Let's forget the past

Shego entered the hotel cafeteria in search of breakfast. Scanning the room she spotted Kim sitting with a scrawny young man, both wearing Possible Solutions t-shirts. Apparently the company had decided on a less formal look than most of the participants at the expo. Kim wore hers better. Kim waved at her the moment she noticed her.

Shego stepped up to the buffet table and collected a fried egg, croissants, and a cup of coffee. She looked around for a free table. Kim again waved at her, then crooked her finger in an invitation, accompanied by a smile. Shego gave a mental shrug and walked up to join her.

"Morning, Shego. This is Paul, he's going to be manning the booth with me. Paul, this is Miss Green, the head of security for Future Ways."

"Morning," Shego said.

"The final member of our team, Stacy, is still asleep; she'll be covering for me when I'm at the presentation this afternoon. We pretty much take turns at the booth. Poor Paul here is stuck sitting there the entire day." Poor Paul also didn't have much to say, apparently.

"You don't really need to give me your itinerary, Kimmie."

"I'm just trying to make it easier for you to stalk me," Kim said, but with a smile.

Paul perked up at the comment. Shego noticed that he was checking her out. He was trying to be circumspect about it, but not with much success. Shego wasn't sure what was so enchanting about her fairly conservative shirt and jacket.

"Don't confuse your Nerdlinger, Kimmie. I'm just keeping you under surveillance so you won't have an opportunity to harass any Future Ways employees."

"I don't harass people."

"You harassed me."

"I think you liked it. You could have left any time." It seemed Kim was still unrepentant.

Shego noted that Paul was checking Kim out as well. Apparently he couldn't decide on which was more interesting, Kim's tighter top or Shego's more generous bosom. Kim didn't seem to pay it any attention. Since Shego didn't think Kim was oblivious, she concluded she was purposefully ignoring it. It could have been Kim being nice, or it could be that she'd decided Paul was the kind of socially awkward nerd who just didn't get a hint. Either way, she felt sorry for her for having to put up with him.

"I was working, Kimmie."

"Sure, let's go with that. I'm surprised to see you down here. I would have thought you'd be more of a room service kind of girl."

"Working, Kimmie. It means getting up in the morning and getting stuff done. I'll pamper myself when I take a vacation."

"Sounds like a drag. How did you let yourself get this way?"

"I took a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to get out of a downward spiral, at the cost of my retirement fund."

"Wow, you got all serious all of a sudden." Kim thoughtfully chewed her food. "Was it worth it?"

"Maybe." Shego looked at Paul, who hurriedly looked down at his food. "Can we save this for later?"

"Yeah. Works for me."

Shego and Kim ate their breakfast in silence for a while. Paul had not had much to say at any point. From the corner of her eye Shego noticed he was still stealing glances. She shot a quick look at Kim, who gave her an expression she couldn't quite read, but she interpreted it to mean he just was like that. Had he never seen a woman up close before?

It was strange how Paul's behavior bothered her, when Kim's last night hadn't. She put it down to not having a script for when women were harassing her. She didn't recall ever having had a woman checking her out. Perhaps she just hadn't ever noticed. Now she wondered if she had missed or misinterpreted attention from women before.

Kim had toned down her behavior considerably from last night. Shego wasn't sure if it was on account of the company, or if it had indeed been an act and she now had grown tired of it. Shego was obscurely disappointed. It wasn't that she was interested, but it had been flattering in a way. She briefly wondered how Kim would respond if she touched her leg under the table, before squashing the inappropriate thought.

"I've got to get going," Kim said. "I need to get the booth set up."

"Knock yourself out, Kimmie. You don't have to wait on me." Shego hadn't finished her breakfast yet, having started later.

"I guess I'll be seeing you," Kim said.

"Well, I'll have to make sure you stay put."

"I told you, I'll be there until lunch. It'll just be a waste of your time to check on me in person."

"Now I definitely need to make sure."

"Admit you just want to see me."

"I will admit no such thing. Later, Kimmie."

Kim waved her goodbye as she left the table. Paul hurried after her. Shego sipped her coffee. She suspected it was going to be another long day, but at least Kim's presence here made things interesting again. On most days she didn't regret her choice to get out of crime, but every once in a while she missed the excitement. She knew nostalgia was already starting to tint her memories of the old days. Her life back then had been largely boredom and loneliness, but what stood out for her mind's eye were the larger than life schemes; Dr. Drakken's ridiculous, but often impressive devices; the fights against Kim.

In retrospect it was astonishing they had been so evenly matched. Shego had years of experience on both sides of the law and actual superpowers. Kim was a high school cheerleader. She had been only fifteen or maybe sixteen when they first clashed. Shego recalled her first sight of the teen, adorably determined to stop Dr. D's plans. Maybe she had gone a little easy on her the first couple of times, but the young hero had been too cute for words. She'd reminded her of herself, at the same age. Kim for her part had found her hot, apparently.

That first impression had quickly been overshadowed by mounting frustration and rage when Kim just refused to lose like she was supposed to. The amount of talent the girl had was just unfair. Over time her feelings towards Kim had moved to grudging respect. In a way, Kim had been the closest she had to a peer. It was just as well that this present contest wasn't going to come down to martial arts. It wasn't impossible that Kim outclassed her these days, if she'd kept on improving at the rate she had back then. Not that she was going to tell that to Kim. Anyway, Kim was quite possibly out of practice, as well.

Shego finished her breakfast and left the cafeteria. She headed for the exhibition hall. She figured she might as well make sure Kim actually was there and not wandering around, trying to surprise unsuspecting Future Ways personnel.

Shego walked past teams of people setting up for another day of salesmanship. There were no members of the public present this early in the morning, and she suspected it would be a while until any filtered in. The show was open for public, but the main audience seemed to be other businesses in related fields. The people present mostly tried to market their products and services to each other.

Future Ways had a fairly large booth, tended by a young slick man in a sharp suit and two young women in broadly businesslike attire. Miss Winters did, indeed, wear the short pencil skirt for the booth. It was strange that Shego hadn't noted it until now. Miss Winters was studiously not looking in the direction of the Possible Solutions stand.

The man gave her a too-wide smile. She thought there was a proposition in it. From what Shego had gathered he spent much of his downtime chatting up women in FW contingent, as well as any other attractive women who came his way. He appeared unaware that his efforts were wasted on Miss Winters, or then he didn't care. Shego didn't think he'd have much success with anyone, as long as he was so obviously promiscuous with his attention.

Possible Solutions were set up nearby, and Shego easily spotted Kim there. Kim spotted her just as easily, and flashed her a bright smile. Shego suspected there was a proposition in it. She turned to Johnson, one of her security detail, loitering near the booth.

"Have you seen any of the other DOJ agents?"

"No, Ma'am. They'll probably turn up with the press. Yesterday two of them went around the hall, interviewing every single person our representative gave a card to. I'm not sure what they hoped to gain."

"They're grasping at straws. You stick with the booth today. Give me a call if Miss Possible there makes a move."

"Only moves I saw her make yesterday were on Cindy," Johnson said with a grin. The grin died as he observed Shego's icy stare. "What do I do if more investigators turn up?"

"Get Reynolds down to help you. Or give me a call if it seems serious."

"Yes, Ma'am."

Shego made a circuit of the hall. She didn't see anything suspicious; she hadn't really expected to. The government investigators had little to gain from surveillance, and for reasons of their own they had so far remained circumspect. Shego didn't think they had a case. Maybe there was a whistle-blower in the company. They were probably hoping the visible pressure made somebody crack.

The most curious aspect of the situation was Kim's presence. She advertised being able to do anything, and her list of accomplishments was impressive in its variety, but this was hardly the kind of work she usually did. Did one of her government friends point out that she was going to be here anyway, working for Possible Solutions, and suggest bringing her on board? Was she bored and wanted a change of pace? Or was there some particular aspect of the case that had attracted her attention? Shego wondered if her employers weren't telling her something they really should.

Shego passed the Possible Solutions stand. Kim was still there, as was Paul. They had finished setting up, and were waiting around for people to stop by. Kim waved her over, and Shego walked up to her.

"Slow start, huh?"

"Yeah, not like the first morning," Kim said. "I'm not sure why they booked a week for this. Weekend would have probably been plenty."

"Maybe they bought their own hype about bleeding-edge tech companies ushering us all into a golden age and figured the public would flock in to see the world of tomorrow?"

"Hah. I figure the people who were the most interested already visited over the weekend. It's all good. Today will probably be about networking and the presentations. I think I'll go visit a few booths once they're finished setting up. There's a couple of outfits here that might be interested in working with PS."

"With the kind of noise your brothers are making, I'd think quite a few companies might want to work with them."

"Mm. Sure. I mean ones it might make sense to have co-operative ventures with. Complementary specialties and so forth."

"Are you supposed to tell this to a competitor?"

"You're security, Shego. It's all over your head." Kim's smile let Shego know she wasn't serious. "I'm just sounding people out. I'm not about to discuss any company secrets."

"You know, you really don't have to report to me about your plans."

"I'm just making conversation, Shego. Besides, we both know you'll be watching me all the same."

"I don't really need to keep an eye on you personally, as long as you aren't doing something obviously contrary to Future Ways' interests."

"I know that and you know that, but as long as your bosses buy the excuse, that's all that matters."

This wasn't the first time Kim had implied Shego made excuses to be near her. Once again Shego ignored it. She could resist rising to a bait, occasionally.

"Uh, I think I need to, you know, check the room. Your fellow investigators will show up sooner or later.

"Yeah, sure. Hey, what are you doing for lunch?"

"Eating lunch at the buffet, I imagine."

"Want to go grab something with me?"

"You want us to have lunch together."

"Sure. You'll be keeping an eye on me so your bosses are happy, I'll keep you distracted so my bosses are happy, and we can catch up some more so we'll be happy."

It actually made a certain amount of sense; or perhaps Shego had just spent too much time near Kim.

"Uh, yeah, sure. We can do that."

"Great! It's a date, then." Kim offered Shego the warmest smile she remembered receiving in, well, a very long time, at any rate.

Shego mumbled a goodbye and walked away, a little flustered. Kim's cheerful implication that this was a date in a romantic sense seemed like a natural carryover from the teasing yesterday, and didn't worry her. The smile, however, was a different matter. It was not entirely unlike a smile a girl might give to a cute guy she'd finally managed to get to go on a date with her. It raised the distinct possibility that Kim might actually be seriously interested in her.

Shego knew she was attractive; that wasn't the issue. She just hadn't thought she was the kind of girl lesbians would be interested in, but maybe it was different for bisexuals. It occurred to her that perhaps it was a little prejudiced to expect someone's orientation to also determine their type; Cindy Winters had flirted with her, after all. Perhaps she could ask Kim about it. She'd just have to word the query so that Kim wouldn't mistake it for bi-curiosity.

Physically it maybe wasn't implausible that Kim might be attracted to her. She'd just assumed that given their previous relationship that wasn't on the cards. Kim had claimed to have had a thing for her, back then, but Shego didn't know if she'd been serious. It also seemed unlikely that Kim would pursue such a hypothetical attraction under the present circumstances, with them working for opposing sides. It didn't seem very professional. Then again, Kim probably wasn't signed on for the long term, and she had seemed willing to mix business and pleasure with Cindy.

Chill ran along Shego's spine as she realized that Kim might not be just playing a game with her. Or perhaps it was a game, but for different stakes than what she'd assumed. Well, it didn't really change anything. She didn't think Kim would do anything she didn't consent to, and since she wasn't interested in women, nothing was going to happen. She couldn't be so small-minded that she'd get flustered just from being around a bisexual woman. She dealt with men who found her attractive all the time. It couldn't be all that different.

Noon was approaching as Shego stood in the reception waiting for Kim. Suddenly and without warning somebody grabbed her arm from behind. She was not surprised to find out it was Kim. A flowery scent wafted into her nostrils as Kim pressed near.

"Come on, I'm starving. Let's go." Kim dragged her towards the doors.

"Kinda grabby there, Princess."

Kim flashed her a grin that wasn't particularly apologetic. She also didn't release her arm. Shego sighed as they exited the hotel, arm in arm.

Shego took a moment to look Kim over. She'd changed clothes at some point, and was currently not dressed according to her age. The midriff-baring top and short checkered skirt, accompanied by long socks and white sneakers, were something she might well have worn in her high school days. She had gone the extra mile to wear her long red hair in twin pigtails. She didn't look a day over sixteen.

"Yep, you look professional." Escorts were professionals, after all.

"Hey, I'm on a break."

"Is there a particular reason for the jailbait look?"

"I just felt like it. Do you think people fill figure me for your daughter or your companion?"

"Well, considering we look nothing alike..." Of course. Kim had decided to go back to tormenting her. Shego gave her another look. She wasn't wearing a purse, and there was no way she could have fit a wallet anywhere she'd be able to get at in public.

"Do you expect me to pay for you?"

"Well, I picked up the tab for our last date."

"You just want people to think I'm your sugar mama, don't you." Kim flashed her a grin that was not in the least apologetic. Shego felt a headache coming on. It still didn't occur to her to call the lunch off.

"Where are we going?"

"To the park."

"I thought we were going to have lunch?"

"We can get hot dogs or something. Come on, don't you want to get some fresh air?"

Fresh air actually sounded like a good idea. She let Kim lead her away.

As parks went, this one wasn't great, but it wasn't terrible, either. They wandered along the paved path between tracts of grass. There were a fair amount of people out and about, especially for a weekday noon; long lunch hours, maybe.

"You know, people aren't really going to think we're a couple." Kim had finally released her arm and was strolling beside her. "Our society is sufficiently heterosexist that most people are going to assume we're friends. Or maybe that you're an indulgent older relative and I'm your niece or cousin or something. So relax and enjoy our date."

"It almost kind of sounded like you were trying to put me at ease for a moment." Kim was probably right, though. She knew she didn't assume two normal-looking women together were lesbians unless they were kissing, or at least holding hands.

"Of course I want to put you at ease. I'll never get anywhere with you so tense."

"That's not reassuring."

"Maybe you need a massage. I assure you I give pretty good back rubs."

Shego could believe it. It wasn't generally a good bet that Kim wasn't good at something.

"Be that as it may, I don't think I'll let you give me one."

"Are you sure? There could be a happy ending for you."

"That's pretty much why I don't want you laying your hands on my body."

"You're just allergic to fun."

"I'm not allergic to fun. That's just not my brand of fun."

"Orgasms?"

"Sex with girls."

"You could close your eyes and pretend I'm a guy."

Shego grabbed the nearer of Kim's hands and made a point of studying it.

"You don't really have very manly hands, Kimmie."

"Ah, you prefer guys with big hands. You want rough palms caressing your smooth porcelain skin; strong, sure fingers finding their way..."

"Okay, enough."

Shego wondered if Kim read the same kind of steamy romance novels as her. She couldn't really ask, though, as she didn't want to reveal her secret shame and guilty pleasure. She felt a little warm. Had the sun come out? Maybe Kim's clothes were better calculated for the weather than hers.

"Is that why it didn't work out with Doctor Drakken? The tiny, girly hands?"

"God, Kimmie, why must you remind me of that loser?" Shego shuddered.

Of all the abortive attempts at a relationship she'd made, that one had been the worst miscalculation. At this remove, she couldn't quite remember why she'd ever thought he'd be worth dating. Somehow she'd convinced herself that the fact she'd put up with him for so long had to mean she liked him on some level.

"I have to admit it hurt me a little to see you together with him. I mean, I was happily dating Ron at the time, but thinking about you with him actually made me sick."

"I was never with him like that. Ol' Drewbie didn't really know what to do with a woman." Shego wanted desperately to change the topic, and luckily for her, Kim had provided an excellent opening.

"But speaking of losers, what happened between you and your useless sidekick? I have to be honest, I never really understood why you were with him in the first place. You could have done so much better."

"Like you?"

"Like anyone." Shego had expected Kim to leap to Stoppable's defense as usual. Of course, there had been a break-up. "Honestly, what happened?"

"Buy me a hot dog and I'll tell you." Kim pointed to a vendor nearby.

"Well, I wasn't going to let you starve."

"I'm so glad I have you looking after me." The line was the usual teasing, but Kim's smile looked very genuine. It was unnerving. She also gave her a quick one-armed hug. Shego wasn't going to admit that it actually felt pretty nice. Maybe she could use a little more human contact in her life.

"So, you and Ron?" Shego said after taking a bite out of her hot dog.

Kim went to take a bite of her hot dog, paused, and then started giggling.

"What?"

"No, it's just... an association of ideas." Kim grinned at her. "It just occurred to me that I've tasted Mad Dog's hot dog." She proceeded to eat the one she was holding in a manner that was lewd enough to make Shego blush.

"You are such a prude, Shego. Honestly, have you never gone down on a guy?"

"I'm not a prude!" She wondered how to eat her food in a manner that wouldn't give Kim an occasion to make rude suggestions.

"You so totally are. You get all flustered at any mention of sex."

"I do not. You're just being needlessly... graphic about it."

"I haven't been graphic. I can be, if you want a demonstration of what it's like."

"No, I'm fine."

"It's just funny. I always though you were such a wild girl, partying with hot guys every chance you got, but you're not, are you? You're a prude."

"Do you want me to tell you what my life was like back then? Because I will." Shego paused to clear her mouth. "Most of the time I was stuck in some dank lair being bored out of my skull. The only company I had was Dr. D and his henchmen, and as lonely as I sometimes got I was never quite desperate enough to want to sleep with any of them."

"Is that why you quit?"

"Partly. The other part was that I was beginning to suspect I was never going to pull off that one last big job that would let me retire in luxury. Plus I realized that luxury would probably be a villa in a South American jungle or something. I was wanted in a dozen countries, and those countries had extradition treaties with dozens more." Shego chewed on her hot dog while Kim waited quietly.

"The chance to get my life back was just too good to pass up. Even at the cost of my ill-begotten goods."

"You had to give it all back?"

"Pretty much. It wasn't such a big sacrifice, really; they probably could have gotten most of my accounts frozen, anyway. The shadier bankers, then ones they didn't know about, just pretended they lost all the records in the invasion."

"That could be true. There was quite a lot of damage, especially to electronics."

"I doubt it. I could have, uh, insisted, but it wasn't worth my get out of jail free card." Well, it hadn't been exactly free, on reflection.

"And now you're a freelance security consultant."

"It keeps food on the table. It's not all that different from my old job, really, except legal."

"Even if some of your employers are dirty."

"Innocent until proven guilty, Kimmie, and you people have no proof. If you did, there would be arrests already." Shego felt a little relieved the conversation moved on from her past. It was a topic a little too heavy for such a lovely day.

"That's what you think."

"Anyway, that's not my department. I'm just here to make sure you keep your hands off our employers and their property."

"Yeah, rub it in, box blocker."

"Damn it, Kimmie, can't you keep your mind off sex for one minute?"

"You keep tempting me to sin, you wicked woman."

"I'm wicked no more. And you aren't going to be sinning with me any time soon."

"Maybe you're not evil anymore, but you're still cruel."

"I'm not obliged to oblige you, Kimmie."

"It's okay. I like a challenge." Kim gave Shego a smoldering look that sent chills down her spine. She knew how determined Kim could be when challenged.

"Uh, so, you and Ron?"

"You're no fun. Fine, let's talk about Ron. We dated in high school. Turns out my first relationship didn't end up being my only one. I think there's a statistically significant number of people who don't end up marrying their high school sweethearts, you know."

"I wasn't criticizing you. Like I said, I never got it in the first place. But since he was your best friend for ever I figured there was a story."

"Well, yeah, but it's kind of a personal one."

"You promised to tell me if I got you a hot dog. I damn well deserve some answers after putting up with your sugar baby routine."

"I thought you just wanted to change the topic."

"True, but the more you stall the more I want to hear this."

"Are you actually interested, or do you just want to make me uncomfortable?"

"Funny, that's exactly what I've wondered about you since last night."

"There's an easy way to find out."

"Just start talking, Possible."

Kim carefully set down the remains of her hot dog on the bench and stared into the distance for a while.

"It's not a great tragic story or anything. We just kind of grew apart. I mean, there was some drama and neither of us really handled it very well... but we were just kids and it was a first relationship for both of us." Kim paused for a while. Shego waited, not saying anything.

"I'm not sure I really appreciated how big a factor I was in Ron's life, or how much of an impact I had on him. You know, he even told me that he never really wanted to do the missions, I just kept dragging him along."

"You don't say."

"I though he was having as much fun as me. I mean, he protested a lot, but I thought he just liked to complain. Anyway, after that thing with the Lorwardians, and his breakthrough with his Mystical Monkey Power... yes?"

"Nothing, carry on."

"Well, he got a pretty big boost in self confidence. At first I was happy about that, I always thought he was too insecure and bit of a pushover. When he started standing up to me, too, I... didn't handle it quite as well as I might have. It turns out I'd pretty much taken for granted that he'd go along with anything I did. He always had. I never thought I was bossy or anything, I just thought that was how our relationship was."

"Okay, so the long-suffering sidekick finally asserted himself to the control-freak. You always did hate it when somebody didn't bend to your whims."

"That is so not true! I think you're just projecting."

"Uh-huh, sure. Go on."

"Well, we'd fight sometimes, which was kind of new, but it wasn't the end or anything. We always made up, and it even added a certain spice to our relationship. By which I mean..."

"I know what you mean. You don't have to spell it out."

"He wasn't bad, you know. Sure, neither of us really knew what we were doing, but we were very eager to learn, and he was always anxious to make sure I enjoyed it."

"Kim, the last thing I want to do is to picture you having sex with him."

"So who do you want to picture me having sex with?"

"I don't." This was true. Shego didn't want to picture Kim having sex with anyone. Her traitorous mind just insisted on doing it anyway. It was probably the result of the endless innuendo.

"His new-found confidence was an asset there, as well. Unfortunately, he was also much more comfortable around other girls. And he was getting a lot more attention."

"Was he playing the field?"

"What? No! But I'm... something of a jealous sort. Things got a little strained over the summer after high school. I was actually a little relieved when I started college."

"Let me guess. The idiot sidekick didn't join you."

"Ron's not an idiot. And he did go to a college on a football scholarship, but not the same one. That put more strain on the relationship."

"Did he cheat on you?"

"No. He did not cheat on me."

"All by himself with all those cute coeds? Are you sure?"

"Well, I don't know it for a fact, since Wade refused to help me out, but I believe he stayed loyal."

"And yet you suspected him."

"...Yes. And he wondered about me. He'd always been a little insecure about our relationship, worrying that I'd leave him, but I thought he'd gotten over it. Now he was suddenly convinced I'd find someone better and dump him."

"Were you cheating on him? All by yourself with all those cute coeds."

"No!" Kim visibly calmed herself down. Then she smirked. "He might not have minded me sleeping with hot college girls, though."

"Yeah, yeah, men are pigs. So what broke the camel's back?"

"It was just that, building up. We agreed to break things off. It's amazing how much that helped with the stress. We're still friends, though."

Shego was pretty sure that if Ron had actually agreed to it, it was because he already had someone else, but she decided not to mention that to Kim. She wasn't too convinced about Kim's innocence, either.

"How long did it take you to get over him?"

Kim gave her a wry grin.

"I had this study partner, a really hot tomboy. When I got around to mentioning I'd finally broken up with my boyfriend, she offered me a shoulder to cry on and a sympathetic ear." A fond smile appeared on Kim's lips. "She also offered me many other parts of her body. I felt a little guilty for not waiting longer, but, well, life is short and she was really hot."

"Was that your first time with a girl?"

"Yeah. I'd only ever slept with Ron before. But I had, you know, wondered. It was kind of like a second first time, with everything being new and exiting again."

"How does it... I mean, how do you..." Shego trailed off as Kim turned to look at her. Her eyes were bright and her expression was way too amused.

"Shego, are you asking me what it's like to have sex with another woman?" Kim's smiled turned positively indecent and her eyes bored into Shego's. "Because if you are curious, I can do so much better than just tell you."

"I'm not curious! I mean, yeah, I was curious, but not like that." Shego took a breath to clear her head. "I just don't see... I mean, if neither of you has a... you know."

"And you tell me you're not a prude." Kim's expression settled into a more serious one. "Please tell me you know there's more to sex than penetration. If that's all your partners have ever done for you I really feel sorry for you."

"I don't want you to feel sorry for me."

"You're right. I don't want that, either. Please let me show you what sex can be like." Kim's shiny lips quirked into a wicked smile again. "If you're dead set on penetration I'm sure I can find a strap-on, though I prefer a more... organic approach, myself."

Shego felt decidedly uncomfortable, and she wasn't sure why. It wasn't like she was a blushing virgin. Maybe it was the fact that she wasn't really used to this kind of dynamic. She'd always felt in control, even when she let the man make the moves, but Kim had her constantly off-balance. The sun wasn't helping. Her mouth was dry and her cheeks felt like she was overheating. She should have brought a water bottle, but she hadn't expected the day to be this warm.

"Uh, wasn't there a presentation you wanted to catch?" Shego felt disappointed in herself, like she was cravenly backing down from a challenge. She wasn't; she was merely tactfully steering the conversation away from an awkward topic.

Kim sighed and pulled out her phone to check the time. Shego had no idea where she'd kept it. There were no pockets on her outfit she could see.

"You're right. As much fun as this has been, we'd better head back." Kim stood up and offered Shego a hand. "Meet up for dinner?"

"Sure," Shego said as she allowed Kim to help her up, feeling a little dizzy. "Dinner sounds nice."