Chapter 4
Home again
"Ron, pick up already" Wade groaned as he called Ron's number. It was mid afternoon. Ron answered his cell quickly
"Ron here"
"Ron, it's Wade"
"What is it?"
"The EM field is down, I have a lock on Kim. GJ is on their way to pick you up" Ron's expression changed
"Okay, thanks"
"Kim's mom is coming along, GJ is picking her up first"
"Good" was all Ron said "I'll meet them outside.
He stood and watched as the GJ Search and Rescue craft landed on the road in front of his home. The side door opened and one of the flight crew stepped out to usher him in.
Dr. Director and Anne Possible were both seated along the inside of the craft. Ron took a seat across from them.
"Ron" Anne said
"Doctor P" Ron replied. The tension was high between everyone. Ron looked towards the rear of the craft and saw a small group of GJ personnel
"Medic team eight" Dr. Director said over the noise of the engines "The best I have"
"Let's hope we're not too late" Anne said nervously.
xxxx
A few hours later...
"We're coming up on the island now" the GJ pilot said.
"Very good" Dr. Director replied "Uplink with Orbital Six and begin thermal sweep"
"Aye" the pilot replied
"I read two heat signatures. One in the jungle and one in the crater on the mountain top" The Pilot said
"The one in the crater has to be Kim, Shego said that she was up top" Ron said, looking at one of the screens
"Copy that. We'll make for the crater" Anne replied and moved to the cockpit.
"Zone spotted. Commencing landing sequence" the pilot said
"Affirmative. Touchdown in ten seconds"
"Mount up" Dr. Director ordered the medics "Get your kits and get ready to move"
The small craft touched down on the crater wall. The hatch opened with Ron, Anne and Dr. Director with a couple GJ flight personnel stepping out out. Ron spotted Kim first
"There!" by the time he had said that, he was already running towards her.
When he reached her side, he turned her over. Her eyes were closed and her face was covered in scratches and bruses.
"KP..." he said quietly as Anne came up behind him
"Ron" she said
"Right" he replied and stood aside. Anne Knelt down and touched her neck. After a minute, she spoke
"She's alive, but her pulse is weak" she looked towards the GJ medics, Dr. Director got the idea
"MOVE!" she ordered. The team moved quickly, carrying the portable strecher between them. Anne was looking over the brace on her leg, it was obvious that she was impressed with the work, but she stepped back as the medics went to work lifting Kim onto the stretcher.
Ron swore he heard Kim groan as she was loaded onto the craft. The locks clicked and the medics strapped her down. They went about their work and she was soon hooked up to the medical equiptment.
As the craft took off, the lead medic stepped over.
"She's alive. Barely. She's lost..."
"Just, what are her chances?" Ron interrupted
"Slim" he replied "Every minute she's outside of a surgery ward her chances shrink drastically"
"Do what you can" Dr. Director said. He nodded and went back to her before she stepped over to a comm screen. Ron couldn't hear what she was saying until she stepped back over "I've radioed for the Third Heart to meet us. It's our mobile hospital. Full surgery ward and our best doctors. They'll be ready in the surgery ward when we meet them" She said. Anne turned to her
"I want to be in there" She said firmly.
"I figured"
xxxx
"We have the other thermal signature. It's spiking" The pilot said
"How close can you get us?" Dr. Director asked
"The nearest clearing is just over one hundred meters away" he replied
"Good enough. Set us down"
"Aye"
Ron sat inside as the craft touched down on the ground. Anne, Dr. Director and a few of the GJ medics stepped out. He stood up after a few minutes and walked over to where Kim was lying on the stretcher.
Letting his head sink a bit
"I'm sorry, Kim" he said quietly "I should have been there for you"
"R...Ron?" She groaned quietly, opening her eyes
"KP!" He tried not to shout
"Wha...What's going on?" she asked weakly.
"We found you. You're gonna be okay" he smiled.
"S...Shego" Kim struggled to elevate her head "What happened to Shego?"
"We're picking her up now" he said, easing her back down "The medics said not to let you move"
"I'll keep that in mind" she said, very weakly as Anne stepped back into the craft
"Kimmie!"
"Mom?"
"Take it easy, Kimmie. You need work" Anne said, placing her hand on Kim's side. Kim knew, more from the touch than the words that she was safe.
"Shego. How is Shego?" she asked, her voice still weak. Anne sighed
"I can't say. She's in pretty bad condition. I'm going to take her in for surgery right after you" Anne said. Kim thought for a moment
"No" she said
"What?"
"She goes in first"
"Kimmie, no. I..."
"Please" Kim said quietly "She saved my life" Anne sighed
"Fine"
"Good. Can I pass out again?" Kim chuckled. Everyone laughed.
"Sure KP" Ron said. Kim smiled and closed her eyes.
xxxx xxxx
When Kim woke up next, she not only felt better, but felt very little pain at all. A quick look of her arms showed multiple brusies, scars, stiches and bandages. She let her eyes open fully and took a look around. The room was large and she spotted another bed accross from her. In it, she could make out the shape of a woman with long dark hair. Or, rather she could once she sat up.
Only a few minutes passed until Anne Possible emerged from the doorway
"Oh, you're awake" she said and walked over
"Yeah, I feel better" Kim replied
"Well, you should. You had an infection in your leg as well as a shattered bone in your leg. Those also happened to be the lightest injuries you sustained"
"How long have I been out?"
"A week. We had to keep you under heavy sedation"
"And how is Shego?"
"Well, I'm assuming that you patched her up?" Kim nodded "She should be fine. Actually, you probably saved her life. If we hadn't gotten her in when we did, she'd probably be two floors down right now" Kim looked confused "...In the morgue" Anne finished
"Oh"
"So, how long do I have to stay here?"
"Another day or two at the most" Anne smiled "But I will phone Ron and tell him that you are awake"
"Hmm, I figured that he would've been here"
"He was. I almost had to call security to get him to leave. It was sweet, but he was getting in the way" Anne said with concern in her voice "I gotta go. But I will be back soon" she smiled and headed towards the door, but stopped
"Oh, and there is a GJ agent outside the door"
"For when Shego is better?" Kim guessed. Anne nodded and walked out
Kim looked over at the Bed where Shego lay and sighed. They were back and going to be all right, so she hoped. She could get back to her life. But what of Shego? her mind asked her. In the span of a two weeks, Shego had saved her life three times. Even though though this was Shego, the woman she had hated as long as she'd known her, Kim couldn't help but feel something.
xxxx
Shego awoke and sat up quickly. It took her a minute to realize where she was.
"Oy, what happened?" she asked no one in particular, one eye closed and a hand on her head. She fully opened her eyes and looked around. Kim and Ron were locked in an embrace over Kim's bed, they hadn't heard Shego awaken
"Can you two wait until I'm gone at least?" she asked in a slightly annoyed tone. They both looked up quickly. Ron turned and started walking over to Shego
"Shego, I uh, I wanted say..." as he got closer, Shego fired up a hand and held it in front of her
"Hey, hey, hey. I may be in a hospital bed, but I can still whup you" she said through clenched teeth. Kim shook her head Shego, Shego, Shego. Same as always she thought to herself. Ron stopped, but still spoke.
"I was just going to say thanks for saving Kim's life" he said and turned away
"Oh, well. Uh, thanks" she said and un-lit the fire on her hand.
xxxx xxxx
The next day, Kim was getting ready for her mother to visit and clear her to leave when Shego started getting out of bed.
"Shego? What are you doing?" Kim asked
"Well, I'll probably be cleared soon and as soon as I am, that delightful guard and Dr. Whats-her-name will come in and take me away to prison. No thanks. I'm leaving now" she fished her black and green jumpsuit out the nearby closet and stepped in to change.
When she got out, Kim was at the door
"Going to be a tattletale, Princess?" Kim turned around and looked at her
"No. I'll make sure the guard doesn't come in" Shego was dumbstruck
"What?"
"You saved my life several times in the last two weeks. This I owe you" Kim smiled Well, really you owe me two. But I'll take this Shego thought to herself. Shego looked back at the teen hero
"Last chance to be a hero, Kimmie"
"I said that I owe you this. But I might change my mind if you don't hurry and get out of here" Kim said. As Shego turned to jump out the window, Kim called to her
"Shego!"
"What?"
"We even now?" Shego thought for a minute
"For now" Shego said and jumped out the window. Kim quickly returned to her bed.
No sooner had she lay back than Dr. Possible walked into the room, flanked by Dr. Director. Kim had closed her eyes and pretended to wake up as they entered the room
"Kimmie, where's Shego?" Anne asked. Kim looked around
"I have no idea" Kim said. It was actually the truth, she didn't know where Shego was now, she had just left out the part where she had helped Shego escape "She was there when I fell asleep" In essence, Kim hadn't lied, she had just conviently left out an important fact.
Dr. Director looked around and sighed
"I figured as much" she said. Kim tried to look somewhat puzzled, but not too suprised.
After a moment, Kim spoke
"Well, can I go or what?" she asked her mother. Anne looked at her
"I don't see any reason why not" she looked at her clipboard "You will have to stay at home for a couple days more so I can keep an eye on you, but you can leave the hospital" she smiled.
"Thanks, doc" Kim grinned.
xxxx
When Kim got home, Ron was there to greet her, as she had expected. But something she hadn't expected was that no matter what she did for the next two days, her thoughts kept going back to Shego.
xxxx xxxx
A week passed. Kim could hardly think of anything but the green woman for most of the time. When the weekend came, Ron was at Felix's, playing video games for the night and her family was out for the evening, she was alone.
She had decided to try and catch up on what homework she had missed, but it wasn't easy. I have to see her she thought to herself after awhile.
"But I can't, she's a villian" she said to herself But if you don't, she will continue to be on your mind. her mind said back to her. They argued for another few minutes before Kim finally let up and headed for her closet.
Gearing up in her new mission clothes, she reached for her Kimmunicator, but hesitated and then picked it up. She connected to Wade
"Wade, I need a ride"
"Where Kim? No hits on the site"
"Call this a personal matter"
"Can I ask what or where?"
"No" Kim said bluntly
"Fine. I'll get a ride there as soon as I can"
"Thanks Wade"
As Kim walked down the stairs, she looked down at her Kimmunicator in her hand. Hesitating, she considered the ramifications and then threw it on her bed before she left.
xxxx xxxx
"I'm telling you, Shego, with my new Death ray. We can finally conquer Earth!" Drakken was rambling again
"Death Rays? Going retro, Dr. D?"
"No, I..."
"Look, your last little thing almost got me killed, so forgive me if I don't care" she said and got up, heading to her bedroom.
Shego was just about to walk out of the room when the alarm went off
"What is that?" Drakken asked
"Intruder alarm" Shego said "I'll take care of it. It's probably just a bird or something" she said and wandered off.
xxxx
Kim was trying to sneak in when she was kicked from behind
"You know. You might want to try and not trip the alarms next time" Shego said, checking her nails
"Look, I'm here to..."
"Yea, yea. I know. Foil Dr. D. Again. But he ain't got nothing right now"
"Actually, I came to see you" Kim said, Shego was dumbfounded
"You did what for who now?"
"I came to see you"
"Why?"
"Because I can't get you out of my head for some reason and I figured that if we could hang out for a bit, it might help me get back to normal" Shego's eyes were open wide. She was still trying to process Kim's statement.
"I, uh... I dunno?" she answered. She really had no idea what to say.
"So you want to just hang out?" She asked with on eyebrow up higher than the other. Kim shrugged
"Kimmie, I make a point of not hanging out with those who try to put me in prison"
"But I'm not here to put you in prison" Kim protested
"I figured"
"So?" Kim asked blatently. Shego sighed. Kim was determined and not about to give up. The way Shego say it, she had two choices, she could just "hang out" with Kim, or they could fight and Shego was still a little tired and not really in the mood for a hostile encounter with her foe.
"So what did you have in mind?" Shego asked. Kim blinked, she hadn't thought that far ahead.
"I uh... How about a movie?" That wasn't what she was thinking of saying, but it rolled off her tongue before she could react. Shego could tell that and it made her laugh.
"Oh, Kimmie. You really didn't think this through, did you?" Kim thought for a moment, then shook her head no "I thought so" Shego twisted her head to look around. She walked over to the table near the door and started to do something that Kim couldn't see. She turned around and then she got closer to Kim "No thanks. Now you might as well go home, I'm busy" She said and threw Kim out the front door of Drakken's lair, almost litterally. What Kim didn't notice was that Shego had slipped a note into her back pocket.
When she reached the water at the base of the cliff, she found the scuba suit that she had left there and as she was putting it on, she noticed the note in her pocket. She pulled it out. It had nothing on it but a set of coordinates. She cursed leaving her Kimmunicator at home, but she had wanted this little venture to be off the grid. Luckily she had only gotten a ride to the nearby coast and Wade had a SCUBA suit and a small boat for waiting for her, so she did have a way back to dry land.
A quick swim then a short boat ride later and she was back on land, but in Cuba. She pulled her cell phone that Wade had specially deisgned for her to have an untraceable signal, out of her small bag that she had left on the boat.
"Hello?" Wade answered
"Wade. I'm in Cuba, I need a pickup please"
"Cuba? What are you doing there?"
"Personal matter. Ride please" She could hear him typing away
"Alright, ride is on the way"
"Thanks"
"Uh, Kim?"
"Yes, Wade?"
"Are you going to tell me what any of this is about?"
"I can't"
"Why not?"
"Because you wouldn't believe it. Frankly, I'm having a hard time believing it myself.
"Okay Kim"
"Oh and please turn off any tracers you have on me" she said and ended the call.
xxxx xxxx
The coordinates turned out to lead to a park south of Miami, near the Florida keys. She arrived soon after she'd been picked up in Cuba.
She was dropped off just outside the park, but didn't think twice, she ran right in. She noticed a figure standing by the fountains and ran over.
As she got closer, she could make out Shego's figure and a relieved thought went through her head.
"Shego?" She asked as she got closer. Shego turned around
"Hey, Princess" Kim stopped,
"So why do you call me that anyway?" she asked. Shego looked puzzled
"I really don't know" she answered "Anyway, you wanted to hang out?"
"I figured that you didn't want to"
"I didn't want Drakken to see me leave with you"
"Why not?" Shego looked right at her
"Do you really want to know?" Kim thought and then shook her head. Shego was getting bored, thinking that maybe this was a mistake when she decided to have some fun "I think I have to go" she said
"Why? You just got here"
"Yea, but, uh, my cell is beeping" she looked up "LOOKOUT!" she said and pushed Kim into the fountain.
When Kim broke the surface, she looked over to where Shego had been, expecting her to be gone. But she was instead on the ground, laughing
"What was that for?" Shego sat up and tried to compose herself
"You are just such an easy target, Kimmie" Kim frowned and brushed her wet hair out of her face. She jumped out and tried to tackle Shego, but the green woman rolled out of the way and Kim smacked the ground. She sat up with an "OW"
"So why did you ask me out?" Shego asked after a moment. Kim stared at her
"I did not ask you out. I have a boyfriend you know"
"Princess..."
"Can you stop calling me that?"
"Whatever. Kimmie, you came to me. You asked me out. Whether you want to admit it or not. so why did you?"
"I honestly don't know"
"Okay then" Shego stood up "Look, this has been a blast. But I should get back" She was unsually polite
"What?"
"I've stuff to do" Shego lied. in reality, this was just getting a little too awkward for her tastes.
"Well, by my count, I still owe you one, so why don't I buy dinner?" Kim suggested. Shego stopped walking away. Kim smiled, she had stopped Shego from leaving and she was happy. What really confused her was that something was drawing her to the woman and she had no idea what it was or why.
Shego thought for a moment then turned back
"Alright, dinner it is" Shego said "Lead the way" Kim hesitated
"I dunno where to go" she admitted
"Fine, I'll choose" Shego said and started walking, Kim caught up quickly.
xxxx
"This place looks nice" Kim said, looking at a fancy-ish restuarant near the beach.
"Question is, can you afford it?" Shego asked
"I wouldn't suggest it if I couldn't" Kim said with a snarky grin.
Dinner was quiet. Neither woman had much to say and were thankful that no one recognized either one of them. Kim did ask a few questions about Shego's past, but Shego brushed them off with questions of her own, though most of them were in the area of "why did you ask me out?" Kim would've liked to answer, but she didn't have one that made any sense.
"So that was dinner. How about a movie?" Kim asked
"You just don't give up, do you? What is this, a ploy to get me to become good?"
"No. I just, I was hoping you'd give me a straight answer about why you saved my life that night"
"I've given you one"
"I know"
"But you don't believe me?"
"I never said that"
"Then?"
"I think there has to be more to it"
"Like what?" Shego asked, puzzled
"You tell me"
"Look, you provide the best challenge for me. No one I've fought is on my level like you are. You're the only one who can consistantly best me with pure skill and ability. Anyone else has always had some kind of unfair advantage. Heck, even I do" Shego said, lighting a finger "But you still give me a good fight" she finished. Kim gave her an odd look
"So you like having me around?"
"Isn't that what I just said?" Shego shot her a smirk. Kim snickered "What's so funny?"
"I never thought you were that kind of person"
"There is a lot you don't know about me, Princess"
"I have no doubt. Anyway, movie?"
"Sure"
xxxx
The theatre was mostly empty, but Kim didn't mind. She was having fun, which was surprising to her. Shaking off residual feels of awkwardness, she tried to focus on the film.
Shego left quickly after and Kim called for a ride home, hoping that she wouldn't see anyone she knew until after she got home, the next morning would be even better.
xxxx xxxx
When Kim was dropped off out front of her house, she noticed that her parents car was in the driveway. She panicked and then remembered that she had her mission clothes on, so she was less likely to get in trouble if she was caught. She looked at the small screen on her phone, it read 1:47AM. She was so late getting home.
"I am so busted" she groaned to herself quietly.
She jumped up onto the garage roof, towards her bedroom and slid into the window as quietly as she could.
Tiptoing to her closet, she slipped out of her mission clothes and into her sleepwear. As she was putting her mission clothes away, she noticed something sticking out of her pants pocket. She took it out and it was pretty clear that it was a communication device. She pressed the call button and Shego's voice answered
"Looks like you found my present"
"I hadn't even noticed you slip it to me"
"Light hands, Kimmie. Comes with being a thief"
"So what does this mean?" Kim asked
"Means I had fun"
"And?"
"And I'd be up for another dinner, if you're interested"
"Of course. When?" Kim was noticably pleased
"I'll let you know. I hope I can trust you"
"You can. I hope I can do the same"
"You can. Just don't expect me to go easy on you if Drakken goes on another take over the world rampage"
"I wouldn't want it any other way"
"Night then, Kimmie" Shego said and closed the channel
"Goodnight" Kim replied softly.
xxxx xxxx
Several weeks later...
"Hey, Kim?"
"Yea Ron?" she answered as they were walking home from school
"The concert is tonight. You gonna be ready?"
"Are you kidding? I've been waiting for this for the last two weeks. Of course I'l be ready. I'm gonna head home right now" she kissed his cheek and ran off. Ron smiled, blisfully unaware of what she was doing behind his back.
When Kim got home, she noticed that her parents were at work and her brothers at an after school activity. She was alone, or so she thought
"You took long enough" came a voice from behind as she entered her room
"SHEGO? What are you doing here?" Kim was shocked as Shego walked out from the shadowy corner of her room
"Hello to you too. I got tickets for the concert tonight and wanted to know if you'd like to go" she held out tickets so Kim could see
"Aww, sweet. But I'm going with Ron, he asked me a couple weeks ago" Kim placed her hand on her chin, and thought about the predicament she was in. Any wrong moves with Shego could mean that the green woman would reveal about them to everyone and that would ruin her rep and her relationships with many people.
"But I think Ron would understand" she reached for the phone.
"You got Ron" he answered his phone
"Hey, Ron?"
"Oh, hey KP. What's up?"
"About tonight"
"Okay. What about tonight"
"I, uh, mom is going to need some help at the hospital so, I can't go"
"Okay. I'm not so sure about that, but okay" silence "Well, if you aren't going, you mind if I take... You're sure?"
"Yea it was quiet urgent. Take who?"
"Monique?" Kim thought for a moment, or at least tried to make him think she was thinking about it
"I don't see any reason why not. She was looking forwards to seeing this, but never got tickets"
"You're the best KP"
"I'm really sorry, Ron. I'll make it up to you later. I promise"
"I'll hold you to that, KP" Kim laughed and hung up. She turned back to Shego
"Shall we say 7-ish?" The green woman suggested, Kim nodded. "Good. I'll see you then, Kimmie" She smiled and slipped out the window
xxxx xxxx
Hearing a car outside, Kim looked outside. She saw a dark haired woman sitting inside. With a smile, she ran downstairs.
Kim was wearing a long silver dress that she had picked up and Shego was wearing a long fully black dress, not the black and green pattern that was her common pick. Shego growled when she saw the redhead and that made Kim blush.
"Get in the car already" Shego said. Kim opened the door and sat down
"I'm surprised you'd be picking me up in such a convential way. I assumed you'd have a hover car or something" Kim said
"Kimmie, I'm not made of money and besides..." Shego's voice trailed off when she noticed Kim's face "You're messing with me, aren't you?" she asked with suspicion. Kim nodded. Shego sighed and pressed the gas pedal.
xxxx
"We're almost there. I hope you don't mind, but I'm gonna park a block or so away" Shego said
"I don't mind at all" Kim replied "Though we should be careful since Ron is gonna be here. He'll be up near the front though"
"I got seats near the back. I figured you might want to avoid being seen with me" Shego said, obviously fishing for a reaction
"I have nothing against being seen with you. I'm really starting to like you" Kim replied. Shego smiled.
xxxx
When it was over, Kim was just heading down the aisle, seperate from Shego when her cell phone rang
"Hello?" she answered it
"Kim, it's Ron"
"Oh, hey Ron. What's up"
"Well, I'm at the concert and I can see Shego. I'm thinking I should see what she's up to. What do you think?" Kim's eyes were as wide enough to see from space. The last words that entered her head. Oh and Snap.