Disclaimer: I don't own Kim Possible, dammit! Disney does. D:

Hana peeked around the corner, examining the woman was sitting across the table from Monkey Fist. She was a pretty woman, but, then again, all the women that visited the lord's house were beautiful. However, there was something in particular about this woman that fascinated Hana. She had been watching her and her father sit for quite some time now.

"I don't know, Maria." Monkey Fist said as he ran his fingers through his hair, leaning back in his chair. The woman known as Maria sighed and clasped her hands together. "Please, Monty. It won't be for very long, besides, you have plenty of extra rooms…" She slowly turned to look at Hana. The three-year-old girl blushed as Maria gave her a stunningly beautiful smile as she turned back to Monkey Fist.

"And, I can give you more help taking care of Miss Cutie over there than your monkeys can." She said as she crossed her arms. For the first time since the beautiful woman had arrived, Monkey Fist looked over at the girl that he had snatched a couple of years ago. Hana blushed again and hid behind the corner, causing her adoptive father to smile for the first time that day. He then turned back to Maria.

"I suppose you're right. She is quite a handful, so the extra help could be a good thing." He said as he leaned back in his chair again, tapping his fingers on the table. "You can stay here as long as you need." Maria's face lit up as she grabbed his hands and squeezed them. "Thank you so, so much!" She then rested her forehead on his hands, and action that Hana found very strange.

"No, thank you, Maria." Monkey Fist said as he smiled, glancing at Hana again.

Maria's long black hair made a curious swishing sound as it slid repeatedly across her back as she removed items from her bags and placed them in her new dresser. Hana stared at the bruises on her long, slender legs, finding the contrast between the purple and the tan oddly beautiful. She wondered who this woman was and where she came from. She also wondered how her father knew this woman, since he seemed more familiar with her than his other girlfriends. She seemed more like an old friend than a lover.

The floorboard creaked as Hana shifted her weight, causing Maria to whip around, her eyes wild with fear. Upon seeing that it was only the child, her composure returned. "Why hello, miss Hana." She said, smiling as she crouched down to match Hana's height. The girl stared at her for a moment before quietly returning the hello. Maria's smile widened briefly before she spoke again. "I'm sure you already know this, but I might as well properly introduce myself." She said as she extended her hand in Hana's direction.

"My name is Maria. Maria Whitman. I'll be staying here for a month or so." She said as Hana hesitantly reached out and shook her hand. The girl stared at the large bandage on the older woman's hand. She clearly noticed this, because she smiled grimly, looking at the ground. "You're probably wondering why I'm so beat up, huh?" She said as Hana continued to stare at her. Then, she nodded very slightly. "Uh-huh..." She murmured as she pulled her small hand away from the bandaged one.

Maria ran her fingers through her hair, her face blank as she continued to stare at the ground. "Sorry. Your dad probably doesn't want you to know." She said as she looked up at Hana, and then quickly jumped. "Monty! Don't sneak in like that." She said as Hana whipped around to see her father leaning in the doorway, his arms crossed. He smirked slightly, tapping his monkey toes rhythmically on the floorboards.

"Sorry, Maria. I didn't mean to startle you." He said as he bent down and picked Hana up. The girl protested as he did so, causing him to frown slightly. "Supper is going to be ready soon. Will you be joining us?" He asked as Maria stood up and brushed a strand of hair from her face. "In a little bit. Thank you." She said with a smile as she bowed slightly and returned to her unpacking.

"If you need anything, we'll be in the main living room." He said as he turned and walked down the hall, Hana staring over his shoulder. "Thank you…" She whispered as she sniffled and wiped a tear away. "Thank you…"

"I grow impatient, Monty."

Monkey Fist turned to face Yono, his face grim. "I'm sorry." He replied quietly as he took a sip of his tea. Yono folded his arms, his displeasure clear on his monkey face. "Why haven't you used the weapon's power?!" He demanded as Monkey Fist stared vacantly at his teacup. He stood there a moment before setting down his tea and facing the Yono. "I love her." He said, causing Yono to raise his eyebrow.

"Well, that's a start. Are you actually going to use her?" He asked as Monkey Fist gently pulled on his hand-fur, a habit that had developed over time. Everything was still for a moment as he lingered on Yono's question. The only sound was the crackling of fire and the wind clawing at the windows. Suddenly, Yono began pacing around Monkey Fist, his hands behind his back.

"Look at you, Monty!" He growled as Monkey Fist flinched at the harsh tone of his voice. "You were once a proud man. You were driven by your greed for power, and your obsession with Simian nature." Yono stopped in front of Monkey Fist, his eyes narrow. "You haven't stolen anything, or touched an ancient text in ages!" He turned around at this point, staring at the fire.

"I've only known you since you unearthed me, but even I know that this isn't in your nature." He said, his eyes reflecting the glow of the flames. Monkey Fist diverted his gaze from Yono and stared at his armchair and the pile of books beside it. "I suppose it isn't." He murmured as he walked over to the pile and picked up the one on the top. The Velveteen Rabbit. He stared at book for a moment with a raised eyebrow before remembering why he had the book.

Even as a child, Monty adored monkeys. One day, his mother, Lady Eleanor Fiske, got sick of all of the talk of monkeys. She bought up several other books on non-simian topics, in an attempt to draw his attention to other things in the world. Monkey Fist smiled as he remembered the look on his mother's face when he continued to talk about monkeys, not toy rabbits.

"…time, Monty."

Monkey Fist whipped around when he realized that Yono was talking to him. "What?" He asked as Yono glared at him. "I said that you're running out of time." He hissed as Monkey Fist set down the book. He then turned and smiled at Yono, causing the monkey to draw back slightly. "I know." He said as he turned back to the pile of books, his eyes reflecting his unhappy state of mind.

"I will begin her training."

Yono smirked in satisfaction and returned his gaze to the fire. "That is good, Monty." Monkey Fist began to fiddle with his hand-fur again as Yono's deep voice spoke. "That is good."

"…and they lived happily ever after."

Hana blinked as Maria closed the book, shutting away the bright, colorful pictures that filled the pages. The woman flashed another of her dazzling smiles at the child as Hana ran her small fingers over the beautiful cover. To the girl, this book was like some sort of magic. "I've never seen so many bright pictures in a book before." She murmured as Maria raised her eyebrows in surprise.

"Don't you have any picture books?" She asked in shock as the girl shook her head. The woman rolled her brown eyes and pushed her hair out of her face. "Same old Monty..." She sighed as Hana continued to stare at the book, not looking away from it in case it was simply an illusion. Maria smiled, her hand still in her hair as Hana cautiously touched the book.

She hadn't really paid any attention to the story, but she found the pictures quite captivating. Maria leaned forward as the girl carefully opened the book, revealing a painting of a beautiful woman leaning on the edge of a balcony, her elegant dress ending in a pool at her feet. Hana slowly reached out and touched the crown that rested on the woman's head.

Maria turned her head to the side slightly, tucking some of her hair behind her ears. "Are you going to be a princess someday, Hana?" She asked as the girl looked up at her, confusion showing in her dark eyes. The woman then placed her right arm around the girl's shoulders, pulling her closer. "I think you'd make a wonderful princess." She said as Hana continued to stare at the picture.

"I hope that you can find happiness someday."

The picture then flashed by Maria's eyes; an elegant girl, no more than eighteen. Her long black hair had several different pieces of hair jewelry pinned into it, and a multi-colored kimono folded into flawless creases around her delicate figure. At her shoulder stood a familiar face, no older than he was now. His lips were twisted into a wicked smile as he observed the aftermath of chaos that surrounded them. The girl slowly turned to look at him, her eyes pleading, causing his smile to vanish.

He gently held her face in his hands as he leaned forward to whisper something in her ear. Upon hearing her words, the girl smiled and sunk into his arms, her hands pressed against his chest as he ran his fingers through her hair.

Snapping back into reality, Maria looked down at the girl nestled under her arm, wondering why she had seen what she had seen.

She decided to think nothing of it.

This chapter pisses me off.