Disclaimer: I do not own Kim Possible. It belongs to Disney and its creators. If it was in the show, I don't own it. Any songs mentioned are the property of their respective owners and artists. I am not doing this for compensation, simply for enjoyment and practice.

Claimer: Krista Ruthie Stoppable is my OC. If you want to use her, please ask. Krysta-L (aka Krystal) was created by StormChaser90 and used with permission. If you want to use her, please contact him for permission.

TRIGGER WARNING: This chapter contains themes and vague descriptions of abuse and mild language.

After All This Time: Revenge

Chapter 9

Remote Arctic Lair, Location Unknown

Krista hugged her knees to her chest as she sat curled in the corner of her cell. The air was frigid, though not the reason she shivered. As she hiccupped out her final few sobs, she could see her breath materialize in front of her. She wiped her eyes and surveyed the damage on her trembling arms.

After hearing that she would be forced to endure more tests and medical experiments, her panic had consumed her. She thrashed and fought as she was escorted to a small examination room, screaming and pleading to be released. Her cries fell on deaf ears. She was ordered once, twice, three times to sit still and submit to Dr. Whitman's tests. When she had refused, and even kicked over a tray containing various medical supplies in her wild pursuit of escape, Dr. Drakken became enraged.

"You're just like your mother," he snarled. "Too headstrong and stubborn for your own good. Stop resisting, or you will regret it."

He had made good on his promise.

And so she sat, shivering in this tiny cell, her arms covered in bruises and tiny pinpricks of blood. She raised her hand and tentatively touched her throbbing lip, wincing when she made contact. She pulled her hand away, noting that her fingers weren't red and sticky. At least that had stopped bleeding.

She heard footsteps echo and stop outside the heavy metal door to her cell. Krista scrambled against the wall as the door creaked open and her clone walked in, a small tray of food in her hands. Krystal set the tray on the floor and slid it towards her original with the toe of her boot, nearly toppling the small glass of water. Krista stared at the water and small sandwich for a moment before glancing back up at the older girl.

"Well?" Krystal said impatiently, planting her hands on her hips. "Eat. I don't want to get my cure from a malnourished body."

Hesitantly, Krista took a bite of the sandwich. As she chewed, she marveled at the similarities in appearance between her and her clone. Though Krystal was made to appear 6 years older than her, they shared the same facial features. The blonde streaks in her hair were the same shade as her own hair, the one green eye identical to hers as well. Even some of Krystal's mannerisms matched her own.

Krystal noticed Krista looking at her. "Quit staring at me, freak."

Krista dropped her gaze, cringing back at Krystal's harsh tone of voice. "Sorry. You just look so much like me and my mom."

Krystal rolled her eyes. "Well, duh. I'm cloned after you, idiot." Krista finished her sandwich in silence before gulping down the water. As Krystal moved to pick the tray back up, Krista grasped her hand, looking up at her desperately.

"Please, you have to let me go. Help me get out of here, and my mom and dad can find another way to cure you," she pleaded.

Krystal stared at Krista's hand clasping her own, then met her gaze, prepared to make a cutting remark when the cold stone walls of the cell vanished and were replaced by a warm, inviting living room.

She looked down at the object in her lap – a scrapbook with her name on it.

"What's this?" she asked quietly.

"Open it," her mother encouraged. She gently opened the cover. On the first page was a hospital bracelet and a picture of her parents with her as a newborn. Though her mother looked exhausted, joy radiated from the smile she gave the camera. Her father looked so proud of his girls.

The next page contained only a letter. It was short, and there were stains on the paper where tears had fallen. The following pages contained similar letters, and tears of amazement and wonder welled in her eyes at the sentiment that ended every single one: "We love you, forever and always, no matter what." A feeling she had never experienced before swelled in her chest.

"I love you, too," she whispered.

Krista's vision had darkened, too, before a wood-paneled room came into focus.

"Let's go, Imposter," her trainer barked. "Your session isn't over."

She tried to sit up, but the attempt sent waves of agony through her body. She cried out as she flopped back down. It hurt to talk, the words hissing out between gritted teeth. "Can't… stand."

Her trainer gave her a once-over. "Your legs don't seem to be broken… yet." He raised his foot, slamming it down on her shin. A new wave of excruciating pain ripped through her leg, a guttural scream escaping her as the bone shattered.

"Now… heal yourself, and let's get moving. I have better things to do than spend my afternoon with a pitiful disgrace to creation lying on the floor."

Suddenly, the room snapped back into focus for them both. Krystal ripped her hand out of Krista's grasp, stumbling backwards. She paced, perturbed from what she had just experienced.

"What the hell was that?! What did you just do?" Krystal snapped, turning back to face her original.

Krista was still trying to catch her breath. Tears streamed down her face as she inspected her leg. The vision had felt so real. She had been able to feel every ache, every agonizing moment of pain. "I… I don't know what happened." She breathed deeply, finally regaining control. "Wh-who was that man? Why was he hurting us?"

Krystal raised an eyebrow, confused. "What are you talking about? Why don't you tell me what that scrapbook was all about."

It was Krista's turn to be confused. "Scrapbook? What scrapbook?"

"You mean, you didn't see it?" The menace dropped momentarily from Krystal's expression. "Then, what did you see?"

Krista squeezed her eyes shut, the memory of the vision flooding back. "I- I was in this room. I couldn't move. There was so much pain. And this man… he called me an 'Imposter' and… and he broke my leg." A fresh wave of tears distracted her for a moment, but Krystal's mind was in sharp focus. She knew exactly what Krista had seen. She knew who the man was. She knew about the pain. She had lived it.

Had Krista just witnessed a scene from her life?

She shook her head and began pacing again. This didn't make sense. How could that happen? It was impossible. And yet, it had happened. Did that mean that she had seen a moment from Krista's life? That feeling from her own vision… she couldn't ever remember feeling it before in her own life, but she knew what it was called.

Love.

She had been through a lot – torture, pain, hour after hour of brutal physical training and verbal abuse. But nothing had ever rattled her as much as this. She needed to leave, to get some distance from their captive and work through what had just happened. As she turned to go, a desperate voice called after her.

"Wait! Please don't go. Please help me. We can find another way to cure you, I promise!"

Krystal halted at the door, one hand resting on the cold metal. She was shaken, but forced herself to regain her cold, calculating composure. Glancing over her shoulder, she narrowed her eyes at her original, pathetically huddled on the ground.

"There is no other way. Just accept it. You are going to die, and I am going to live." Krystal slammed the door, effectively strangling Krista's last hope. Overwhelmed by sadness, Krista laid on the frigid stone floor and cried herself to sleep.

A/N: Super short update, but wanted to get one out. I'm having a hard time writing these chapters without crying myself. Krista is my favorite character I've ever created, and it's tough putting her through all this, but I've wanted to expand my writing and go out of my comfort zone. Also, in case you were wondering, Krystal's vision was a scene from After All This Time: Krista's Birthday, and Krista's vision was a scene from chapter 1 of this story. Leave a review if you want and look for the next chapter soon.