Awhile later, Shego was starting on her second ginger roll while Drakken and his mother had cleaned their plates. They tidied up the kitchen, Estelle insisting that Shego rest and that she didn't need to lift a hand. Drakken made cocoa for himself and his mother and Estelle made Shego a peppermint tea—for her stomach, like the ginger—as they readied to go into the living room and open presents.
Shego lightly kicked Admiral Cuddles's red ball across the floor as she pulled a piece off of the roll and nibbled on it. The dog barked excitedly and pounced on the ball, carrying it back to her happily and dropping it at her feet. She kicked it again.
"Hey, Doc..."
"Yes?"
"You might want to put Shorty on a leash before we open presents. Don't want him destroying anything."
"Mm, you're right," Drakken said, getting the dog's leash from the hook.
Estelle turned off the tap as she finished washing her hands and then dried them on a dish towel.
"Well! Is everyone ready for presents?"
Drakken grinned excitedly and Shego smirked. So far, the morning hadn't been awful. Mrs. Lipsky had actually been pleasant. Probably out of fear, but...Shego would take what she could get. And the dog had yet to jump on her.
"Shego?" Drakken asked, looking at her with that boyish grin he'd had earlier. She shook her head and smiled.
Such a dork...
"Okay," she said and pushed herself up from the chair.
She grabbed her crutch, but Drakken picked her up before she could use it and started carrying her into the living room.
"My tea..." Shego protested mildly.
"Oh... Mother, would you mind...?"
"Of course not, dear!" Estelle said, carefully picking up Shego's cup along with her own and Drakken's.
Shego looked at the woman thoughtfully. Admiral Cuddles ran along happily at Drakken's feet, the leash around his master's wrist.
When they reached the living room Shego's brow rose. The base of the tree was surrounded by beautifully wrapped gifts, more than Shego had ever seen. It was like a mall display except better, as these packages were clearly real and were wrapped with far more care. And the candy canes had also been fixed, now evenly spaced over the tree from top to bottom.
Drakken set Shego gently in the corner of the couch and grinned at her. She continued to stare at the tree in shock.
"Where did those...?"
"Oh, it looks like Santa came!" Drakken sang happily, rubbing his hands and looking around for somewhere to tie the dog's leash.
"Drew, turn on the parade," Estelle said as she set the two cocoa mugs and the tea down on the table.
Drakken grabbed the TV remote and flipped through the channels until he found one bearing a parade with holiday-themed floats and giant balloons. He muted the volume and then stepped over to the radio which sat just to the side of the TV and tuned it. A few moments later, quiet strains of a low male voice singing 'White Christmas' filtered through the old speakers into the room.
"Oh, it's almost like home!" Estelle said.
Drakken turned to his mother with a thrilled grin.
One corner of Shego's mouth turned up, and then she looked back at the tree.
"Who wants to distribute the gifts?" Estelle said giddily, sitting down at the other end of the sofa.
"I will!" Drakken said.
Shego stared, her smile vanishing.
How old is he, five?
"Ah...Shego, would you mind holding Admiral Cuddles's leash for me?"
She stared at him, but held out her hand. He handed her the leash and then ran back to the tree.
"Come on, Cuddles," Shego said, and patted the sofa cushion below her feet. The dog jumped up, wagging its tail excitedly, and began to sniff at her slippers. Shego tucked the end of the leash under the cushion she sat on and then picked up her tea, taking a small sip.
Shego watched as Drakken shyly set the four packages she was familiar with in front of his mother, one at a time.
"Oh, Drew! For me?"
"Of course, Mother. You deserve them."
Shego glanced away with a slight roll of her eyes.
"Would have been less sappy with my brothers..." she said under her breath.
She heard a soft thud and looked up. Drakken had just dropped a large box in front of her and was going back to the tree for more. Shego stared in astonishment as six more packages were set in front of her.
Are these all from him...?
The nausea, which had finally started to abate thanks to the ginger rolls, started to return. Had he really bought her that many gifts...? And all she'd gotten him, was...
"Why don't you go first, Drew?" Estelle said.
Shego swallowed nervously...but then Drakken picked up a large, beautifully wrapped box next to where he sat on the floor between them. He tore into the paper much like she remembered her brothers doing and then took the lid off of a department store box. One after the other, he lifted out two handsome button-up shirts, one dark gray and the other an olive green.
"Thank you, Mother," he said, smiling at her warmly.
"A world hero should be well-dressed," the older woman said, sipping her cocoa.
Shego looked around the floor by Drakken anxiously. She saw one other package...and it wasn't hers. It was another clothing box, by its shape. Her little brown bag-wrapped box wasn't next to him. She glanced over to the tree and saw it still sitting there half-hidden by the tree skirt, ignored and forgotten.
"Open one, Shego," Drakken said excitedly. He set his hand up on Admiral Cuddles's back and scratched him.
"Um..." Shego's heart had begun pounding. Her stomach turned again. "Could you...bring those rolls in here?"
Drakken blinked, and then stood up as he understood. "Of course!"
Shego looked over at Estelle, who was smiling but looking a bit worried.
"The rolls and the tea are helping," Shego said. She hoped they would help more.
"I'm glad, swee— dear," Estelle finished, sipping her cocoa again.
Shego sipped her tea and Drakken came back into the room, setting the tray of rolls down on the coffee table and then sitting again in the space on the floor between it and the sofa. He scratched Admiral Cuddles and then looked at Shego excitedly.
Shego picked up a small, beautifully wrapped box and looked at it. It was wrapped in shiny green paper that was patterned with poinsettias, the leaves of the plant a matte texture to offset the shiny background. A big red bow adorned the package. A small tag was next to it.
"That one is from me," Estelle said as Shego squinted to read the tag.
Shego's brow rose as she looked at the box, too pretty to open. But...what else was it there for? She tore into the paper at the seams and then took the lid off the plain gift box inside. It was a small photo album, empty of course, and a small illustration of a globe was on the front.
"Since you love to travel so much, I thought...you might like to have somewhere to keep your memories," the older woman explained.
Shego's brow furrowed slightly. "How did you know I like to travel?"
The red-haired woman looked away, her face falling. "Well, since...since you used to be wanted for crimes in fifteen countries... I thought you must."
"She does," Drakken said quickly with a nervous smile, casting a worried glance at Shego.
"...Thank you," Shego said, setting the album back in its box and setting it on the coffee table. She sipped from her mug again, staring at the box thoughtfully.
It's actually a nice gift...
"Your turn, Mother!" Drakken said.
Shego watched as Estelle got into one of the packages with far less enthusiasm than her son, but still with an excited smile. Shego recognized the shape of the box and started nibbling on a roll as she watched.
"Oh my..."
Fifty-something again... Fifty-five?
"What is it, Drew?"
"It's a robotic vacuum," Drakken explained, taking the dome-shaped device out of the box and setting it on the ground. "You don't have to hurt your back pushing that old Electrolux anymore. Look, you just push this button..."
With an electronic whir, the device started up. Admiral Cuddles stood up on the sofa at attention. The dome-shaped robot started rolling slowly across the stone floor.
'Rrrarrarrarf! Rrrarrarrarf!' the dog barked, staring at the device in fascination. Shego grabbed hold of the leash just in case, and Drakken pushed the button to deactivate the vacuum.
"Ah...I'll show you later," Drakken said, looking at the dog curiously.
"Oh it's wonderful Drew! Oh, my clever son!" Estelle said, reaching down to grip his shoulder.
"Do you like it?"
"It's brilliant!"
Shego couldn't help but smile watching the exchange. She hoped the vacuum actually worked, considering he had to build it twice...
Admiral Cuddles was still standing on the sofa, staring at the vacuum. His tail was wagging, but he was on full alert. Drakken reached up to pet him and the dog let out a small warning growl.
"Oh my!"
Shego snickered.
"He...probably thinks he needs to protect us from it," Drakken decided, sitting back and leaning against the coffee table.
Shego finished her tea and set the empty mug down, continuing to nibble on her roll.
"Shego, open another one," Drakken said.
Shego scanned the six boxes and picked up one that was familiarly sized and shaped. Maybe Drakken or his mother had gotten her slippers... That would be ironic, if she and his mother had ended up with the same—
She gasped as she saw the label on the shoe box beneath the paper. Her jaw slackened as she looked up at Drakken, who was grinning.
Opening the box, she took out the black, wedge sandals that had surely cost at least $400 if they were actually made by the designer who was named on the box. Unless Drakken stole them, of course. She sat up and pushed off her slippers and put the sandals on her feet. They fit perfectly. And by the material, she knew they were real.
"Do you like them?" Drakken asked.
Shego was speechless. To get just the right size for her small feet...he hadn't stolen them.
She tried to speak, but only a small croak came out. She nodded.
"Open another one, Drew," Estelle said.
"Oh no, you do one Mother," Drakken said, putting a box about the same size as the vacuum had been in up in her lap.
"Oh, Drew! You shouldn't have."
Shego slipped the sandals off and carefully put them back in the box. She didn't want to risk anything spilling on them, or the dog licking them. She glanced at the dog. He was still staring at the vacuum, though he had sat back down.
When the shoe box was safely pushed aside next to the coffee table, Estelle had finished opening her next gift. It was a coffee maker.
"You remembered that my old one broke!" the older woman said, reading the specifications on the new box.
Shego raised an eyebrow at Drakken, who shrugged.
"Your turn, Shego," Drakken said again.
"When I was a kid, we didn't do this..." Shego said, picking up a tiny box that probably had a necklace in it. It was still wrapped as well as the others, and had a perfectly-sized bow on top.
"Didn't do what, dear?" Mrs. Lipsky asked, setting her coffee maker out of the way.
"My brothers just ripped into everything all at once. We didn't take turns..." Shego said as she pulled the paper off the small box. "I don't think they even saw the things I got—"
She gasped as she opened not a necklace, but an embossed gift certificate to the Mount Olympus Resort in Greece. The most expensive suite at the resort, the most expensive package for the spa, for a date of her choosing—already paid for.
She stared slack-jawed at Drakken again.
"For a vacation," he said. "Or...or a honeymoon."
Shego stared at him. "You would come with me?"
He shrugged shyly.
Shego felt a lump start coming to her throat. He hadn't stolen this, either. He was actually spending money on something other than death rays and doomsday robots. And he was spending it on her.
No sooner had she set the certificate back in the box than he had set another small package in her lap.
"Open this one," he said.
"Drew, you're not opening any," his mother complained.
"I'll do one after this," he said, nodding to her. But then he looked back at Shego excitedly.
This box she was able to accurately predict. The scent of the designer-label perfume was emanating from it before she even had the paper fully off, and she stared again at something she knew cost a lot more than the coffee maker that Drakken had bought his mother.
Admiral Cuddles finally looked away from the vacuum and stared at the perfume bottle in her hands. He growled and backed away from her toward Estelle.
Shego smirked lightly. "Well, if I need a break from him I know how to get it."
"Drew. Now you open one."
"All right," Drakken said, pulling the clothing-shaped box onto his knees. When he got the paper off and opened it it was a knitted blue sweater. Drakken looked startled and then blushed deeply. "Oh, Mother..."
It was clear to Shego that his mother had made the sweater, and she realized that Drakken's knitting hobby must have come from her.
Estelle had picked up another box at Drakken's insistence, and he was looking away a bit sheepishly while she opened it. He drank from his cocoa and looked up at Shego. His gaze was adoring.
Shego smiled back a bit thinly and nibbled the last of the roll she'd been working on. What would he say when he realized she'd only gotten him one present and he'd gotten her...six? What would his mother think? Would the older woman go back to thinking that she was inadequate for her son?
"Oh Drew!" Estelle laughed. Shego looked up to see her holding a knitted blue sweater, nearly identical to the one he had just opened. In a moment both mother and son were laughing while Shego blinked at them. They had made each other the same gift...
Shego looked down at the torn paper and ribbons strewn about the floor around them. Drakken was very close to his mother, despite all his years of lying to her about his life... He probably wanted the three of them—four now, with the baby—to be a happy family together. But Shego...didn't know how to do that. She didn't even know how to do just she and Drakken, yet, with how domestic he liked everything to be.
Her stomach turned again, and she glanced at the tray of rolls. They were very heavy and she didn't think she could eat a fourth one.
"Shego? Open this present now," Drakken said, handing her a larger box.
She had to sit up to keep it balanced on her lap while she opened it, and this time the box didn't give her any hints except that it was high quality in and of itself. When she lifted the lid off, her eyes widened. Inside the box was a black mink coat.
As she lifted it out she realized it wasn't a floor-length coat, but a bolero-style jacket. It suited her far better than a coat would, both in her taste and since they lived at the equator.
"For...special occasions, is what I was thinking," Drakken said. Shego heard the explanation, but didn't look at him. She was feeling the soft fur and imagining the different dresses in her wardrobe she could wear the jacket with. At the same time, her stomach was turning and the lump in her throat was growing.
"Thank you," she said thinly, as she had after each of the other gifts.
Why was he spoiling her so much? Why was he making himself look...look like the perfect mate, while she just looked like exactly what his mother feared she was? Nothing but a gold-digging tramp...
"Okay, this is the last one... You spoil me so much, Drew," Estelle was saying as Drakken pushed the large package into her lap.
"This one is from Shego, Mother," Drakken said with a smile.
Shego watched nervously as the red-haired woman ripped into the white packaging. She realized then that Drakken had tried to match wrapping paper to the gift inside, if not by color then by theme or overall motif. He had a very artistic eye.
"Oh my!"
Shego rubbed her forehead and forced a smile, though all she wanted to do was frown. Her nausea was getting worse again and all she wanted to do was disappear.
"These are lovely!" Estelle said, looking at the cashmere robe and slippers. "Thank you Shego!"
The woman's voice was bright, and her smile big. She actually liked just getting a robe and slippers?
Drakken was grinning as he looked between them. Shego's heart sank in worry. It may appear that his mother was taking a liking to her, but it wouldn't last when she realized that she had only gotten Drakken one gift. And it wasn't a gift the older woman would appreciate at all. She wasn't even sure Drakken would want it, now that they had a baby coming.
"Um... Drew, would you hand that one to Shego?" Estelle said.
Drakken picked up a small soft-wrapped package, looking at it curiously as he set it in Shego's lap.
"I'm sorry the wrapping isn't as nice... This was last-minute, and I didn't have a box, and I had to use the wrapping paper I brought with me. I don't know where Drew put yours."
Shego paused in her appraisal of the small package—which looked just as nice as the others, despite being box-less—and frowned at Drakken.
"Yeah. Where is the wrapping paper?"
He rubbed his neck. "Oh, it's...downstairs, with the...interns."
Shego looked at the mess of ripped paper and ribbons around them. "Is that where you hid all this stuff, too?" she asked, gesturing to the stack of expensive gifts she had acquired.
He nodded.
"Mhmm..." she said, realizing she would need to pay more attention to the henchmen now.
Shego pulled the paper apart that surrounded the small, light-weight gift within. As the paper fell away she found herself holding a tiny knitted onesie for an infant. The pattern was thin blue and green stripes, making it look almost teal.
Drakken gasped in awed delight. Shego stared at his mom. The older woman looked a bit anxious, and sad.
"Mother...did you make this last night?"
The red-haired woman nodded, still looking at Shego. "I know it's probably too hot down here in the Caribbean for anything knitted, but...maybe you'll come visit me in New Jersey sometime."
Shego felt tears pricking the corners of her eyes.
"Shego, dear... I'm sorry. I could have behaved better. And if my Drew says you're good enough for him, then that's all there is to it. I hope you'll forgive me."
Shego felt all of her worries melt away like snow from the branches of a tree. She set the onesie in her lap and tentatively reached across the dog toward Estelle. The older woman gasped happily as she took Shego's hand and squeezed it.
Behind the green-tinted glasses, Shego could see the tears in the woman's eyes as she smiled at her. She blinked repeatedly to try to get rid of the ones in her own. Her chest ached and felt warm at the same time. She didn't know what she was feeling. Except somehow, the whole mess just got a lot better.
She let go of Mrs. Lipsky's hand and looked down, feeling the soft material of the onesie again. She thought maybe...it wouldn't be so bad if Drakken's mother visited more than on Christmas and Mother's Day. Since, the older woman had actual experience with babies...
She lifted her eyes to voice the thought, but stopped short as Drakken suddenly began softly singing.
"'Have your-self a merry little Christmas...'"
Shego realized he was singing along to the radio and she sighed shakily. He pushed another box into her lap, about the size of a tea cup. It was the last one addressed to her. Drakken had a mischievous look in his eyes along with the excited grin he'd had all morning.
"Drew, clear some of this mess out," Estelle said, pushing aside some of the torn paper next to her. "It's hiding all your presents."
Shego felt a pang in her chest, but Drakken's eyes were eager. She opened the package and found a necklace. It was the strangest necklace she'd ever seen, as the smooth-polished stone was not perfectly round and in a weird setting that had it almost floating. The odd setting allowed light to shine through the stone from all sides. The look wasn't very feminine. But as she lifted the necklace out of the box her lips parted in fascination.
The deep blue stone—which had to be nearly 100-carat—was translucent, but not transparent, and interestingly was a close match to the color of Drakken's skin. It had six white lines crossing symmetrically through its center like a star, except they weren't perfectly straight nor were they stationary. As the large pendant swung gently from the gold chain the white lines wiggled and moved through the gem appearing to be inside it while simultaneously appearing to be on the surface, always remaining symmetrical. They looked like bolts of lightning, and as the gem hung in front of her it had the mysterious look of a small planet.
Shego looked up at Drakken, whose eyes had taken on an evil glint. He was still singing with the radio and nodded now toward the box. Looking inside she saw a little paper with a title and information about the gem.
"What is it, Drew?"
"It's a star sapphire," he answered, leaning forward on his knees as he watched Shego.
"It's huge! That must have been expensive!"
Shego squinted to read the paper.
'The Star of Ceylon is a 97-carat star sapphire, unique in that is almost flawless and has stars on both sides. It was gifted to the American Museum of Natural history in 1905 after being exhibited at the World's Fair. It was stolen along with other priceless gems in 1964, but was recovered two days later. It was returned to the museum and has resided there ever since. It retains its size from its original round-cabochon polish in the 16th century and has never been set into jewelry. It is valued at $968,000.'
Shego's brow rose, and when she looked at Drakken this time the evil look in his eyes had grown from a glint into a blaze. He stood up from the mess of wrapping paper and took the necklace out of Shego's hands and stepped behind her. She held her hair back as he undid the clasp and brought the chain around her neck, the heavy gem resting about two inches below her collarbone.
He stole this... He stole this, and he had it set without getting caught!
She heard him clear his throat as he stepped back around. He pushed Admiral Cuddles toward his mother, and Shego scooted into the side of the couch to give him room to sit down. His back was fully to his mother as he looked at Shego, unable to hide the villainous look on his face that would give him away.
Shego's heart pounded as she looked down at the blue gem, the lines shooting like lightning across and through it every time she moved. That particular gem, with its color and unique properties...was very appropriate. She looked back up at him with a wicked grin.
"Drew? Where are all your presents?"
Shego's face fell. Drakken schooled his own as he turned to look at his mother, who had continued pushing wrapping paper aside.
"I...only had the two," he said, his happy smile returning. "I tried to space them out."
Estelle leaned around her son, her brow twisting in confusion. "Shego? You didn't get Drew any presents?"
The lump returned to Shego's throat and her chest tightened. The thrill she'd felt from receiving the stolen gem vanished and she felt tears begin stinging her eyes again.
"Mother, Shego did all of this for me," he said, gesturing up at the tree. He knelt on the floor in front of his mother and held her hands, meeting her perplexed look with one of assurance. "I don't need anything else."
Shego stood up quickly and limped toward the tree. She wiped her eyes with the back of her hand.
"Your fiancée didn't get you anything for Christmas?" Estelle said again.
"No, it's...it's here," Shego said shakily, carefully kneeling and reaching beneath the tree for the small box.
She moved back through the mess of torn paper and ribbons, glancing briefly at the respectively curious and confused faces of Drakken and his mother as she hopped back to her place on the couch.
"Here," she said, offering him the brown bag-wrapped box. "I couldn't find the wrapping paper."
"That's all?" Estelle said.
Shego scooted into the corner of the sofa and drew her knees up. Admiral Cuddles crossed the sofa to her and put his paws up on her legs, whimpering.
"Stupid mood swings..." she muttered, wiping her eyes again.
Drakken looked at her worriedly, but then looked down at the package as he sat back on his heels. He smiled softly as he read what she'd written as an address and then ripped into it.
Shego lowered her knees briefly to grab the dog up into her lap. She brought her knees back up and scratched the dog's head as she watched Drakken nervously.
When he got the paper off his jaw dropped and he rose up on his knees to face her, his eyes wide.
"It's the ZPM!" he cried in astonishment.
Shego bit the inside of her cheek and nodded.
"How did you get it!?" he asked, moving toward her on his knees.
She shrugged blandly as she blinked away her last tears. "How do you think?"
"But...but you said it was impossible?"
Shego felt the warmth starting to return to her chest. She rolled her eyes lightly. "Not impossible... Just sort of...life-threateningly dangerous."
"How— When did you do this?" he asked, coming closer until he was right next to her and they were eye-to-eye. Admiral Cuddles perked up and looked between the pair, wagging his tail.
Shego smirked softly. "Remember those four days I went on vacation?"
He gasped. "You weren't really... Ha! I was so worried," he laughed and sat back on his heels. "I thought something was wrong and you'd changed your mind about marrying me."
"You seemed to really want it..." Shego said, leaning on her hand with a grin.
"What about the randomized lasers? How did you get out without them recognizing you? I thought you said that it was impossible to kill the cameras without triggering the alarm? Wait, what about Dementor? Does he know we double-crossed him?"
Shego grinned as his questions came a mile-a-minute, his face growing more and more excited.
"I figured a way around the cameras," she said with another shrug. "I doubt they knew it was gone until at least the next day... And they definitely wouldn't publicize it."
Drakken rose up on his knees again, holding the ZPM at arm's length in front of his face. His eyes darkened into a wildfire of evil as he stared at it.
Shego grinned deviously. She held the dog closer to her chest, and then glanced briefly back over Drakken's shoulder.
"With the ZPM in my hands, I'll be ruling the world in no time! I've already designed the compatible technology... It only needs to be installed on any energy-producing device and then the world will be at my feet! I can stop armies! Weapons of mass destruction! I can take power from whom I want and give it to who I want! I'll—"
"Excuse me, 'you'?"
"Ah, ahem. We'll be invincible!" He set the ZPM at her feet on the sofa and stood up, grabbing her around the waist. The dog slipped to the floor with an annoyed yelp. Drakken spun her around twice amid the torn wrapping paper and ribbons, his eyes narrowing as his evil grin broadened. "I'll be the Emperor— No. The Supreme Leader— No...the Supreme Potentate of Earth!"
Drakken held Shego tightly to him, keeping nearly all her weight in his arms while she gripped his shoulders and tried to keep some balance on her toes. She hummed in agreement to all he'd said, lifting one hand to run her fingers through his ponytail when he finally held still.
"Hehehe hehe...!" He began chuckling, and she smiled wickedly. His chuckles grew in intensity until he had let her go, raising his arms and throwing his head back in a wild, maniacal laugh. She stumbled briefly before getting her balance and crossing her arms, raising one eyebrow as she smirked.
His laughter stopped abruptly and he grabbed her around the waist again. Lifting one hand, he used the backs of his fingers to gently caress her face.
"What would you like your title to be?" he asked sweetly.
Shego's grin grew. She cleared her throat and nodded over Drakken's shoulder.
"So..."
A strangled gasp emanated from Drakken's throat at the sound of his mother's voice behind them. He whirled around, still holding Shego, and saw his mother holding and studying the ZPM.
"...If I drop this thing does it ruin your plans?"
"NO!" Drakken shouted, letting go of Shego and lunging forward. Shego dropped into a fighting stance, ignoring the pain in her leg. "You'll destroy us all!" Drakken cried as his mother tossed the small cube-shaped device back over the sofa away from him.
Shego leapt forward and did a hand-spring off the back of the sofa, spinning in the air and landing on one leg, dropping to her knee and catching the ZPM just before it hit the floor.
"...Phew!" Drakken sighed heavily, his face brightening in relief.
"Drew. Theodore. P. Lipsky!"
Drakken recoiled in fear.
"You never stopped being a villain!"
Shego stumbled back to the couch, wincing in pain with every step and clutching the ZPM to her chest. She grinned as she watched Drakken's mother chase him around the room, slapping at his back and yelling at him about being a horrible liar, and what a disappointment he is to his name, and how on earth could a son of hers be so insane?
Shego dropped into the corner of the sofa with a relieved sigh, rubbing her aching wrist. Admiral Cuddles jumped up again and put his paws on her knees as he looked anxiously between her and between the two Lipskys running around in circles and arguing.
Shego tucked the ZPM deep into the couch cushions, raising her brow at the dog's confused look.
"I'd give it to the henchmen to hide, but they'd probably break it..." she said idly as she tightened the wrap on her wrist. "No one would ever think to look with them, though."
Shego held her hand up once her wrist was secure and admired her ring. The rubies really did set off her green skin beautifully. She lay her hand across her belly and looked over at Drakken, still running scared and pleading for understanding as his mother slapped at him.
"It's not what you think!" he cried when his mother took a breath.
Shego chuckled, and reached her other hand forward to scratch the dog as Mrs. Lipsky continued her castigation.
"Good thing you're learning to behave," she said, and the dog cocked its head to the side. "One baby in this lair is enough, and thanks to him now there's going to be two."
The dog opened its mouth and lolled its tongue out to the side and wagged its tail. She looked down at her hand on her belly again, and then over at Drakken. She felt a fluttering in her chest as she watched him continue to run around and make excuses.
My handsome, dorky, evil dictator...
She sighed happily and looked at the stack of gifts on the coffee table that he and his mother had given her. Then she looked at the massive gem hanging from her neck. She grinned as she admired it, thinking of what lengths he must have gone through to get it for her. The white lightning flashes through and across the deep blue stone made it all the more meaningful. It wasn't just that he'd stolen it... She couldn't think of anything that better symbolized Drakken than that gem, and she was thrilled to wear it and show herself off as being his.
'Arf!'
Shego looked up at the dog's curious expression again. She looked back at Drakken and sighed.
"Well, Shorty..."
At that moment Drakken tripped over the robot vacuum, activating it.
'Rrrarrarrarrarf! Rrrarrarrarrarf!'
Admiral Cuddles leapt off the couch and postured in front of the slow-moving robot as it rolled over some of the ribbons. The dog barked loud and long, growling in between as he faced-off with the machine.
'Rrrarf! Rrrarrarrarf! Rrarf!'
"Drew Lipsky, you are a disgrace! I have never been so ashamed in all my life!"
"Nnyeh nngh, Mother! How about I let you rule a country? Would you like Greenland? How does that sound, hmm?"
'Rrrarf! Rrrarrarrarrarf!'
Shego grinned as she watched the chaos. The TV still played the parade, and she could just hear the radio amid the barking and shouting.
'Rrrarf! Arf! Rrrarf!'
The ponderous robot vacuum, now trailing ribbons, bumped into the tree stand as Admiral Cuddles continued to bark at it. A glass ball crashed to the floor.
"Hmmm..." Shego said with a smirk.
She stood up and pulled the ZPM from its hiding spot, and then gathered all of her Christmas gifts up into her arms with it. She hopped around to the back of the sofa and then began limping away towards the back wall. Once she was there she lit up her right hand and fired a green, glowing blast at the base of the tree.
It was less than five seconds before the dry tree had gone from green to orange, flames climbing up past its twelve-foot height and smoke billowing and rippling along the the entirety of the stone ceiling.
"Oh my goodness! Fire! Fire!" Mrs. Lipsky cried, running away and waving her arms wildly.
Drakken took immediate action, running to the wall and grabbing the fire extinguisher as the smoke detector began its rapid, shrill beeps—several seconds too late, Shego thought.
Admiral Cuddles had stopped barking at the vacuum the instant the flames began and was now shaking and whimpering behind Shego's legs as she leaned back against the wall.
"Like I was saying, Shorty. There's Christmas—" She glanced down at the gifts in her arms, and then looked up at the blaze that was most definitely going to need more than one fire extinguisher. She grinned. "—And Christmas. So what do you think about New Jersey next year? Think the baby will be old enough for traveling?"
Mrs. Lipsky was standing behind the sofa, hands pulling at her hair as Drakken fought the tower of flames. The henchmen burst out of the hallway behind Shego carrying even larger fire extinguishers, and rushed to help as the smoke detector continued its shrill beeping.
Admiral Cuddles pawed at Shego's leg and whimpered. She slowly sat down against the wall to let the dog into her lap and pet him reassuringly. She softly sang along with the radio.
"...'And have your-self a merry little Christmas, now.'"