I do not own any Disney characters named herein and am only borrowing them to tell a nonprofit tale meant for entertainment purposes only.
Kim Possible: Gifted
By LJ58
7
After the restroom, and a few minutes of browsing, it was almost thirty minutes later, and they were back on the road, and going again.
"See," Shego smiled at the redhead who at least looked more relaxed than before. "No trouble. Just like I told you."
"The food was good," Kim smiled and sighed in contentment.
"I would never have guessed," Shego grinned at her.
"More music," Kim asked, eyeing the silent player just then, but not sure just how it worked.
"Since we're heading for the main interchange, let's see if we can find some news about the traffic around here," she said, switching on the radio, and hearing a broadcaster announcing weather, but saying nothing about traffic.
"Guess we missed it, or there's nothing to worry about yet," Shego said and kept going once back on the interstate.
"Shego," Kim asked after riding in silence for a time as the radio played an eclectic mix of pop she didn't really care for but didn't admit since Shego was being nice to her, and she seemed to like it. "You said you….know about me."
"As much as anyone can," Shego nodded. "What's on your mind now, Kimmie?"
"Do you know….what happened to me? What made me….like this? They never told me. Just said my parents died, and I was…..gifted," she cursed the word. "Do you know what did it? What happened that….changed me?"
"Yeah, Kim," Shego sighed. "About fourteen years ago, a big damn chunk of rock fell out of the sky and landed on Middleton. They called it the rainbow comet because was lit up like a damn stage show, and glowing so bright it almost outshone the sun when it hit the atmosphere. Then it hit your house."
"But….how does a glowing rock….do this," she asked, holding up her snowy white hands, and letting them flutter with a green light for a moment.
"Even I don't know that Kimmie," Shego told her. "I guess there was some kind of weird energy or radiation, and you absorbed it. Enough to change you instead of killing you. When the doctors found you in that crater, they obviously decided to keep you. I think you know the rest."
"Yeah," Kim said quietly. "That part I know," she said dismally.
"We still have a long drive. You okay," Shego asked her as the girl just stared in silence again.
"I'm just glad to be out of the lab," Kim smiled wanly, staring at the road, and watching the cars fly by now as the sun began to come up in earnest.
"I'll bet. Couldn't imagine being locked up like that myself. Frankly, I would have busted out a lot sooner if I had been you," Shego admitted.
"I….had no place to go. I thought my parents were dead, and I was…. I was a freak…."
Shego reached over and put a hand over her clenched fist as the girl just sniffled softly.
"You're no freak, Kimberly. Don't ever think like that. The freaks are the one you left behind. You're just a girl that got dragged into something way over her head. It's not your fault, and…."
"Shego," Kim asked, staring at the hand covering her own.
"Yeah?"
"What if….my parents don't want me anymore," she asked. "What if….they hate me?"
"Kim, I think they'll be overjoyed to know you lived, and even happier to see you're back, and safe. Trust me on that one," Shego told her warmly.
"I hope so," she said quietly.
"You okay?"
"I….. There was a woman at the lab once. She…pretended to be my friend. She was…nice, sort of, most times."
"Let me guess. Didn't last," Shego quipped.
"She got mad because I wouldn't do what they wanted. She started getting mad about a lot of things. Sometimes….I couldn't help it. I just didn't understand them half the time. When I did understand…."
"Kimmie?"
"I think you're right," Kim said with a shudder. "They only wanted a weapon." Kim looked over at her, and said, "Is it wrong to hate people like that?"
"You're human, Kimmie," Shego told her. "Hate is part of the package. You just have to ask yourself, do you want to waste time still thinking about those clowns, or do you want to forget them, and go find a better, happier life for yourself," she said with a faint smile.
"You…. You're a lot nicer than those people that tried to make me do what they wanted."
"Some folks would argue that one, Red," Shego grinned. "But I only get mean with the ones that deserve it."
"Oh. So, you can….fight, like you said I should learn?"
"Oh, yeah," Shego preened now. "Without any false modesty, kiddo, I'm probably one of the most dangerous women alive on this stupid planet. Not counting you," she added with a crooked grin.
Kim looked away again.
"I don't want to be dangerous. I mean…."
"Hey. Hey. The thing about fighting, Kimmie? If you're good enough, if you're dangerous enough, most times you don't have to fight because most people know enough to leave you alone. Get it? You toughen up, learn some things I can teach you as a start, and maybe those clowns might just have second thoughts about ever coming after you again. See what I mean," she told her with a smile.
"So….people have second thoughts about you?"
"Absolutely. The only people that mess with me these days are either stupid or paid so much they want to take a chance they might just beat me."
"Oh."
"But I don't know many that can," she told her. "So don't worry. I'll keep you safe until you can figure out your own life. Just like I said."
"I….. I trust you, Shego," the redhead smiled now, and put her other hand over Shego's as they sped down the highway. "I think you're nice."
"I can honestly say you're the very first person in the world to ever call me that," Shego said with a faint smile.
"Oh. Well, I think you are," Kim said again.
"Thanks, Kimmie. And don't worry. No matter what happens, I'm getting you home."
Kim pulled out the GPS from her pocket again and held it up. "Do you need….?"
"I know where to go. Don't worry, you're going home," Shego told her. "In fact, we should be there by….four this afternoon," she said, glancing at her watch.
"Really," Kim gasped, looking stunned. "I thought it would take longer," she said.
"It probably would have, if you had to keep hoofing it," Shego grinned. "We'll be there before you know it, and then everything will be fine."
"I hope you're right," Kim sighed.
"About what?"
"About….my parents still wanting me," she said as Shego had to move her hand to shift for a moment, and then looked back to Kim.
"Trust me. I'm betting your folks are going to be furious when they realize what those jerks did to you," Shego told her.
"Shego?"
"Yeah, Kimmie," she asked the still surprisingly shy redhead.
"Thank you. For everything," she said quietly as she looked up at her with wide, green eyes full of hope and trust.
"Oy," Shego sighed, and still wondered how she was going to pull this one off.
Yeah, she had the girl's trust, and she was taking her home. Now she just had to figure out how to keep the damn Brass off their butts long enough to give the surprisingly likable little girl a chance. Still, the moment she had learned Red was the source of the poison that killed her brother, she had decided the jerks were not getting her back. Somehow, she was going to find a way to keep her safe, and out of the hands of morons who thought they were smarter than anyone else out there.
So, she kept asking herself. How was she going to manage it?
Kim's gasp had Shego looking over at her, and she saw the girl shrinking back in her seat, and trying to drop lower in her seat as she passed a state police cruiser sitting on the side of the road with his lights on. From the look of the small, black sports car in front of him, he had just caught a speeder. She eyed her own speed, and then looked back to Kim.
"It's okay, Kimmie. You're safe with me, just like I said."
"They….. They wanted to…..take me back," she whined as she glanced back, eyes dark with misery now.
"Yeah, well, the thing about most cops? Just remember, they're just regular guys doing a job. They try to keep people safe. Stop speeders, and reckless drivers, and stuff like that. Yeah, they go after bad people, too. But only if they're doing something wrong. As long as you're not doing bad stuff, they should leave you alone."
"R-Really," she asked.
"Really. I won't lie. There are bad cops, too. But most are just honest people trying to do a job, and keep everyone safe."
"Oh. Oh," Kim said and looked back again. "So, that car was doing something bad?"
"Probably speeding. Going too fast to be safe," she explained.
"How do you know what is too fast," she asked.
"See that sign. It means the speed limit is 75. That means, if you go faster than that, you aren't being legal, or safe."
"Oh. But….aren't you going faster than safe," she asked, seeing the needle on the speedometer climbing.
Shego grinned, and let her speed drop again.
"I was testing you," Shego winked. "That's a very good catch. Now, those speed limits can change, though, so you have to watch out for changes whenever you drive. Understand?"
"So….you watch for the number signs?"
"Yep. Like in most cities, the speed limit can drop down real low. Just to keep pedestrians safe, or if you are around a school."
"School. I think I heard about that once. It's where some people get to learn," she said, looking wistful.
"Yeah. So, how did you learn anything?"
"One of the women taught me to read. Then they kept giving me science and military manuals to see what I could….understand. Some of them thought my brain should be….be as powerful as my body, and they tried to test me all the time," she sighed, looking dejected again. "They got mad when I failed their tests."
"I'd say they're the ones that failed, Kimmie. You can't learn if no one teaches you first. The smartest people I know are the ones that had good teachers."
"I guess they didn't think that way," Kim murmured.
"Like I said, forget them. They're not important. It's time to start over and find your own way. Okay?"
"Okay," Kim smiled, relaxing again once she was over her scare with the trooper they left behind.
To Be Continued…..