Boilerplate Disclaimer: The various characters from Kim Possible are all owned by Disney the great and powerful. Any and all registered trade names property of their respective owners. Cheap shots at celebrities constitute fair usage.

I was originally thinking this would be the next to the last chapter. Then I looked up the quotation and realized it would take a couple more than I had thought. As I began working on the rough draft for this chapter it looked to me like three more wouldl be necessary after this one.

With Certain Unalienable Rights

As she enjoyed the sun out on the beach Shego wondered why she hadn't considered Malta in the first place for lying low while her lawyer worked on her legal issues. The tiny nation boasted miles of beautiful beaches and English as an official language. Public transportation went everywhere on the main island. It's true one had to put up with a lot of Brit ex-pats, who seemed to regard Malta as theirs in the same way that some New Yorkers regarded Florida as their property – but the Maltese themselves, and all the Italians, were nice. Of course flying here would have seen a pain. Flying anywhere was a pain. Airports tended to examine passports more carefully than trains and busses. Getting to France had been difficult. But a train to Italy and ferry to Malta had delivered her to Paradise.

And, best of all, she could buy an official Maltese passport. She might even buy two, depending on how well she could obtain the paperwork for two fake identities. The passport, or hopefully passports, would be entirely legal even if the documentation that had made them possible was not.

That would make life easier if Kim found her again. Shego still wasn't sure how Kim managed to locate her. There had been the GPS that gave away Paris. But the Latin America backwater? Mexico? Shego had purchased a new wardrobe after reaching Malta and incinerated the clothing she brought. She hadn't found a tracking device in anything, but the ease with which Kim kept finding her made the green woman nervous.

The thief smiled at the thought of Kim heading to Zimbabwe as she mentally reviewed her passage from Paris to Malta to reassure herself of the utter impossibility of Kim tracing her to the island.

And yet, although she felt completely safe and knew Kim could not trace her, her nerves told her to expect the redhead. Her nerves also demanded some sort of explanation of Kim's behavior. Shego could not answer either of her nerve's issues. She considered a couple large gin and tonics – perhaps it would appease her nerves, or at the very least distract them from repeating their questions.

"She could have called the police in Mexico, they have extradition to the US." Kim hadn't. "She could have hit me over the head in Paris, why in the hell did I let her sneak up behind me?" Paris was a confusing memory. It had felt like Kim was flirting with her. It had really felt like Kim was flirting with her. "Okay, the hand-holding kept the police from hassling me... But why was she there, if not to get me arrested? And the police weren't looking at them in the cemetery, so why the kiss?" Her nerves kept asking the right questions, and she never had answers.

Not feeling hungry enough for stuffat tal-fenek, Shego had a small plate of timpana for lunch and headed back to her room. "Wonder if Kim would like the stuffat tal-fenek? If she..." Shego tried to shake the thought from her mind. It was bad luck to think about the devil.

The devil was waiting for her in her room.

"Sorry about breaking in," Kim apologized. "There's a lot of beach out there. I assumed you... Looks like your beach bag," she said, and pointed at Shego's beach bag. "So I decided to wait for you here."

"That's breaking and entering."

"I told the clerk we were lovers."

"We're not lovers."

"Are you sure? I have a memory of holding hands in Paris, and sharing a kiss."

"You kissed me! It doesn't make us lovers. And this is breaking and entering!"

Kim shrugged "Um... You may be right. You could call the police... What do they call the police here on Malta?"

"Il-Pulizija."

"Really? I thought they spoke English here."

"English and Maltese... which apparently has a lot of Arabic and Italian."

"Going to call?"

"You know I can't call the police."

"Oh, that's right. Figured out where you're taking me for dinner tonight?"

"Do I have a choice? Is there an option that includes strangling you?"

"No you're currently not wanted in Malta, and you don't want to change that. Oh, congrats. You're down to four countries where you're still wanted. By the way, who is your lawyer?"

"You don't know?"

"Would I ask if I knew?"

"Frankly, Possible–"

"Princess, your name for me is Princess."

Shego gritted her teeth, "Frankly, Princess, I have no idea what will be coming out of your mouth next. But if you don't know my advocate there's no way in hell I'm mentioning her name, or his."

"I was just going to thank him, or her. I mean, you have to hire some kind of local lawyers in every country – their names are a matter of public record. But your American lawyer..."

"You probably have my lawyer's name. If your snoop can keep finding me I assume my lawyer can be discovered. Is this a test to see if I trust you? I don't."

Kim shook her head sadly. "That's a lousy attitude for starting a relationship. I'll probably have to punish you... We'll order dessert tonight."

"That's punishment?"

"I'm hoping that a show of mercy might put you in a better mood. You need to relax. How about you take off your top and I'll give you a back rub?"

"How about, NO!"

Kim shrugged, "Just want you to feel good."

"However, my mood has taken a serious hit and some way to relax sounds like a good idea. I'm going to the bar." "She won't go there."

"Good. Let's go. We have so much to talk about!"

"You'll go to a bar?"

"I'm an adult remember?"

"Fine," grumbled Shego. "Maybe I can get her drunk."

They stretched out on opposite sides of a booth in a dim pub after putting in their orders. Shego glanced around, "Don't know why they've got so much Churchill junk."

"Malta was the most bombed country in the world, per square mile, during World War II. The country got a George Cross after the war for gallantry."

"Seriously?"

"Seriously."

"Why do you know that?"

"I studied up before I came to visit. There's all kinds of neat stuff here... What did you come to Malta for?"

"Beaches, duh. Nice place to lie low."

"They've got Neolithic sites thousands of years older than the pyramids!"

"And good public transportation."

"A Rococo church with paintings by Caravaggio!"

"Everyone speaks English – including the Italians who come to visit."

They paused as their drinks arrived. Kim took a sip of the Cassar de Malte. "This isn't bad."

"You can even call it good."

"You know, Penelope, you really need to work on your culture."

"Penelope?"

"I decided that would be my pet name for you."

"Penelope? Penelope Pitstop?"

"No, the cat in the Pepé Le Pew cartoons, she's named Penelope."

Shego's brow wrinkled in thought. "I don't remember her ever having a name."

"She didn't, in the cartoons," Kim confessed. "She was named later. I did research after Paris. Oh, and they usually ended up together at the end of each cartoon."

"But, as I recall, he wasn't always happy about it."

"Turns out he was afraid of aggressive females. Who knew? Want to try being aggressive with me, see if it scares me off?"

"Possible–"

"Princess. Do I need to keep reminding you?"

"You drop the Penelope, I'll try and remember Princess."

"Deal," Kim sighed. "Maybe I can find one you like."

"Doubt it. My suspicion, Princess, is that nothing will scare you off. I've even considered a string of garlic around my neck. But you probably love Italian food."

"And Chinese... I hear someone makes chocolate-covered garlic. That sounds like a waste of chocolate, and garlic."

"Amen. First time we agreed on anything."

"Not true. We both hated the Chinese place in Paris and thought this wine was great."

"And we both hated Drakken, but it's not enough reason for you to be doing... Whatever the hell it is you're doing."

"Working on our relationship."

Shego put her hand down on Kim's and squeezed gently. "Princess, I have to ask, are you off your meds?"

Kim giggled. "No, really. I have fun around you, even though you need to work on your cultural knowledge. We'll see the Tarxien temples this afternoon before you take me out for dinner."

"I was planning on the beach."

"Weren't you at the beach all this morning."

"Yes, and–"

"So, a little culture this afternoon."

Shego made an exaggerated gesture of wiping her hand downward over her face in disgust. "I'm beginning to feel a little like Penelope."

Kim grinned and assumed a cheesy French accent, "Ah, mon petite flower, do you weesh to come wit' me to ze Casbah?"

"You're crazy."

"Maybe, maybe not. Think you can be honest for a minute? I won't ask for five – I don't think you could last that long."

"What's the question," sighed Shego.

"What's the most fun day you've had in the last two years?"

"That's not a fair question."

"Why not?"

"Because I've been hiding out and– I spent more than a year on a beach at the end of the world!"

"Which doesn't answer my question. Most fun day?"

"Paris, but only because my life sucks at the moment."

"So, a day spent with me was the most fun you've had in two years?"

"It was despite being with you – not because I was with you."

"Uh huh, you just keep telling yourself that. Another glass of this before we head to the temple?"

"Sure." Shego signaled the bartender for another round.

"You need to change," Kim suggested as they left the pub. "Not that I know the appropriate apparel for an ancient temple."

In Shego's room Kim looked around. "Can I crash on your couch tonight? I don't go back until tomorrow."

"And you think you can just freeload on my couch?"

"Well, if you were going to suggest we share the bed I would thank you politely, but we are still exploring our relationship and I don't think we're ready to–"

"Fine! Take the damn couch!"

As they started their bus ride Shego tried to probe for information, "So, uh, how long have you known I was here?"

"Going to give me the name of your lawyer?"

"No."

"Pity. I'd like to stay up-to-date on your legal status. It's hard having a girlfriend that you can't take out in–"

"I'm not your girlfriend!"

"Not yet. Oh, and the package to Harare?"

"Did you go there?"

"Nope, and that's all the hint you're getting."

"What are my chance of getting you drunk at dinner tonight?"

Kim winked, "Hoping to take advantage of me? You could just ask, I might–"

"If you're drunk maybe you'll tell me how you're finding me."

"I always stop before I get drunk," Kim assured Shego. She leaned over and gently nipped the older woman's ear, "I want to remember everything the next morning."

"You're scaring me again, Princess."

Kim held Shego's hand as they walked from the Neolitici bus stop to the archaeological site.

"Well?" Kim demanded as they returned to the bus stop a couple hours later. "Interesting?"

"Yeah. Hey, I enjoy cultural shit, when I'm not wanted."

"You'll always be wanted," Kim purred.

"And why the hell did you kiss me there? We both know Oscar Wilde wasn't buried here."

"When will we have another chance to kiss in a seven thousand year old temple? Actually, they've got several of them here on Malta. We could–"

"Run for the bus. I see it coming."

Back in Shego's room the older woman went into the bathroom to change. She averted her eyes as she emerged, "Jesus, Princess, you could have waited for me to finish. You didn't have to change out here."

"Yes I did... Or I would have called you into the bathroom to help. This zipper does not go up by itself. A little help here."

Shego sighed and zipped Kim up. "The little black dress is fancier than this place deserves. And why wear a dress you can't get into by yourself?"

"Thanks," Kim said, turned and grinned, "Remember, I'll need help getting out of it too."

Shego uttered a low growl as she opened the door so that she and Kim could leave.

"Order the stuffat tal-fenek," Shego said at dinner. "Rabbit stew, kind of the national dish."

"What are you having?"

"Octopus stew, stuffat tal-qarnita."

"Sounds good. Share a bottle of Cassar de Malte? What are my chances of getting you a little tipsy?"

"Like you, I stop before I get drunk. I wouldn't trust myself around you."

Kim winked "As in, you might try and get up close and personal."

"As in I might wake up in handcuffs and a jail cell."

"You need to learn to–" Kim stopped talking as their server approached the table.

After giving their order Kim resumed the conversation, "I'm not interested in you in handcuffs – unless you really want them on. If I wanted you in prison I've had several opportunities, and yet here we are – sitting at a table and about enjoy... I thought I ordered candlelight."

"You're setting me up for something. I don't know what, but you're setting me up. You suggested candlelight, I didn't find one – and no, I didn't look. But this is a decent place."

"Maybe I'm just setting you up for a little quiet conversation. The most fun day I've had in the last two years? That day in Paris with you. You know me better than almost anyone else in the world, except my mom."

"I don't know you at all."

"Sure you do."

"No, I don't."

The argument continued quietly until their food arrived. Kim sampled her entrée. "This is good."

"Would I bring you to a place with bad food?"

"Yes."

"Not if I had to eat it too."

"Good point. Oh, I've been saving the big news."

"You're engaged?"

"No, we're not. I'm afraid it'll be more than a month before I can see you again."

"I hope you're not expecting me to be heartbroken, but what's up?"

Kim filled Shego's glass with sparkling wine, "In case you want to congratulate me," she explained. "My internship. I'll be in Cambodia with a group working on preservation of a UNESCO world heritage site, the Temple Zone of Sambor Prei Kuk."

"If I say I never heard of it will you call me uncultured... Is that a real place or did you make it up?"

"It's a real place, and I never heard of it either. But there was an intern-recruitment day on campus and it sounded more interesting than asking people, 'Do you want fries with that?'."

"And the pay?"

"It's an internship."

"So, no pay and you have to pay your own travel expenses?"

"Nailed it," confirmed Kim.

"If you're too broke to come looking for me again, I'll understand."'

"Nice try, Sweetheart, but... Can I call you Sweetheart? It sounds sort of–"

"No."

"Nice try, but didn't I just tell you the most fun I've had in the last two years was that day in Paris? And today may come in at number two... Depending on whether I can get enough wine in you, this may even make number one. And I haven't been stuck on a beach in the middle of nowhere. I'm not ready to give you up."

"So, you're going to keep chasing me for your own selfish pleasure?"

"Why not? Maybe if you relax a little you could get a little pleasure yourself... Another glass of wine?"

"Only if you pour yourself the same amount."

As threatened, Kim ordered dessert. "Wow! This is the best cannoli I've ever had!"

"When you're this close to Italy they're afraid to fuck it up."

After dinner Kim suggested a stroll before returning to Shego's room. The green woman figured she was safer walking with Kim than trapped inside with her and agreed. She didn't even flinch when Kim took her hand – half expecting the gesture from the younger woman.

They passed by a short business district. Tourist shops, closed. Beach shops, closed. Bars and restaurants, still open and serving. Some hooligans sat outside the most disreputable bar on the strip, watching a football game turned up loudly enough to be annoying half a block away. A drunken group called an invitation to join them.

"Ignore them," Shego whispered.

Kim didn't listen, "My girlfriend is twice the man any of you are," she called.

"Jesus, Princess, did you have too much to drink? They'll think I have a dick or something," complained Shego as a hulking brute managed to stagger out in front of them.

"I'll give you first hit," the hooligan offered.

As the surprised drunk sank slowly to his knees, and then fell face forward on the sidewalk, Kim threw her arms around Shego's neck and gave her a kiss. "My hero!"

"Damn it, Princess, you started that."

"I wanted to know if you'd defend my honor."

The drunks were silent as a server hurried out, "Do, uh... Should I call... What happened?"

"He tripped," Shego answered.

"Yeah, I tripped," the hooligan answered – hoping his mates would believe it. They'd watched. They knew he hadn't tripped. And they laughed as he slowly crawled back to watch football on the telly.

"And I'm pretty sure you have no honor," Shego fiercely whispered at the two women walked away. "You started the fight."

"I think they started it."

"And even if they did, why sic him on me? You could have taken him out as easy as I did – unless you're out of shape."

"Want to try me?" Kim winked.

"No, I don't," Shego answered firmly.

"I'm pretty sure you could put me down."

Shego tried to remove the image from her mind.

Back in Shego's room Kim turned her back on the thief and requested, "Will you unzip me now?"

"In a minute, Princess."

"You want to do something with me while I'm in the little black dress?"

"I want to approve of your sleepwear."

"Approve of my jammies?"

"You got it. Don't want you saying you're going to sleep in the nude on me. And no sexy lingerie."

"How about modest lingerie?"

"Show me what you have in that duffel."

"It's perfectly respectable," Kim assured Shego as she pulled a pink flannel nightgown out of the bag.

Shego inspected the garment. "You'll put this on?"

"Cross my heart. Now will you unzip me?" Kim turned her back and Shego pulled down the zipper. Kim wiggled and the dress slid down to the floor. Kim began taking off her underwear. "You can hand me the nightgown."

"You could have changed in the bathroom!"

"You seemed to want me in this as fast as possible!"

Shego stomped off to change to green and black silk pajamas.

They'd each had half a bottle of wine. Neither was impaired, but it relaxed them a little. They sat on the floor, a couple feet from each other and leaned back against the bed.

They talked. Kim talked about her classes and dreams for after college. Shego found herself telling tales of high school hell that she'd never told anyone before.

It was Kim who noticed. "It's after one! I need to be at the airport by ten. I need some sleep."

Shego almost offered Kim half the bed, but had sobered up enough in the hours since dinner to decide it was a bad idea. She tossed Kim a pillow and blanket for the couch.

In the morning Shego accompanied Kim to the airport to ensure she actually left the country.

"She said it would be more than a month before she had any time off," Shego reminded herself on the bus ride back. She had a few weeks to flee Malta. That should be enough time for one passport, maybe two. But would it be enough time to ensure a method of escape that make it utterly impossible for Kim to find her again?