Disclaimer: This story is set in a universe of my own; however, Kim Possible, Shego and related characters are copyright Disney, Inc. In other words, not mine. Xavier, Endless City, Gates and related characters, organizations, and locations are copyright me.

O()0o-o0()O

Chapter 3:Therapy

Kim was in a familiar green hallway. Once again, there was a black door at the far end. Kim started walking towards it. The door seemed to get closer for a bit, but soon the floor grabbed at her feet again and threw her down face first. She couldn't see anything.

Once again, she heard a familiar voice speak. "I'm only as dead as you are, Pumpkin."

O()0o-o0()O

Kim woke up on her weak mattress in her home. As she went through the motions of waking up, getting dressed, getting coffee, and exercising, she noticed she did not have anything on the walls of her house, or for that matter, she didn't have furniture other than what the house had already.

She sat down on her couch, thinking about what she should do regarding the distinct lack of decoration. She considered that she could make something to put on the walls, but she wasn't that handy with crafts. Suddenly, she got an idea. Jayden had decoration all over her house, and collected books. She would know where to look for things.

Kim looked at the time. She had set her Kimmunicator on the table so that it acted as a clock. It was about noon. She yawned, got up, and walked out the door.

O()0o-o0()O

Unlike last time, the dome that covered the set of houses she lived in seemed full. Bill was sitting on a bench at the far end of the dome, reading a book. She saw Jayden and Moira talking outside Jayden's house. As Kim began to walk towards the two, she heard vague insane muttering from inside one of the houses. She guessed that was Dan's house. Kim shuddered at thought of what his home might be like.

As Kim came up to Jayden and Moira, Jayden angled her head towards her. She was talking to Moira. "See, I think that you could fairly easily get something for her that fits, It isn't like she's difficult to size!"

Moira crossed her arms, her blond hair seeming to try to as well. "It will cost you something, this is one hell of a favor."

Jayden smiled. Things were getting to business. "How about a copy of Moby Dick? Will that do?"

Moira smirked. "Nice try. What else can you offer me? I'm putting the estimate around 2 novels with a comic on the side."

Jayden nodded. "How about The Lewis Carrol Complete Works with an issue of The Question?"

Moira smiled, and uncrossed her arms. "Deal. I'll be ready for her tomorrow. See you later." She left.

Jayden turned to Kim. "I'm getting you some clothes. You'll want to have something a touch more durable than those. Or at least, You'll want to be able to wear more than just that one outfit."

Kim smiled. "Thanks, I appreciate that. um...." Kim trailed off for a second.

Jayden looked at her. "Just say what you want, I'm trying to help you up, here. What do you want?"

Kim looked surprised for a second, and regained her composure. "How did you get paint and things for your house?"

Jayden paused for a second. "You mean the decorations and such?"

"Yeah." Kim nodded.

"Well..." Jayden leaned against the side of her door again. "It's along the lines of this. Sanctuary works on a system of bartering. To get something, you need to have something. What I do, is I scavenge out books in wreckage, old buildings, and the like. Some people really like having things like that, and some of them have paint, and decorations, and things like that. Do you follow what I'm saying?"

Kim slowly nodded her head. "I... think so. So what I would need to do to get paint and things is..." She trailed off again.

Jayden smiled. "You would need to be able to get something to trade for it, or find it yourself." She paused. "What did you say you did before you ended up on Gates?"

Kim gave a blank look. "I was a hero. I stopped villains from taking over the world."

Jayden thought on this for a second, and rephrased her question. "I meant, what kind of a hero were you? I doubt you jumped in guns a blazing, but how did you stop them?"

Kim was about to respond, and a sad look came over her face. She gulped to keep herself from crying. "Sorry. It's an uncomfortable subject, I'm trying to forget to an extent. I fought melee style, mostly. I had a lot of agility from cheerleading, back then. I still do, It's been less than a week."

Jayden had a sudden look of comprehension. "Didn't mean to bring that up like that. My bad. You said you were a cheerleader? Hmm..." She paused, deep in thought. "I recommend you get into the kind of work I do. How about tomorrow we both go to zone one, and get you registered as a scavenger. You could specialize in a type like I do, or just generalize, and get a bit of everything. Sound like a good idea to you?"

Kim nodded. "Sure. Seems like a great idea."

Jayden smiled. "Then it's settled. Set your clock for ten-thirty, I'll be up by then. It takes a bit to walk to zone one from here." She grabbed Kim by the shoulders, and turned her towards the door of the dome. "In the meantime, I'll buy drinks for you to make up for my insensitivity."

"Wow." Kim thought, as she was practically pushed out of the dome. "She really does come up with an excuse every time. I wonder why?"

O()0o-o0()O

Xavier's Bar wasn't as full as last time. There were a few people playing cards by the window, but not many other people. Xavier was cleaning a glass as Kim and Jayden walked to the counter, and sat down.

"Today's excuse is..." Xavier looked at Jayden expectantly.

Jayden straightened her back. "Apologies to Kim."

Xavier raised an eyebrow. "For what?"

Jayden slumped a little, and mumbled a bit. "For being a heartless prick and hurting Kim's feelings."

"Ouch." Xavier said. "Let me guess. You brought up family, and/or her previous life?"

"Yup." Jayden and Kim said simultaneously.

"I take it, Kim," Xavier said, "That you also wish to talk about said past to help get it off your chest?".

"Yeah." Kim said.

Xavier pulled out two glasses and filled them with the girl's respective drinks. As he handed them the drinks, he spoke to Kim. "Kim. I realize this will make me seem like a heartless prick, and I am to a great extent," He smiled a bit at that comment, "but why don't we start with what your family was like?"

Jayden glared at Xavier. Kim spoke up. "Well, I was born to a family of geniuses. My Father's side of the family are all physicists of some sort; my dad was a Rocket scientist. My Mother was a brain surgeon, and her side of the family all dealt with medical fields. The twins... well..." Kim's face was hidden in her glass, but was obviously getting to her.

"What about the twins, Kim?" Xavier asked softly.

Kim was starting to softly cry. "The twins... were a monumental pain in my ass; but... they..." She sobbed lightly, "they died in a car accident with my cousin. The car hit a pothole, it flipped the car over, and..." she trailed off, sobbing quietly.

"They died on impact, didn't they." Jayden said. Jayden began to look into her glass.

"Yeah." Kim said. She wiped her eyes. "There's definitely no way they're coming back now."

"I dunno about that, actually." Xavier said. "I know a bit about inter-universal travel. There is a universe where they didn't die, and the crash never happened, and everything else before that was the exact same."

"How would that work?" Kim asked.

"Okay. Multiversal theory one-oh-one" Xavier said. He paused. "Gimme a sec. I'll get the black board from the back." He pulled out a large blackboard from the storage room. He started to draw diagrams on the board. "Okay then. Here goes. You know how things keep dividing into groups? An example. Organisms are made from organs, which are made from tissues, which are made from molecules, and so on. Do you follow what I'm saying so far?"

Kim nodded. Jayden did as well.

"Alright then." Xavier took a breath. He picked up the chalk again, and returned to drawing diagrams. "So, this works in the opposite direction. Smaller things form groups which make bigger things which form groups. Planets form solar systems form galaxies form universes." He paused. "It keeps going, naturally. "Universes form universe clusters form multiverses. Do you follow what I'm saying?"

Again, Kim and Jayden nodded.

"In this multiverse at least, Universes cluster by similarity. In other words, the universe practically next door might just be that the wall is a slightly lighter shade. A universe on the other side of the cluster may have similar people in it, but their pasts, and what they do are incredibly different. You understand this?"

"Yeah." Kim said, "So you're saying that the theoretical universe where my brothers didn't die would be relatively close."

"Correct." Xavier affirmed. "That universe would be closer to the cluster center."

"Meaning the universe I was from wasn't even close to the center." Kim said.

Xavier smiled. "Precisely. Well girls, It's midnight. Go home."

The two girls, now deep in thought about the implications of what Xavier said, left without having said goodbye.

O()0o-o0()O

Kim flopped onto her bed, curled up, and fell asleep quickly. Her sleep was poor however, as nightmares continued to plague her sleep as they had since her brothers died.

O()0o-o0()O

Once again, Kim found herself in a green hallway. The black door at the far end was slightly open. She began to walk towards the door, unflinching. As she touched the doorknob, it swung open, knocking her back onto the carpet, which quickly ensnared her like before.

Once again, she heard that far too familiar voice. "I'm coming, Princess. Soon."

O()0o-o0()O

Kim woke up staring at the ceiling. She hid it well, but the lack of sleep was starting to take its toll on her. She was starting to see the twins whenever she closed her eyes- No. She shouldn't think like that.

She got up, and made herself coffee. She was starting to adapt to the lifestyle of Sanctuary. It was already nine-thirty. She pulled on her mission clothes. She noticed they were rather dirty at the moment. "It's not like I have a choice," she thought. "Then again, I suppose I'm getting new clothes today. Come to think of it, I'm getting a job today as well. This should be an interesting day."

At ten-thirty, someone knocked at the door frame. "Come in!" Kim said.

Jayden walked in. "Hi Kim. You ready to go to Zone One? You've got a job to sign up for."

"That I do." Kim walked out the door.

Jayden followed her outside. Kim turned to her. "So, where are we going first?"

Jayden paused for a second. "I think we'll head to Moira's place first. It's close by, and since you'll want to change almost as soon as you get them, we'll do it now." she said as she caught up with Kim.

Kim looked down at her shirt. "Definitely."

O()0o-o0()O

Moira's store, as it turned out, was only two stores on from the bar. Kim and Jayden walked in. Moira waved to them. "Hey Jayden, Hey Kim. The bags are on the counter over there."

Jayden grabbed the bags of clothing. "Thanks. Here's the payment." Jayden dropped a bag with books in it on the counter.

Moira looked inside. "Everything's in order. See you tonight."

O()0o-o0()O

Kim quickly changed into a new set of clothes. They were basically her mission clothes, only her baggy pants were black, and her shirt was olive green.

Jayden looked over at Kim when she came out from her bedroom. "You look nice, Kim. Let's go."

As the two teenagers began to walk to Zone One, Kim turned to Jayden. "Why did you pay Moira in books?"

"Do you mean why pay her in books in particular?"

Kim nodded. "Yeah. Why would she want those books?"

Jayden smiled. "I scavenge for books. So those are what I use to pay with.

They went through a tunnel. Stenciled above the opening was 'Zone One'.

"But what I don't get," Kim said, "is what I'm going to be paid in.".

"That's easy. You get paid in what you bring in. It's organized bartering. The whole economy is essentially a black market." Jayden smirked.

They came to a concrete building in the center of Zone One. The words 'Town Council' were spray painted over the front door. There were pillars on either side of the door, probably to make the building seem more 'official'. They walked in, and were greeted by thirty-year old man sitting at a desk near the door. "May I help you, girls?"

Jayden turned to him. "Yes, actually. I'd like to help my friend register herself as a scavenger."

The man straightened out a stack of papers on his desk. "Very well. Follow me." He got up, and walked through the door, and into the hallway. Jayden followed him, and Kim followed Jayden. The Hallway was painted red, and the hallway itself seemed to glow. It was altogether strange.

The man stopped in front of a door labeled Scavenging Office. "This way please. Talk to the woman at the front desk." The man's somewhat pale hand opened the door. "I will not follow, and must get back to my work." He made a short bow, and left.

Kim walked in first, and turned to Jayden as she shut the door. "He was creepy."

Jayden looked at Kim. "He's a vampire. You know, bloodsucker?"

Kim stopped for a second. "Explains a lot, actually."

Jayden walked up to the desk, where a woman dressed in a red business suit was doing calculations on a piece of paper. "Excuse me, miss?"

The woman at the desk looked up. "Ah! I take it you fine ladies want something."

Kim nodded. "Yes, we do. I want to be registered as a scavenger."

The woman smiled, then looked at a sheet taped to her desk. "Let's see... go to room five. It's down the hall, first left. I'll send a quick alert to the one who will get your application set up."

Kim thanked the woman, and left with Jayden to room five. Jayden silently opened the door, and let Kim walk in. There was a balding man sitting at the desk. His hair had been combed back in such a way that his baldness was clear, and he simply had a ponytail. On reflection, it was an odd haircut. The man straightened as she walked in. "Please sit down. I am Lawrence Teller." He offered his hand, and Kim shook it.

"Thank you, Mr. Teller." Kim said.

The man chuckled. "Call me Lawrence. I'm told you wish to become a scavenger?"

O()0o-o0()O

Jayden caught up with Kim as she walked out the doors to the Council building. "So, Kim. How'd it go? Are you specializing in something?"

Kim smiled at her friend. "It was excellent. I'm going to be scavenging for art."

Jayden looked at her quizzically. "Why? Isn't that just about the most dangerous thing to specialize in?"

Kim grinned. "Yes. Maybe you forgot, but I used to defeat super villains around three times a week." Her grin grew wider as Jayden remembered that particular fact about her past. "Also, because it's high risk, few are willing to specialize in it. High risk is high reward."

Jayden shrugged. "I guess. I just..." She looked outright depressed.

Kim clasped Jayden's shoulders. "You know what Jayden? Why don't I give the excuse to Xavier this time. It looks like you need therapy too."

Jayden looked at Kim with a hopeful look in her eyes. "You'd do that for me?"

Kim nodded. "I'd do that for any of my friends. That includes you." She began walking with Jayden again. "Now. Tell me how your sentence was going to finish."

Jayden looked at Kim. Very quietly, she said, "Could you ask me that when we're there?"

Kim noticed the sad look in Jayden's eyes. "All right. I'll wait for you to tell me when we get there."

O()0o-o0()O

Xavier's bar was, once again, almost completely empty. There were a few people playing cards on a table near the bathroom, but no one else. One of the men, wearing a very wide brimmed blood red hat and a matching coat, smiled at the other men before showing his hand. "I win."

One of the men, who was around twenty, put his hand down, showing the cards. He took in the astonished looks of the other two players, and waited. The third person was the first to regain his ability to speak. She stood up and shouted. "NOOOOOOOO! ED LOST!" She lost her balance after bending over the chair, and her red hair fell into her face.

Outside, Kim and Jayden were about to walk in when they heard the cry. They turned to each other and shrugged, before opening the door and looking in. Kim waved to Xavier. "For once it isn't Jayden's excuse this time."

Xavier raised an eyebrow. "Really?"

Kim smirked. "Really. The excuse is mine. She obviously needs therapy as much as I do."

Xavier smiled. "She keeps refusing it. Maybe you can keep her coming to get advice."

Kim nodded. "I hope so."

Xavier poured the two girls their drinks. "I'm afraid I'm going to have to request the customers in the corner to calm down. I'll be back in a bit." He walked off.

Kim turned to Jayden. "Hey, Jayden? How about you tell me what it was you were going to say."

Jayden looked up at Kim, and groaned. "I was... I was going to say that.."

"That..." Kim prompted.

Jayden sighed. "I was going to say that I just don't want someone whom I consider a sister to be hurt."

Kim looked startled for a moment, and then gave a smile anyone would recognize and genuine. "You think of me as your sister?"

Jayden slowly nodded. "Yes."

Kim hugged the person who had helped her these past few days. "Thank you."

There was a cough from behind the counter. "Sorry to interrupt, girls, but I'm back. I hope I wasn't ruining a romantic moment." Xavier was smirking.

Kim blushed slightly. "My fault there."

Jayden nodded, her blush only slightly deeper than Kim's. "I wasn't expecting it...although it was kinda nice." she added as an afterthought.

Kim tried to look anywhere other than Xavier. She noticed the radio that was usually playing music was melted. On closer examination, it looked like it was clawed apart, but with something with fiery hands. It almost looked like Shego's work. Shego was dead though. She wasn't coming back.

"How'd the radio get busted like that?" Kim asked.

Xavier glanced at it, and chuckled. "One of my customers... disliked the song that was playing at the time enough to destroy the radio."

Kim glanced at the wreckage of the machine. A piece fell off. "What song was it?"

Xavier laughed. "Sorry. It was an old twenties song from my home universe. 'I don't want to set the world on fire'. Don't worry about it. I'll have it replaced by your next guard duty."

"How are you going to get it replaced?" Kim asked.

Xavier smiled. "Easy. I'm one of the few people in sanctuary who get vacations. I'll get one then, they're cheap."

Kim took in the implications of the comment. "Wait.... The only vacation here is one off the planet; and the only way off of Gates is by universal travel because of the war, right?"

Xavier nodded, and his smile grew slightly. "Correct."

Kim continued. "Then you are capable of inter-universal travel. Why don't you bring people with you?"

Xavier raised an eyebrow. "Think about it, Kim. As I said, I am one of the few. Only the greeters have the capability to leave. What would happen if they tried to bring others with them?"

Kim thought for a second. "Well, the greeters could only bring a few at a time, and no matter what, they couldn't all get out at once."

Xavier nodded, his face somewhat grim. "Exactly. Sanctuary would fall, and the Enclave gets away with what they have done. Before you ask, I was forced into an oath by a god not to interfere with the war except what I could do while in the city. It will be over two hundred years more before the Endless City collapses."

Kim nodded. "I think I have to go now." She picked Jayden up by the shoulder, and poured her drink on her face. Jayden woke up. "Time to leave, Jayden."

Xavier smiled as the two girls left. "See you tomorrow!" he called out.

O()0o-o0()O

This chapter is a might longer than my usual, but it works. A small hint of the reason for Jayden's depression has been revealed, and insight into Kim's background. I never said she was the canon Kim Possible. *grin*

Signing off,

XK