By: Obbiejoe
Shego kicked off her shoes as she entered her room after returning from yet another ceremony celebrating the defeat of the Lowardians. Drakken had, as usual, acted as thought he had defeated them singlehandedly and she swore this was going to be the last time she ever accompanied him to one of these things.
Naturally Kimmie and Stoppable had been there but, again as usual, neither of them said much, at least until the inevitable press conference that followed the ceremony. She still felt uncomfortable keeping her silence about Stoppable's part in the whole thing but he had again given her that look, the look that almost pleaded with her to keep her promise and stay silent.
This time there had been a slight change during the press conference, this time Kimmie had actually made a statement instead of her usual 'No comment' and the reporters had clustered around her eager for the first real quote from Team Possible.
Shego was still a bit puzzled about that statement since it gave the majority of the credit to Dr. D and her. Not once did she even mention Ron as anything but, if she remembered it correctly, 'An important part of Team Possible, without whom the outcome could have been drastically different'. Not once had she mentioned his fight with the two aliens nor was there even a hint that it had been Stoppable himself that had been the deciding factor in the whole affair.
What really bothered her was that Kimmie spoke with such confidence that she seemed to be convinced that the garbage she was spouting was the absolute truth.
A soft knock at her door shook her from her thoughts and she unconsciously turned toward the door to answer the knock.
With her hand on the knob her instincts finally caught up to her and she peered through the small peep hole before simply opening the door. She hoped it wasn't Drew stopping by to regale her with another of his longwinded accounts of his part in the whole Lowardian thing yet again, she'd heard it way to many times already.
She took a step back in surprise when she saw who was standing on the other side of the door since it was the last person she expected. Bracing herself she slowly opened the door. Looking from side to side she noticed that her visitor was alone which she really hadn't expected. Stepping back she smiled. "I sure didn't expect to see you here Princess, what's up?"
Her red headed ex-nemesis was still wearing the dress she had worn to the ceremony and looked a bit sheepish as she looked up. "Hi Shego, I… ah, I was wondering if we could talk?"
Shego smiled wider and took a step to the side clearing the doorway. "Sure Princess, come on in."
Shego watched as Kim hesitantly entered the room and kept her eyes on her as she closed the door behind her. When Kim turned to face her she saw the same sheepish look on her face and decided to open the conversation herself. "I was just going to get a glass of wine, do you want one?"
That seemed to take Kim by surprise and she saw a hint of confusion before she got an answer. "You know, that actually sounds like a good idea."
Shego chuckled as she padded toward the kitchen. "Ya know, a couple of weeks ago I would have never figured to be splitting a bottle of wine with you cupcake but somehow this feels like it's been coming for a while if you know what I mean."
Kim remained silent as she followed Shego into the kitchen and took the offered chair without a word as Shego pulled a bottle from the refrigerator and expertly uncorked it before pouring two generous glasses and taking a seat across from her.
She took a sip watching Kim sit there wringing her hands as though this conversation was one she was a little reluctant to start. So Shego started it for her. "I imagine this is about that load of crap you told the press earlier Princess. If it is I can assure you I have no intention of breaking my promise, I'll keep my mouth shut."
Now she saw a reaction. Kim looked up at her quickly but the look on her face wasn't the one she had expected, instead of relief she saw confusion, real confusion. "Promise, what promise?"
Shego placed her glass slowly on the table as she looked into Kim's eyes. "The one I made to Stoppable of course. That is why you're here isn't it; to make sure I won't spill the beans?"
The confusion Shego saw deepened. "Spill the beans about what Shego? I have no idea what you're talking about?"
Kim's confusion sounded real, it actually sounded like she had no idea what she was talking about and only one reason for that came to mind. Looking around she leaned forward and lowered her voice to a whisper. "Is this room bugged Princess? Are there people listening to us?"
Kim's confusion deepened further and her voice was lowered when she replied. "Why should anyone want to bug your room Shego?" then she reached into a pocket on her dress that Shego hadn't even noticed and pulled out what looked like an oversized turquoise cell phone. After sweeping it around them and looking at the screen Kim's voice was normal when she looked back at Shego. "Well, there's no listening devices anywhere I can detect them Shego. Why would you even think someone would bug your room?"
Shego smirked. "Oh come on Princess, you know very well what I'm talking about, did Stoppable put you up to this?"
Kim settled in her seat and Shego noticed a sudden change in her posture. "R-Ron doesn't even know I'm here Shego, and why should he put me up to anything anyway?"
Shego began getting a little angry, spouting crap to the press was one thing but in here, if she was right about the listening devices, it was just the two of them. Deciding to take a chance she looked back at Kim. "Bull shit Kimmie. I was there remember? I saw everything, I saw the blue glow, I heard the screeching. Hell, I saw him pick those two up and toss them almost a fucking mile directly at their ship. Your little fabrication to the press is safe Princess, I promised him I wouldn't say anything and I won't, I may be a thief but I always keep my promises."
Shego watched as Kim's confusion changed into shock. "So there was more to it than what everyone's been saying, I thought there might be." Then Kim leaned forward slightly. "And from what I'm hearing Ron knows what happened too and the two of you were told to keep it quiet."
Shego sat back. The redhead sitting across from her made it sound like she had no idea what had really happened. "Knows what happened! Knows what fucking happened? He is what happened Kimmie, you were there, you saw him float back down for crying out loud." Then she narrowed her eyes. "Exactly what are you trying to do Princess, convince me I was seeing things, convince me I'm going stark raving bonkers or something?"
Kim stared at her for a moment then looked down to her glass. Lifting the glass she drained it in one gulp before looking back at Shego. "Look Shego, I honestly don't know what happened. I was still groggy when I woke up. Yea, I saw Ron standing there to help me up but I have no idea what you're talking about when you say screeching and blue glow. As for tossing those two a mile into the air I'm pretty sure that would be impossible."
Shego sat there in shock. The Princess really didn't know what happened and stranger yet, the buffoon apparently didn't tell her. Now it was Shego's turn as she drained what remained in her glass and refilled both of them before looking back at Kim. "Then why are you here Princess, why did you feel we had to talk?"
Kim was fiddling with her glass, spinning it around on the table and lowered her eyes. "I, ah, I wanted to thank you Shego." Then she looked up. "I wanted to thank you for saving my life."
Shego looked at her for a full three seconds before she began to laugh. Through the laughter she replied. "Saved your life? Shit, if Stoppable hadn't stepped up like that I would have been mounted on that trophy wall right next to you Princess. I'm the one that should be saying thank you, me and the rest of the world."
Kim wondered about the whole mounted on the wall thing but there was something else that was more important. "Are you telling me Ron had something to do with what happened, that he was actually the one that…that… k-killed them?"
Shego saw Kim shaken for the first time since she had known her and thought she knew exactly what it was that had her so troubled, her little boy toy had taken a life. Instinctively she reached across the table and took one of Kim's hands in her own. "Look Pri… Kim, if there had been any other way to stop them I know Ron wouldn't have done what he did. But they were monsters Kim, they were going to rip your spine out right in front of him for Gods sake. There was nothing else he could do, they had to be stopped and stopped permanently."
Shego saw moisture beginning to form in Kim's eyes and found she surprisingly wanted to lessen the blow to her senses. "He did it for you Princess, sure he saved the rest of the world at the same time but I could tell he was only thinking about you." After a moment she continued. "I think that was the only way Kim, the only way they could be stopped for good. If I had been able I would have done the same thing."
Kim sat up suddenly but her next words were nothing that Shego had expected. "That's why he did it, that's why he's leaving."
Shego was taken by surprise at that last outburst. "Whoa Cupcake, that's why who did what and exactly who's leaving?"
The look on Kim's face told Shego that it should have been obvious, that she should already know exactly what she was talking about. "Ron of course, that's who."
When there was nothing more forthcoming Shego was forced to ask. "Hold on there Kimmie, what exactly did Stoppable do and where in hell is he going."
Again Shego got that 'aren't you listening' look. "He broke up with me, and then he tells me he's leaving for God knows where so he can 'better himself' like that really means anything. But now I know what's really going on, now I know exactly what he's planning and why."
Shego was stunned that Ron would actually break things off with Kimmie, especially after what he had done to save her. "You're going to have to back up a bit Kimmie, why in hell would Stoppable break up with you, you guys were almost designed for each other."
Kim stared directly into her eyes. "Don't you see, he was forced to do something totally against his nature, he was forced to take a life. Now he feels like he's let me down, like he ignored everything we ever stood for. I'm not sure where he's going but now I know why, now his 'better myself' statement makes a little sense."
Shego had listened but she was having a hard time understanding what had happened. "Okay, I can see him wanting to get away for a while to get his head straight but breaking up with you? That doesn't make any sense at all."
Kim looked exasperated that Shego just didn't get it. "It's really simple Shego, Ron now feels like he really doesn't deserve me. He hasn't since we started dating but I've been able to convince him that he was wrong, at least until now. Now that he thinks he's broken one of the tenets that we live by he feels he's lost any right he's ever had to be happy, that he doesn't even…"
Shego saw Kim's eyes go wide as if just realizing something, something that shook her to the core. Then Kim stood suddenly as she looked at Shego's questioning face. "My God Shego, Ron may even feel he doesn't deserve to live, he may even be… Oh My God… he might be going off to… to…"
As quickly as Kim had stood Shego was even faster. As she rounded the table she reached out and took hold of Kim's hand and began pulling her toward the door. "Come on Kimmie, we've got to get to him before he has time to get away, where was he the last time you saw him?"
Being pulled bodily across the room Kim saw Shego throw open her door and without even bothering to put on her shoes or close the door she bean pulling her down the hallway. Kim struggled to answer as she stumbled after Shego's rushed movements. "The last time I saw him he was headed for his room to pack. He said he was planning on leaving right away, he wasn't even planning on going back to Middleton."
Shego quickly and correctly altered her course and Kim briefly wondered how Shego even knew where Ron's room was but her next question took precedence over any supposed worries. "How long ago was that Kimmie, when exactly did you last see him?"
Still stumbling slightly on her high heels Kim resisted Shego's pull as she hopped on one foot at a time quickly discarded her heels and leaving them where they had fallen in the hallway. "Just before I came to see you Shego, maybe ten minutes ago."
Shego's speed increased now that Kim was no longer stumbling to keep up. "Then we still have a chance cupcake, but we have to hurry."
Since the rooms she and Ron were in were one flight down Shego made instantly for the stairs probably unwilling to wait for an elevator. As she burst through the door and spun down the hallway where both her and Ron's rooms were she stopped suddenly causing Kim to stumble slightly.
Not ten feet away, standing at the elevator doors was Ron. He was dressed casually and a rather large duffle was sitting at his feet. So far he apparently hadn't noticed them and Shego, after leaning over slightly, whispered in a low voice. "Let me do this Kimmie."
Kim looked up and saw Shego staring down at her with an expression she had never seen on Shego's face before and couldn't quite place. Kim nodded and she actually saw Shego smile before she turned back and looked at Ron.
After taking one step she called out. "Hey Stoppable, you got a minute?"
Ron heard the voice call out and turned to look in the direction it had come from. What he saw was... well, rather strange. Kim and Shego were walking toward him down the hall, they were both still wearing the gowns they had worn to the ceremony except for one thing, they were both barefoot.
Ron felt his heart quicken slightly. The one person he really didn't want to see right now was Kim. He had already given her the rehearsed speech and thought he would be on his way before she tried to confront him again. Now she was walking toward him and two conflicting thoughts buzzed through his head. One was 'why hadn't he left sooner' and the other was 'how on earth could he ever leave a woman as beautiful as the redhead walking toward him'.
He was so startled at the appearance of the two beautiful but barefoot women walking toward him he hadn't heard the quiet 'ding' nor had he realized the elevator doors were standing open, not until he caught the movement of them closing again in his peripheral vision.
He cursed his luck, he had just lost his one, and probably only, chance to leave before he was faced with something he had been trying to avoid at all costs, seeing Kim again. He knew that if she said anything, anything at all in an attempt to stop him his resolve would melt like butter on hot tar. Earlier he had been lucky enough to catch her unaware and had slipped away before she could make one clear plea for him to stay, he knew his luck had just run out.
Shego was almost close enough to touch when she spoke again. "Kimmie here tells me you're planning a trip or something. She also told me something that… well, honestly, I'm having a hard time believing it but she told me you broke up with her, is that true?"
Ron was looking at Shego when his attention was drawn away from her by Kim's voice. "Shego told me Ron, she told me everything, and before you go anywhere I think we need to have a long talk, a very long talk."
Ron's face reflected the shock he felt and his eyes looked at Shego. "I thought you promised that…"
Ron was cut off by Kim again. "It wasn't her fault Ron, she thought, and rightfully so, that I already knew. Actually, she had a hard time believing you didn't tell me… almost as hard a time as I had believing it."
When Kim started talking Shego began to worry that she might say something stupid and set Ron off, then she didn't know what she would do. But when she heard the calm voice and saw the reaction Ron was having she smiled and stopped where she was before simply leaning back against the wall to watch.
She could tell Ron was wavering, the calm way Kimmie had informed him she knew about everything had seemed to throw him for a loop and she heard the uncertainty in his voice. "But KP, you don't know everything, you don't know what… what I did."
Shego almost chuckled when Kimmie actually told a lie, it was a small one but still something she hadn't expected. "I know everything Ron, Shego and I had a long talk and she told me everything…" then Shego saw Kim take one more step forward before she added. "…everything."