Chapter 3: Unity

Note: I learned that the sticks used in Eskrima are called 'Kali' so I'll be using that from here on in instead of 'stick'.

The Ride

Sheila arrived at Anne's house early that morning, she hoped to catch her before she left for school. She approached the door and knocked. 'I thought Anne told me Dean took off yesterday' Nana opened the door, she was surprised to see Sheila Sullivan. "Is Anne here I need to speak with her please." Nana invited her into the kitchen and went off to get Anne. Sheila sat looking over the small room, crowded as it was with photos of Anne and photos of her father, Ron.

"You wanted to see me Ms. Sullivan?" Anne walked into the room already dressed to go to school.

"I wanted to speak with you about Dean if you have time." Anne wanted to talk about Dean too, but she also had to get to school on time. Sheila suggested Anne could ride to school with her, and they would talk on the way. The two women walked out to Sheila's BMW X3.

"Dean has issues to deal with, he found out a lot about me and about himself recently. He needs time to sort it all out."

"What sort of things? Where did he go? Is he okay?" Anne was worried for him, "The way he left that day at school, I'm worried about him."

"I'll let Dean decide when and if he tells you. He called me last night and he said he was fine. He wanted you to know that he'd be back in time to go to Japan." She turned the car into the school driveway. "One other thing Anne. He said to tell you he loves you."

Anne stepped out of the car and answered "I know he does."

Questions

Shelia turned the car back towards Anne's house, she had wanted to speak with Nana as well. The women went into the back yard to sit and talk. "When Ron left…to go to Japan. How did you deal with it, the not knowing if he would be coming back to you?"

"We prayed. My late husband George and I. We prayed every night for our son to be returned to us. We continued right up until the end. I guess 'the Creator' had other plans for Ronald." Nana was crying by the time she was done explaining. "Our faith was tested those months that he was gone. I like to think that we passed the test."

"What about those of us without faith?" Sheila hadn't been to church in over 25 years, she lost what little faith she had when her sister, Vidalia, died.

Nana could sense the loss Sheila felt and took her hand. "Then we shall pray together for the safe return of Dean." They prayed together for quite some time.

The Call

"The new stock at 'Club Banana' came in today Anne. Let's hit the mall after school." It was Paula, the clothes hound. She wanted to see the new fashions, but also wanted to take her friend out to have some fun. They needed something to take their minds off of the way Dean just walked away yesterday.

"Do I have to?" Anne really didn't want to go anywhere but home after school.

"Yes you do. It will do you good to get out of the house, and spend some time with us."

"If I have to, I suppose I can go for a while."

Anne and Paula walked into the food court and hooked up with Rachel, Andy, and Eric. As they sat and drank Smoothies the conversation invariably turned into a question fest about Dean. "I don't know where he is, he didn't even tell his mom where he was." * " He said he was okay though." * "he was going to try and be back before our birthday." * "I'm really worried about him. When he left he just seemed so depressed almos…" She was interrupted by the ringing of her cell phone. "Hello?"

"hi" Came the voice from the earpiece.

"Dean!" She almost screamed his name.

"happy to hear you're glad I called." He smiled, chuckling to himself.

"Whereareyou?areyouok?whenareyoucomingback?" She was so excited to hear from him that she almost forgot to breathe.

"calm down. I'm fine I should be back in a few days, a week at the most. If everything goes ok."

"What do you mean? What things need to go ok before you can come back?"

"listen I've got to get going…Anne? I love you."

"I love you too Dean." The phone hung up. Her friends looked at her wanting to know what was up with Dean. She set the phone on the table and began to cry. The group gathered close around her in a big hug trying their best to comfort her.

Savior

Dean had just placed the handset back onto the receiver of the payphone when he heard it. The sounds of a struggle coming from the dark alley across the street.

"Someone help me please." It was a woman's voice. The next sound he heard was the slap of a fist hitting skin. "No one is going to help you bitch!" It was the gruff voice of a man.

Dean pulled on his helmet and walked across the abandoned street to the alley. He could barely see the image of a hulking man standing, arms at his side.

"I'll teach you to try and skim money from me!" The pimp let a hard kick slam into the woman's gut, her body convulsed sickly as she spat blood, her dirty blonde hair caked with the filth that was the ground. Dean stepped forward into the dimly lit area where the pair were. The pimp noticed him for the first time, "You want some of this punk!?"

"…no…" his voice so low that it could barely be heard. Dean held his hand up and let the green fire coalesce around it before he sent a concussive blast towards the man's chest. Listen close and you may have heard the sound of bones breaking as the pimp's body smashed into the wall. Dean looked towards the prostrate form of the woman, she was breathing. He stepped over her to the pimp and crouched down. He placed his finger tips on the man's face one on each cheek, the other 3 spread evenly over the sloped forehead. "Learn respect." He let heat flow into skin, the pungent odor of seared flesh burnt his nose. He looked back towards the woman, who began to stir, and decided it was time for him to leave. He called 911, to report the beating, before he rode off out of town.

Blast from the Past

Kim sat at her desk grading papers, as her students did their math problems. 'you have mail' the computer told her in its automated voice. She scrolled to the message, it was from Wade. Subject: 'thought you should see this'. It was a copy of a Police report about an assault in St. Louis. Kim didn't seem to be very interested in it, 'nothing strange about this, it happens everyday.' Then she saw it, both the victim and the perpetrator described the person that broke up the attack as having a slim medium build and wielding some sort of green fire. "Shego?" 'She disappeared years ago after Dr. Drakken died, no one had heard or seen anything of her since then.' Her students looked up at her and asked what a 'Shego' was. Kim decided that she should go back to Go City and look for answers in the most obvious place.

She stood in front of Go Tower and buzzed the call button. She recognized the man that answered the door. It was Hego, his dark blue hair now streaked with white. "Good to see you again Hego."

"What can Team Go do for you Ms. Possible." He asked as he led her into the main room of the tower.

"I have a question about Shego. Have you seen or heard from her recently?"

Hego said nothing he just turned and led her back out the door. Taking her to a small setting just off to the side of Go Tower. There, much to Kim's surprise, stood a statue of Shego .

"Shego is dead." He said without any hint of emotion.

Kim looked closer at the statue, a plaque on its base read 'Always a Hero in Our Hearts' 1977-2004. Hego led her back into the tower explaining as they went. "Sixteen years ago we received this." He pushed a button that caused a door to slide back revealing a small glass enclosure. In it was her trademark green and black battle suit. Covered in cuts and long slashes, discolored with dried blood. Next to it was a mound of long black hair. "She loved her hair and would have never allowed it to be cut off. Genetic testing showed that the blood and hair were hers." He pulled a small clear box out of the case and handed it to Kim, "We also received this." It contained a small smooth stone. "Does it mean anything to you?"

Kim's face went flush as she dropped the container and fell to her knees "…ron…"

Shopping Spree

Dean was perusing the selection of merchandise in front of him when the clerk snootily asked "Can I help you?"

"I need a set of Kali sticks. The new composite carbon fiber ones." Dean knew what he wanted and he wanted only the best.

"Those are top of the line, extremely light and super durable. Can you afford them?" The clerk was less than impressed by the image the young man portrayed, ragged from days of riding.

"What do you think?" Dean asked sarcastically as he pulled a roll of $100 bills out of his jacket pocket. "Now I'm going to need some other items as well." He spent the better part of 3 hours, having the clerk show him almost every item in stock, and well over $1500 on a total purchase that barely filled his backpack.

Dean stepped off his bike and into the abandoned building, it seemed like a good spot to test his new toys. He took one of his newly acquired Kali in his hand and focused a stream of green fire through it. He spent the next few hours practicing. When he was finished the building was worse for wear, but he had gotten much better at controlling and directing his powers. Although they still made him nervous.

The Beach

Anne was standing on the corner getting ready for her morning run. She wished that Dean was here to go with her, but she had to keep training. At least that's what Kim said 'don't let your worries about Dean affect your life, he'll come back to you when he is ready.' She was so lost in thought that she didn't hear the black motorcycle rolling up the road behind her.

"Been waiting long?"

That voice, her brain took a second to process it. 'dean?'. She turned and that was when she saw him. "DEAN!" She grabbed him so hard and fast that his bike nearly tipped over. She hugged him as hard as she could, not wanting to let him go again.

"You busy? I mean I can always come back later, after your run." He loved teasing her like that.

"Dean…I love you." She was squealing again, and still holding him in a vise-like hug.

"Hop on I want to tell you something." She leapt onto the back of the bike, repositioning her arms to squeeze him as they rode North out of town. They arrived at the north shore of Lake Middleton and Dean maneuvered the bike down a narrow path to a secluded beach. They spent a long time sitting on the beach, Dean just holding her in his arms. "I never want to forget what this feels like." He flipped her hair away, exposing the supple golden brown skin of her neck. "Or this." As he kissed her neck, just behind her ear.

"Dean." She was lost in love in his arms.

"I love you Anne, its time I let you know just how much." He took his hand and began to unzip her jacket.

"I love you Dean." The young couple would spend most of the day making love.

They rode back into town just as school was letting out. Dean was hungry and figured correctly that Anne was too. "Bueno Nacho?" She nodded in agreement. They entered the restaurant in their standard manner, holding hands. They were both surprised to see their friends all there.

"Welcome Back!" It turned out that Paula had seen the pair riding out of town that morning. Naturally she told everyone she knew that Dean was back, and out with Anne.

"What have you two been up to?" Rachel asked in her own sly way, figuring that she knew already what they had been doing all day.

"Nothing" Dean and Anne answered in perfect stereo.

"Dean and Anne sitting in a tree K-I-S-S-I…"Andy was cut off by the smack of a packet of Diablo sauce hitting his face. Everyone burst out laughing as Anne and Dean blushed and took their seats.

Busted

Dean dropped Anne in front of her house, "See you in the morning for another run?" Anne said nothing she just smiled back at him as she walked into the house. Nana was waiting for her.

"The school called, said you didn't show up today. Where were you all day young lady?"

Anne knew she was busted so she confessed. "Dean came back today, we went riding and spent the day together. I know I should have told you , I'm sorry."

"Normally I wouldn't approve of your skipping school to spend the day with a boy. I'll let it slide, this time, but when we get back from Japan you're grounded. After school straight back here, except when you're training with Kim."

Anne didn't much like the idea of being grounded when she was nearly 17, but she relented. "Yes Nana."

Dean pulled his bike into the garage and walked into the kitchen. "Dean! Son you're home!" His mom nearly crushed his ribcage with her hug. They shared a long hug and then she asked him "Your powers, you can control them now?"

"I've got a pretty good grasp on it yes." Dean didn't want to sound cocky.

She led him back into the game room. He stood watching her as she racked the billiard balls. "Show me." He held his finger low against the felt topped slate and let a burst emanate from it. The balls scattered across the table. "Impressive. How about the heat aspect?"

He shrugged his shoulders, "I do ok with it."

She left the room and returned with a cup of water. "Heat this up." He took the cup in his hand and a slow green flame crept around its base. The water began to bubble slowly, and then suddenly exploded out of the glass.

"Oops. Overdid it that time." Dean looked embarrassed when he turned toward his mother, she was laughing?

"You show amazing control for only a few days of practice. You'll get better at it trust me." She told him about the time when she was just learning her powers that she burned her eyebrows off. They shared a good laugh over it.

"Have you told anyone about your powers?" She asked suddenly.

"No."

"Not even Anne?" She sounded like she knew something, at least to Dean she did.

"No mom, not even Anne."

"Oh. By the way. You're grounded for 2 weeks after we get back from Japan."

"Aww. 2 weeks?" He tried his best to sound put off by it, although he expected much more.

"You want to try for maybe 3?" She held up three fingers, then four, then five.

He caught her drift "No mom, 2 weeks is plenty."

"Now get upstairs and start packing, we leave the day after tomorrow." She pointed her finger up the stairs and Dean headed quickly up them to his room.

AN: Okay Kim thinks Shego is Dead. But we know better don't we. What surprises await in the next chapter? Well here is a hint…The Lotus Blade is not a good birthday present.