-1He blinked as his eyes focused and unfocused on ceiling overhead.
He'd had here within his reach and he'd let her go. Why?
"That's Shego's seat." The words rippled through his mind, stabbing and tearing at him. Was he that unimportant to her now?
Something didn't feel right in his stomach. It felt cold and heavy, almost as if he'd eaten a frozen bowling ball. Was his chance with Kim over before it'd really begun? Rolling onto his side, he spotted Rufus, and wished that his life were as simple as cheese and television. Letting out a heavy sigh he dug out the Ron-Com and keyed it on, Wade's image came up, the boy leaning on his keyboard, obviously asleep.
Ron hung up and let the device wall to the bed. He could find Shego later… maybe then he'd know what to say.
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Shego sat at the small desk that came with the room, staring at a plain box wrapped in brown paper and tied with a string. There was a chance that it was a bomb, but she'd been blown up before, and Jack wasn't stupid enough to do it. Something about what it should contain made her nervous though. Some things were too dangerous in mortal hands, and this was one of those things.
The Attitudinator. She handled the box gently and slipped it under the desk. She'd let the girl have a choice. It was the least she could do. Now it was just a matter of finding her. Walking over to her duffel bag, she dug out a tight green t-shirt, and a pair of dark jeans. Slipping the clothing on over her silky underwear, she thought about what she was planning.
It was risky, hell it was stupid, but if it worked it'd be worth it. Trying to remember where she left her shoes she set about getting to work.
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Kim leaned against her bag, staring up at the thick concrete above her a small part of her thankful that it was spring. Something shifted on the concrete shelf than ran parallel to her own and she looked over to see a familiar pair of green eyes looking back. "You left me there."
Kim chewed on her lip before speaking, "I didn't mean to…it's just that Ron was there…"
"That dork?" The woman scoffed, waving away the thought of the boy. "You know Kimmie I've always thought you could do better than him."
"Don't talk about him that."
"You know you could be living the life right now Princess instead of hiding under here like a hermit." The woman leaned closer, her lips brushing the girl's ear, "All you have to do is be bad."
"NO! I'm not going to steal!" Kim glared at the pale woman who took the offensive and drove her point home.
"Because you're a good guy? How can you find yourself without trying new things? Without taking risks?"
Kim bristled as the thought ran its course. If she stole some money, she could get a hotel room and clean up. And a shower would be spanking right now.
But stealing was wrong. But then again so was trying to kill someone.
"Alright…you're the crook. How do I do this?" Kim sat up, pivoting so her feet dangled free.
The woman smiled broadly, "First you got to know what you want."
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There was a gentle knock on the door, bringing Ron out of his depressed stupor long enough to answer the door. Yori stood behind it, dressed in a loose cotton pants and a t-shirt that had a pink smiling face on it, Ron didn't notice this as much as the look in her eyes though.
She tackled him, forcefully pinning his lanky form to the floor, "Stoppable-san, it will be your honor to defend yourself next time." With a playful kiss to the tip of his nose, she climbed off him and grabbed a pink travel bag from the hallway. "So, Possible-san is missing?"
Ron sighed and tried to fake a smile to the girl, but stopped, "It's a bit more complicated then that. I think Kim ran away for something big. She claimed she wanted to kill Shego, but it just doesn't seem likely. I mean its Kim we're talking about!"
Yori gently placed a hand on his shoulder the other clasping one if his as she guided him to sit on the bed, "Stoppable-san, the path of a warrior is hard and long. And for a warrior such as Kim who does not spill blood it is even harder. We must help her through this time so that she can become stronger."
Ron couldn't help but smile, "Yori, you're the greatest."
"Stoppable-san, you and your American gratitude bring great honor to me." She gently kissed his cheek and then slowly stood up, "Will it be your honor to share your bed with me tonight?"
Ron's face deepened to a shade of red that burned with the intensity of a star going supernova, his mouth opening and closing much like a fish as he tried to find words to say what he thought of the idea.
"Then it is settled Stoppable-san. And as your guest I request that clothing be optional." She gave him a playful wink and he collapsed onto the bed completely, his mind done in by its own imagery. The small rodent looked over at the boy and shook his head, making a small clicking sound before going back to the television, which was playing Animal Planet.
"Oh Stoppable-san and your American-style modesty." She politely laughed behind her hand as she sat back down on the bed.
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"Like this?"
"That's right Stoppable-san, nice and slow."
"This feels…pretty good. I need to do this more often."
"It will be your honor to do it with me daily Stoppable-san."
Ron slowly pulled his foot close to his stomach, balancing on his other, "Sounds like fun. I've never done Yoga before."
"It is essential to perform each movement slowly and completely to get the full result. That is why I said we should do the exercises naked, to be able to utilize the full ranges of our bodies." Slowly she clasped her hands together, her foot still against her navel."
Ron's face turned crimson again, a color he was starting to think was his real one with how often he'd blushed since Yori had arrived. She'd always been a little bit of a flirt, but now she seemed to be turning it on full force. "As much fun as that sounds, I don't think I'd be able to concentrate on the yoga if you were naked."
Slowly Yori's leg came down, her foot silently touching onto the carpet, "I would be a distraction?"
"And it would be my honor to be distracted." Ron was the one to wink this time, catching the girl off guard, her mouth hanging open in a small ring of surprise, shades of pink tinting her cheeks.
Ron didn't see the movement coming, but he found himself pressed against the bed, her mouth against his. Electricity shot through his body, lighting every nerve. His lips still tingled with excitement as she pulled away, "It was my honor to kiss you Stoppable-san."
Gently he kissed her back, "And it was mine to kiss you."
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Kim watched the manager's office from the air vents, the heavyset man seeming to take his time as he readied to go home for the day. Slowly he waddled out and shut the door behind himself, turning a key into the lock, the deadbolt sliding into place.
Slowly she counted to fifty to herself, then fifty again. Her fingers slowly pulled the cover aside and she dropped to the floor. Ignoring the chair, she brought the computer out of its screensaver, and opened the registry, repeating the actions she'd watch him perform nearly all day. Using an assumed name she booked a room, something modest to keep from attracting attention and fooled the system into thinking she had paid for the week. With the computer's room key programming tools she wrote the unlocking information into the magnetic strip before leaving everything the way she'd left it and climbing back into the air duct.
With the cover back in place, she was gone.
It was long after dark when she finally tried the key, entering through a side door and creeping up the stairs. Slowly she rounded the corner and then sprinted down the hall to her room, the door unlocking and her feet leading her inside. The thought of a shower calling her she dead-bolted the door and let her bag fall by her feet.
She'd done it…she'd just stolen a hotel room for the week. Pride began to swell inside as she realized what she had done.
The girl who could do anything was back. Smiling to herself, she slipped off towards the bathroom, the thought of hot water running over her skin seeming like the perfect reward.
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Shego walked through the hall, heading towards the ice machine and the soda machine that stood next to it. She was tired and a little cranky after spending the day looking for Kim and dealing with Jack, but it was a good sort of tired. As she walked around the corner a familiar mane of red hair sprinted by and she felt as if her eyes would fall out their sockets.
It almost seemed ironic how the fates liked to torment her. Taking a deep breath the moved down the hall heading back towards her room for a moment. She needed something before she could pay the girl a visit.
The gears of her mind slipped into place and a makeshift plan began to form.
It wasn't quite what she had in mind for when she would talk to Kim, but it'd do.
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A/N: More mystery, more suspense, and another cliffhanger just for you! As always, reviews feed my muse, which helps me write!