well, after all she had the love and support of her family, and her best friend.

"Good morning. Ready for our run?" It was Dean, they had been running every morning for the last 6 weeks as part of their fitness training.

"Morning Dean. Of course I'm ready, how far are we going today?" She was dressed in her standard running gear, a silvery gold spandex body suit with a metallic gold jacket.

"I figured we'd head out to the overlook and then loop back past the Athletic Complex. It is about 10 miles total, shouldn't take more than an hour or so." He enjoyed running, especially with Anne. It gave him a chance to get out into the wide open spaces, the ones he had grown used to during his time in Egypt. As they ran Dean's thoughts went back to the night two days previous. "Anne how well did you know your dad? I mean how much did you know about him before the other day?"

Anne continued running but slowed slightly to better answer Dean. "I was only about 2 months old when he left Yamanuci. I do have dreams about him, looking down at me in my crib, smiling his goofy grin. We try and go to visit him every year the week of my birthday."

"Are you going this year?" Dean asked because his birthday happened to be the same as Anne's. April 20th, although she was a year older than him.

"I don't know. I would love to, but I don't know if Nana can afford to take us this year." Dean had just found the perfect birthday present, both for Anne and himself. That was if he could convince his mother to get it. They continued on their run and they were soon nearing the end.

"Anne would you like to come over tonight and watch some DVDs?"

Anne enjoyed spending time with Dean so he knew she wouldn't say no. "Sure Dean, when?"

"How about 7:30 or so."

She turned onto the street that would take her back to her house. "Ok see you then."

7:25

"Mom I love you. You don't have any idea just how much this means to me." He hugged her as tight as he could.

When she was free of his arms she handed him an envelope. "I know that you want this more than anything else I could get you. Now have fun watching your movies with Anne. I'll be doing my exercises, then I'm going to work in my office if you need me." She turned and was walking to the back of the house when the doorbell rang. "That's probably her, you two kids have fun."

Dean met Anne at the front door and followed her into the den. They sat together on the expansive leather couch. He looked slightly nervous as he fiddled with the remote. "Anne?"

"Yes Dean?"

"I know its not really the right time to say this but, Happy Birthday." He placed the envelope on her lap.

"You know its not my birthday yet silly." That didn't stop her from wondering what he had gotten her as she lifted the envelope.

"Open it, its from me and my mom." Hearing that made her wonder 'his mom picks his presents?'

"Dean what are these, are you serious? I can't accept these, there's no way, no." 'Three first class tickets nonstop Middleton to Tokyo, that's got to be like $30,000'. She tried to hand the envelope back to him but he refused it.

"Anne please take them. You know that you mean a lot to me and that I think of your family as an extension of mine. Its my - our way of saying thank you for being there for us."

"Well I still can't take them, unless…" As a sly smile grew on her face "you come with us."

Dean smiled back. "I thought you might say that" as he produced another envelope from his pocket and waved it in his hand.

She squealed "Oh thank you Dean. I love you." She gave him a hug and a kiss. "but I haven't gotten you anything for your birthday." The pout on her face was slyly replaced with a grin. "or have I?" She moved from her spot at his side and crawled on to his lap, straddling his legs. She began to kiss him on the lips, pulling at his shirt with her hands.

"…no don't…" His voice low and barely audible.

"Its okay Dean" Her voice as sultry as she felt as she continued to kiss him.

"…I can't…please…"He began to struggle against her weight. But she had him pinned as she continued to kiss him, she had his shirt open and she began to kiss her way down his chest.

"Get off of me!" She suddenly found herself on the floor, Dean had pushed her off of him, hard. His face quickly showed the shock that he felt as he realized what he had just done. "Anne I'm sorry." He helped her up onto the couch apologizing while he made sure she was ok.

"What's wrong with you Dean?" He could hear the anger in her voice.

"I can't do this. As much as I want to I can't" His voice dropped. "My mom. She says we can't be anything more than friends." She looked at him quizzically when she asked why. "I don't know but she absolutely forbids it. I ask her why and she tells me its because she loves me, and its in our, mine and yours, best interests."

"How does she know what our best interests are?"

"I don't know. But I have to do what she wants. She is my mom and she knows what is best for me."

"Well I don't like it, but I'll go along with what you want. I still want to find out more about this though."

"Please don't confront her about it Anne. She could decide to move again and I don't want to lose you."

"Ok. I'll try and be subtle about it. Now lets watch the movie." They turned their attention to the TV screen and started the movie. Anne reached down and placed Dean's arm over her shoulder as she snuggled in next to him.

Sheila pulled her ear away from the door of the den, as she began to head for her home office. 'She is getting too nosy, like her aunt. I'll have to keep a close eye on her.'

Lunch

Fifth period was over and the halls were crowded with students heading for lunch. Dean made a quick stop at his locker to drop off his books before continuing to the lunchroom. His hands had really been bothering him these last few days, ever since the night with Anne. He struggled to lift his tray and carry it to the table where his friends were waiting for him. As he reached the table he almost dropped it causing some of the silverware to clatter to the floor.

Eric leaned down to pick up the dropped cutlery "What's up with you today Dean?"

"I don't know, my hands really hurt. Like I have Carpal Tunnel or something." He flexed his fingers and shook his hands in the air.

"It's probably all that hand holding you and Anne have been doing." Quipped Rachel as she let out a giggle. Dean didn't say anything, he just gave her a dirty look. "Maybe you should go see the nurse or something after lunch."

"I suppose it wouldn't hurt." He tried futilely to spear his food with his fork. He finally gave up and allowed Anne to help him, his face remained in a deep blush as people watched him being fed.

Nurse

Dean was sitting on a paper covered table. "Ok now hold still while I do these tests." The nurse held his hand while she poked at his fingertips with a pin. "Feel that?" His finger flinched slightly "Yes."

"Hmm no loss of sensation. Any numbness?"

"Not really. They're just tight and they hurt." He said as he rubbed his fingers, trying to pop his knuckles.

"Well there isn't much I can recommend, take these Tylenol and try soaking them in hot water when you get home. I'll send your Mother a note, she'll probably want to schedule a Doctors appointment for you."

"Ok thank you."

The Before Time

Dean arrived home to find his mother waiting for him, a stern yet concerned look on her face. "How long has this been going on?" As she waved a piece of paper in her hand. Dean wondered what had her worked up this time. He hadn't been doing much of anything out of the ordinary with Anne, at least not that his mom would know about.

He played it cool, "How long has what been going on?"

"These pains in your hands how long?"

"Just a few days." She looked at him in a way he had never seen, she looked…scared? "Mom what is it?"

"Come with me Dean. I have something to show you." She led him into her office, a room that was normally off limits to him. She had him sit in a chair while she worked the lock on her personal safe. She turned back to him holding a small untitled black binder in her hands. "I made this for you. So you would know the truth if anything ever happened to me."

He opened the binder and saw a photo of a young raven haired girl. "Who is that?" The girl looked somewhat like his mother except her hair was naturally brown or so he thought. The next page had a photo of the girl and a young boy, her brother according to the caption. Over the next three pages three more brothers and a sister joined them.

She motioned for him to turn the page. A newspaper clipping read 'New Heroes in Go City' and the photo showed a group of 5 gaudily clad heroes smiling. 'Shego with her Plasma Blasts, Hego with his Super Strength, Mego the Shrinker, and Wego the Duplicating Twins'. Over the next several pages there were similar clippings of the 5 heroes. Dean noticed that the smile on the girl's face diminished in each progressive photo, and on the last photo of the group she was not present.

The next page had a clipping of 'Robot Army Ruined, Dr. Drakken Captured' the photo showed the raven haired heroine being lead away in handcuffs. A series of similar articles followed, the last of such reading 'Dr. Drakken Dies' On the next page is an article 'Kim Possible Calls It Quits'.

The next page held a surprise it was a photo of the raven haired woman holding a brown haired baby boy. He recognized the baby as himself. "Mom why…what is this?"

"You weren't supposed to see this until you were ready, I actually hoped you would never have to see most of it." He looked as confused as ever. "Never see it?"

"I had hoped you wouldn't inherit my abilities. But you need to know the truth. I am…or should say was Shego." Dean said nothing, he just sat digesting what he had seen and heard. Sheila was concerned by this "Dean…son…"

"Why didn't you tell me? Don't you trust me? Don't you love me?"

"Son I love you more than anything. I didn't tell you… I had to protect you. If people…the wrong people ever found out that you were my son…"

"I could have kept the secret…"

"Son I couldn't risk it please…" She is crying, and they are not happy tears. 'I've never seen her like this - ever.'

"Mom I'm sorry…"

"No son I'm sorry, I should have told you…but now I have to ask you…keep my, our, secret."

"What about these abilities of yours? How am I supposed to keep glowing body parts and plasma blasts a secret?"

"Dean your abilities, you can learn to control them. I can train you to use them." She led him into the living room and had him sit in front of the fireplace. "Ok I'll give you a little demonstration. You can use the powers to do useful things like start a fire." She held her hand over the log in the fireplace, but nothing happened. She turned with a confused look on her face. "My powers they're…gone?"

"What?"

"I haven't used them since before you were born., I don't understand why are they gone?"

"So if I never use mine I'll be ok. They'll just go away?"

She looked scared again. "No! If you never use them they'll destroy you." She retrieved another book from the safe and handed it to Dean.

"What's this?" He saw that it was a funeral announcement and memorial packet.

"My sister, Vidalia. She never used her powers. She said they were 'unnatural' and they destroyed her. She suffered a spontaneous evisceration, it happened right in front of my eyes, I couldn't save her. My family had supported her decision not to use her powers. After what happened I couldn't stand being near them…" He held her in his arms as she grieved. He led her up to her room and put her onto the bed. "It will be ok mom - we'll figure a way through this." He kissed her forehead and went out the door closing it gently behind him.

Next Day

Anne had noticed Dean was in a major funk today. "Dean is everything ok? You seem preoccupied - distant - something."

Dean put his books into his locker and closed the door. "I just have a lot on my mind. Family things - Anne?"

"Yes?"

As he pulled on his jacket he asked "Could you cover for me? I'm going to take the rest of the day off."

"I suppose so sure. Where are you going?"

"I'm just going, I have a lot to think about."

"Will I see you after school?"

"I don't know. Maybe - we'll see." He turned and walked away leaving Anne to wonder if she would ever see him again.

He rode out into the mountains to a secluded wildlife area, not many people came out here at this time of year so he would have the area to himself. He parked his motorcycle and walked into the woods. After a short hike he entered a clearing in the trees next to a small pond. He sat down on a log and began to talk with himself. "Why is this all happening to me? Why now? I finally settle into a new life, happy with Anne, with my friends. Only to find out that my mom is, or was a super powered heroine turned villainess and that I inherited her powers. I mean what's next? Where do I go from here?"

Dean lay down on the ground next to the pond, and dangled his hand into the cool water, 'that feels so good'. He laid there for a short time before he fell into a sleep. He dreamed that he and Anne were together, smiling and happy holding hands. Watching the sunset "Look at all the beautiful colors. The reds, oranges, and greens?" Suddenly the quiet they had been enjoying was replaced by the screams of Anne. "Dean what's happening? What are you doing?" He looked over at her and saw his hand burning her and was unable to stop it. He watched helplessly as the fire spread over her body burning it black.

"ANNE!" he screamed as he sat up. "it was just a dream, a horrible nightmare." Then he saw it. The idyllic pond was now a boiling, seething cauldron filled with the bloated corpses of dead fish. He ran out of the woods to his waiting motorcycle.

"Is Dean there?" * "He left school today and I haven't seen him , I'm worried about him." * "No he didn't say. Just that he had to go think about stuff." * "Yes I'll call you if he contacts me, thank you Ms. Sullivan." Anne and Sheila share the same concern. 'Dean where are you?'

The phone rang, it was Dean. "Hi mom"

"Where are you ? When are you coming home?"

" I might be home in a week or so, before we go to Japan. Mom? It happened, my powers. They manifested themselves today. I have to think about all of this, figure out what I'm going to do"

"Come home and let me help you son. Please."

"I can't do that right now, I'm afraid I'd hurt someone. I think it's best that I figure this out on my own. Will you tell Anne that I'll see her when I come home. And that I love her…"

"Dean?"

"Yes mom?"

"Be careful son. I love you."

"I love you too mom."

More to come later in chapter 3.