A\N: I do not know where this is coming from, but damn, I love it! Thank you Good Charlotte!

I really hate it when he's this stubborn.

"Tommy, you've been really hurt, and you're not giving yourself enough time to recuperate." I am never ever letting any supiror officer know I said that. "Sit. Stay. Let me cook."

"Kim, I can--"

"And I want an edible breakfast."

Tom stays put. I start making eggs and bacon. He needs the protien. I sigh inwardly. What am I, his mom?

Or do you want to forget?

Shut up, Jase, I snarl.

"Here ya go." I set a plate in front of him, grabbing some oatmeal. I, unlike Dr. I'll-Fight-The-Freaking-Hulk, eat healthy food.

"Want some bacon?" Tom asks.

I roll my eyes. "That's all but swimming in grease."

Which you don't mind on pizza.

Jase, aren't you supposed to be doing something?

Suit yourself...

"Who're you talking to?"

I frown. How visible is that? "Pardon?"

"Your eyes glaze over. Looks like I did when I talked to Rita. You know, back when I was evil." No problem saying it now, hunh? Damn, boy, you turned out fine. I can't help looking him over. Tight abs, lots of muscle...God, Kim. Get a reign on that imagination, would you?

"And now you're just checking me out."

"Like you weren't checking me out at the hospital." I'm surprised he didn't get all hot and sweaty right there. Must've surprised him with the pheonix, though. I know I surprised him with the buisnesslike clothes.

I'm not Kimmy anymore, Tom. I'm Kim. Grown-up and taking on the whole damn galaxy.

"What happened, Kim?"

I sigh. "Short version."

"Long version."

I glare.

He shakes his head, that odd mix of love and protectiveness that I forgot feels so damn good. "Kim, you're...different."

"Mature?" I offer.

"Yeah."

I sigh. "Fine. You want the long version." I'll freaking deal. Because I was ordered to tell him this anyway...witch Director...

"It started," I hear myself say, "When I was in Florida."

Tears. I could taste my tears.

It was the second time that day that Zedd had come to torture me. I was...broken. Badly broken. But I was going to be all right. I'd decided that weeks ago. No one would hurt me again. And Zedd wouldn't hurt anyone else, either.

Never.

The door opening was enough to scare me. But the sound of the footsteps was...different. As if Zedd was different. I wasn't about to turn. He liked making me look at him, making me remember...that I was his prisoner, that he could do whatever he liked to me, and I couldn't do anything but cry.

I clutched the pathetic weapon in my hand, the sharp arrowhead Tommy gave me. I hadn't realized it was in my pocket until now. I was going to go down with Zedd, which, honestly, I liked.

I wanted to die.

So when the door opened, I leaped straight for him.

The blood went everywhere. His dying screams were horrible, like those of an animal. He begged me for his life, but I kept attacking, praying he'd come to his senses and kill me.

He never did.

I saw what I'd done and ran. I'd wanted to die, and I hated Zedd, but killing him? No, I'd never planned that. I wanted him gone, that was all.

I still don't remember how I found the portal. But I know that once I was home, the only thing I could think of was staying safe. Alive. I chased away anyone I met, screamed at my friends, and wrote one letter. One letter, that was all it took, and I was so proud of myself. I could die in peace.

Then something inside me started changing.

I'd been trying to kill myself, going to the worst places at the worst times. One of the men I'd met followed me home, and he was trying to hit me. I could feel the change inside me like a physical thing.

I wasn't going to take it anymore.

I started fighting back. I made friends again, made it clear that I wasn't to be messed with. When I went to college, a recruiter for SASS found me. She promised me a place at the Academy, provided I finish college first.

I was going to. But then Zedd found me. Not the Zedd from the other universe--the Zedd from this one. The Zedd from our world is good. He told me about Dark Specter, that he was from another world. Then he told me that I was Maligore's heir, and I could save the world.

"You fell for that?" So incredulous, aren't we, Tom?

"Tom?"

"Yeah?"

"What was there to lose? I already went through hell at the other Zedd's hands." I shut off those memories, the walls weaker than before. Talking is not good for you, Hart. Ignore the girly magazines. It's not. "So he taught me how to use my powers. Said he wanted to make up for trying to kill us when we were just kids."

Tommy shakes his head. "Kim...God. What happened to you?"

"I grew up." I force the pain away. "It hurts, Tom. It's hell. And growing up was worse for me, because I had so much trouble already after me. And you know that growing up hurts."

"Why didn't you come back?" Tommy whimpers.

I sigh. "Did you really think I'd do that? Tommy. I'd never put anyone in danger. Not deliberately." I fix him with a hard look. Don't get a crush on me, Tom. I don't need it. "Now that you are, I'm going to make sure you can take care of yourselves. So get ready for some real training, Handsome."

"Please. I can handle it."

I smirk. "We'll see..."

I love my job.