I don't own a thing, Disney does. Big shout out to Revenant666, who gave me one of the most bon diggity personal reviews I have ever had! Also, Mohammad Hasheik and the Sons of the Desert are entirely fictional, and in no way relate to any events, people, or groups in real life.

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Life Changes – Chapter 3

The cheerleader actually has some decent fashion sense!

The two had spent a couple hours shopping, and had actually managed to get along, for the most part. Shego got back to the quarters late that night and began putting away everything she had purchased. Of course, she had sprung for some decent sheets and pillows, considering the ones she had seen when she had grabbed the room. Everything put away, she lay back on the bed, magazine in one hand, as she looked about the room.

This could be pretty good. Now I just need a bit of action!

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Shego looked bored as she sat at the table in the control center, nail file in hand, as she glanced up at Barkin.

"I have your first case." He picked up a remote, and turned to point at the view screen. "Mohammad Hasheik. Purportedly a leading member of the Sons of the Desert, a small terrorist organization known to have ties with other major groups in the Middle East. We believe he is currently holed up at an abandoned facility in New York."

Shego didn't even look up. "That's all great, but what does this have to do with me? Shouldn't this be something the military or homeland security should be bothering with?"

Steve just glared at her. "That's why I said purportedly. We have nothing right now that ties him to anything, and the government is a little… touchy about getting any bad press right now if they're assumptions prove unfounded. Your job will…"

An alarm sounded on the board behind them, and Steve instantly went into action. Drakken slid up to the computer console quickly.

"We have an unauthorized intruder. The computer says it's definitely not someone who is supposed to be here. They're coming in the front door!"

Shego was on her feet now, and she and Barkin stood on either side of the door, ready for anything. Drakken quickly brought up a visual on the hallway, and his face went pale.

"Oh no! It can't be her! Now I have to deactivate the security measures."

Shego turned at his statement, and saw the visual on the screen. She paled as well. She dropped her fighting stance and moved to sit down. "Oh, this day could not get any worse."

Barkin turned to look at the two of them, as well as the screen. Confusion was evident on his face. "People, what is going on here? We have an intruder situation here!"

Drakken turned to face the door, a fake smile on his face, as Shego just placed her head in her hands, trying to explain. "It's not an intruder, so much as it's…"

"Drewbie! I know you're in there! Are you going to leave me standing out here all day?"

"… Drew's mother!"

The door flew open, and Mrs. Lipsky stood there, a frown evident on her face. Drakken grimaced briefly before the smile returned to his face.

"Mother, what are you doing here? I mean…"

"Drew Theodore Lipsky! You didn't have the decency to give your mother a call, especially after you got hurt fighting that awful Monkey Fist! What am I supposed to think?"

Drakken looked very uncomfortable, knowing he had nowhere to run. "But Mother, I didn't want to trouble you with this and…"

"Oh Drewbie, you know it's never any trouble!" She walked over, taking care when she hugged him. "I was so worried about you when I heard about you getting involved with all those awful evil toys, but now that I see that you were just doing that to get close to those awful people, I feel much better. I'm so proud that my son is a hero! Oh, until you're all better, I'm going to be right here to take care of you!"

"Mother, that really isn't necessary. I can take care of myself and I have Shego here to…"

She released her hold on her son, and turned to look at Shego. "Oh yes, I remember you. You fought so hard! I'm sure you did all you could to protect my little Drewbie!" Shego tried backing away, but the woman grabbed her, pulling her into a hug. "You've always been there for my little Drewbie! That makes you family!"

Steve finally decided he had enough. "Ma'am, this is a top secret facility. You can't be here!"

Mrs. Lipsky finally let go of Shego, who really didn't look all that happy with the contact. She turned to look at Barkin, who didn't look like he was going to back down. "Nonsense, I'm going to take care of my little Drewbie until he's back on his feet. Now, don't let me interrupt your important hero work. I'm just going to go to the kitchen and make you all a nice snack."

"Ma'am, you can't be here! It's against the rules! No one is supposed to know about this place! MA'AM!" Barkin wheeled on Drakken when he saw that his words were having no effect on her. "Your MOTHER can not stay here. This is a highly classified, top-secret base, and your mother does not have clearance!"

Drakken just shrugged, looking sheepish. "Maybe we can… bend the rules for her?"

Shego just sat back down. "Come on Stevie, she's harmless. She thought for years that Drew ran a radio show. She's not even going to realize what we're talking about. Now, can we get on with the briefing?"

Steve just glared at the door that Mrs. Lipsky had left through, anger still evident. "Let's throw all the rules out the window, why don't we?" He sighed, before turning back to the table. "Where was I anyways. Oh yes, Mohammad Hasheik. We need you to infiltrate the warehouse, find evidence of any malfeasance, and if necessary, capture said individual if evidence shows any wrongdoing. We leave at sixteen hundred hours. Drakken, you'll be monitoring from here. I've already informed the hospital you'll be returning late tonight. I'll be functioning as field operative, and if necessary, back-up. Everything understood?"

Shego didn't look up from her nails. "Is this a paying gig, or one of those freebies I have to do?"

Steve just grumbled. "This one is paying. FBI and GJ have serious concerns about this individual, and we need intel on him fast."

Shego just smiled, rising to her feet. "Good. Then I'll be in the gym till anyone needs me."

Steve was now glaring at her. "I did not dismiss this meeting!"

Shego just laughed. "Yeah, like I care!"

"Who wants cocoa moo and cookies?" All heads turned at the sound of Mrs. Lipsky's voice. She walked up to Shego first, the large tray in her hand displaying what she had prepared. "What about you? You really should get a little more meat on your bones, you're too skinny!"

Shego just shook her head. "I'm heading to the gym!" She walked out of the room before anyone could say another word.

Drakken however was all smiles. "Oh Mother, are those chocolate chip cookies?"

She just smiled, walking quickly over to her son. "Of course Drewbie. I know which ones you like!"

Drakken took a quick bite of the cookie, followed by a sip from his glass. "Yum, now that's good cocoa moo! Steve, you really should try it, it's delish!"

Steve just shook his head as he walked away. "What did I volunteer for?"

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Shego had changed quickly, and headed straight for the punching bag. Physical exercise always gave her the best chance to think. When the adrenaline was pumping, her mind felt free, able to think clearly.

Momma Lipsky called her family. It felt good. She didn't have much family, and usually couldn't stand the ones she had. Parents died years ago, the twins dead just a few weeks ago and another in a nuthouse. Despite how she felt about her brothers, she still loved them, even if she never showed it. They were annoying as hell, couldn't stand being in the same room as them for long, but she loved them all the same. Drew on the other hand, he had taken her in, taken care of her, just when she thought she had nothing left. He was like a father to her, even though she'd never say that to his face, or most anyone for that matter. The fact that Momma Lipsky considered her family… she felt she had recovered a small piece of herself that she had lost long ago.

It didn't change the fact that she hadn't done enough to protect Drew. She should have seen the betrayal coming, she had felt it in her bones the second she saw Monkey Fist. And now, Drew was blind in one eye, probably never able to walk again after what the bastard had done to him. Her strikes became harder as she remembered how she had found him, strapped to that table like her old boyfriend had been, tortured and brutalized, barely hanging onto life. But he never blamed her, never accused her of failing to protect him. He was almost like his old self, as if none of it had happened. She almost wished he'd blame her, she blamed herself!

With a final cry, the flames ignited. Her final strike penetrated straight through the bag, and out the other side. She blinked when she realized what she had done.

"Nice technique."

She whirled at the sound of the voice behind her, moving into a fighting stance. Steve stood non-chalantly behind her, arms crossed over his chest, obviously dressed for working out. She settled down, but maintained a fighting stance.

"You enjoy watching that, or do you want to take part?"

Steve just grinned. "I guess a little sparring couldn't hurt."

He watched her as he pulled his shirt up over his head, so that he was only wearing shorts and shoes. She was dressed in just a short t-shirt that exposed her abs, and a pair of very short shorts. He had spent some time studying her file, knew pretty much everything about her. All except the personality. From the psych profile, he had expected someone completely different than this. He had expected arrogant, cocky, brutal, flippant, and while she showed that, he could see what a simple profile couldn't. This flirty behavior he hadn't counted on at all, nor the pain that he saw on her face when she thought she was alone. Of course, the day he met a psych profile that was accurate was the day he'd take up ballet!

The two squared off when they entered the sparring ring, sizing each other up for weaknesses. It was Shego who struck first, sweeping a mid-high kick to the kidneys that he easily blocked. She followed with a couple of quick lunges to the face, again blocked. She backed up, done testing him for the moment, as she looked for another opportunity. Steve reacted first when he saw her drop her left for a half second. She ducked the blow, and went low, catching him on the shin, forcing him back.

"You're a little slow on the recovery, Stevie."

He just smiled at her. "Four years of teaching can do that to a man. Don't worry, I recover quick enough."

Shego licked her lips seductively. "Just what I want to here from a man!"

That momentary distraction, as Steve realized what she had just said, left him open. He blocked the two punches, but she had just been feinting with them to move in closer. Her left leg moved behind his, and she used her momentum to push the larger man off balance. She fell with him, landing on top of him. When he looked up, her lips were just a hairsbreadth from his own, her eyes locked on his.

"Just remember Stevie, I like to be on top!"

Steve could only watch as she stood up, and pulled the band from her hair that kept it in a ponytail, and let her hair cascade down her back. She looked down at him briefly, smiling. "Nice work out by the way. I find it fun to get a little sweaty from time to time. Probably should get cleaned up and grab something to eat though, since we leave in a couple hours. Later!"

Steve lay there for a few minutes more, watching her leave, as he tried to remember why he had that damn personal rule about dating co-workers, especially after he recalled how her body had felt pressed against his. Slowly, he rose to his feet, a bit unsteady.

"Steve old boy, time for a very long, very cold shower!"

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Author's Notes – Sorry I took so long with this. With three different stories on the go, I kinda have to be in a certain mood for each of them, since they are pretty different from each other. That, and "The Twists and Turns of Love" has been so popular, and since it will be the longest of them, I thought it deserved a little more attention. Doesn't mean I ever forget the rest of my stories. I have every story I'm working on up on my computer at all times. Which means, 5 different stories, plus my notes.

I'd like to thank the following for their reviews;

Mobius97 – I thought so too. And it's definitely not something she's used to. She'll have to adapt, but she'll do it her own way!

RamaFan – Thank you, glad you enjoyed!

Campy – She considers it private. If you'll notice the stories, only her brothers, and Ron once, have called her by her real name. Give her a chance to open up! As for that policy…

MrDrP – I knew you'd enjoy this one! As for Shego, I'm not changing who she is; she just has a different set of circumstances to deal with!

mattb3671 – Yeah, every guy needs a dose of vitamin T&A every so often! I figured Barkin was due! And by the way, your curse failed so… neener! Lol

Worker72 – Oh, now you gave me an idea! I'll see what I can do! And as for the threat, she most likely would not have done it. She just doesn't like getting personal.