A/N: So, this chapter had to come out before Christmas and I made my deadline. Yay! Anyway, I hope everyone has a wonderful holiday season.
Chapter 5 – Christmas Wrapping
Kim and Shego waved goodbye to Shego's brothers and mother as their plane took off from the landing strip at the Goshen family estate. It had been a quick five days, and neither one of them could quite believe that it was gone and they were already on their way back to Middleton. Most of the time had been spent at the hospital visiting Shego's dad; he had been much more appreciative of visitors after the anesthesia had completely worn off, and so they took turns hanging out in his hospital room keeping him company. When it wasn't Kim and Shego's turn, they would find other things in and around Chicago to keep them busy.
The first thing they did on Wednesday was to go shopping; Kim hadn't been expecting to stay more than a couple of days, so her overnight bag had held little but a pair of pajamas, a change of underwear and some toiletries. They ended up at one of the most expensive boutiques in Chicago, and Kim nearly had a myocardial infarction at the prices. College wasn't going to cost that much. Shego had merely chuckled and started picking stuff out. By the time they were done, Kim had four very nice winter outfits, Shego had managed to pick up a couple herself, and the salesperson had a very nice commission.
The rest of their time in Chicago was not nearly as defined. They would catch snippets of time away from the hospital here and there, and Shego would use them to show Kim places and things that meant a lot to her. They did a little visiting as well; stopping by their office building to say hi to Bob and Mary, stopping by the Field Museum to admire a still-empty display case in the ancient culture gallery and say hi to Sue, and stopping by to visit Nana Sheila at the family mausoleum were all a part of the proceedings.
"Why weren't they buried together?" Kim had asked as they looked at Sheila's crypt.
"I've never gotten the complete story, and I was a little young to pick up on the politics, but I think it boiled down to your family not wanting to give up Nana Mim and my family not wanting to give up Nana Sheila," Shego said. "And there were some members of both families who were not okay with their relationship and didn't want to promote it by burying them together."
"Yeah, like it mattered," Kim said derisively; the stupidity of people always annoyed her. "Like people are really going to come into a crypt, see two women buried together and turn gay. Most people wouldn't even know they were a couple."
"Well, their ghosts turned you gay," Shego teased, and Kim would have smacked her if she had thought she was serious.
"If anyone should be fingered for making me realize I was gay, it should be you," Kim retorted, noticing that Shego's eyebrow shot straight up when she said it. The eyebrow pop was followed by a smirk and, amazingly, a blush, and Kim was puzzled. She hadn't realized she had said something risqué. "What?" she demanded.
"Nothing, Princess," Shego lied, trying to hold back a cascade of immature giggles. Kim scowled at her, honestly clueless as to what was so funny, which of course made it more embarrassing. "Let's go, Pumpkin," Shego said hurriedly, needing to get out of there before she lost it and got herself in real trouble. "We know Nana Sheila isn't really here anyway." Kim scowled some more, but Shego wasn't budging, and so the matter was dropped, but that didn't stop Kim from mulling it over when her mind had nothing better to do. It took her awhile, but she finally figured it out and smacked Shego for it. Shego didn't even need to ask; she knew Kim well enough to know she wouldn't let it go, and she was expecting some retribution when Kimmie finally figured it out. Shego just wished it hadn't been in front of her entire family as they were trying to eat Thanksgiving dinner in her dad's hospital room.
"Thanks, Princess," she muttered as her father and mother got another good smirk and chuckle combination in at her expense.
Archie knew that they were pushing the envelope by teasing Shego as much as they had been, so he decided to change the subject. "So how is the dinner?" he asked.
"Eh, considering it came from a hospital cafeteria, it could be worse," Lottie admitted. "How's the clear liquid diet?"
"I am thankful for the fact that they got it all and that colorectal cancer is one of the easiest cancers to treat," Archie answered, keeping in the spirit of the day. "I am not, however, grateful that my cranky insides have dictated that I have to be drinking clear chicken broth and slurping jello when I should be at home eating turkey with my family," he pouted.
"Well, your entire family is here because of your cranky insides," Lottie reminded him.
"True," Archie acquiesced, "but they had help."
"Eat your jello and stop complaining, Archie," Lottie admonished him tenderly. He stuck out his tongue but grabbed his jello.
The rest of time was spent in a similar sort of atmosphere; various combinations of five Goshens and one Possible would be in the hospital room and they would talk, tease and joke with one another until someone, usually Shego, would get bored and she and Kim would leave for one of their adventures. It made the time pass quickly and Saturday night came far too quickly for any of their likings. It was especially quick for Shego, who realized that night that she had a problem: she had flown out in Kimmie's Christmas present, and if she didn't want to let the cat out of Santa's bag, she was going to have to find them alternate transportation home. She had an idea and waited to get her mother alone.
"Um, Mom?" she asked that night after everyone had gone to bed. "Do you and Dad still have your plane?" she asked.
"What happened to the one you flew in with?" Lottie asked, curious.
"Um, it is Kimmie's Christmas gift and I would rather she wouldn't see it until Christmas," Shego answered.
"Oh, I see," Lottie said, a smile forming. "Sure, our plane is still in the hangar, but I don't see how it is going to help. You would have our plane in Middleton, and we would need it back before long. Unless…" she began, and Shego didn't like the mischief that was sparkling in her mother's eyes.
"Unless what?" she asked suspiciously.
"Unless you bring it back for Christmas," her mother finished. "We might be able to spare it until then."
"Ah, the catch," Shego said, knowing there had to be one. "Look, Mom, I do have to admit the last few days have not been as painful as they could have been," Shego admitted. "But that doesn't mean I want to repeat them in less than a month. I think if I had to spend much more time with them, I would kill my idiot brothers."
"You never did have the patience for them," Lottie mused. "But you seem to do okay with them when your lady friend is around, though. And she doesn't seem to have a problem with them."
"Her best friend is a lovable idiot; she is used to the type," Shego replied.
"Then bring her with you," Lottie proposed. "You won't get any complaints from us."
"She has already spent one holiday away from her family; I doubt she would want to do it again," Shego protested.
"Well, if you need her here, you had better ask, Mimi, because no you at Christmas, no plane," her mother said sweetly. "I suppose Kim can have her Christmas present a month early."
"When did you become so mercenary?" Shego asked, impressed.
"You did have to get it from somewhere, you know," her mother answered. "So, deal?"
"Deal," Shego sighed, not wanting to forfeit months of subterfuge because Kim had been unexpectedly thoughtful and put the screws to her hide-the-plane plan. "I'll be here as soon as finals are over."
"See, was that so hard?" Lottie asked.
"I could be lying," Shego pointed out shrewdly. The next morning Shego and Kim flew back to Middleton in Lottie and Archie's plane and Shego was grateful that Kim didn't seem to curious as to why.
It was the week before finals for Shego when they got back, and as a result, Kim didn't see much of Shego as Shego finished up the last of her schoolwork and did the studying that she needed to do. It was all right, though. Shego had told Kim that Lottie wanted them both back for Christmas, so Kim knew that she was going to be able to spend ample time with Shego over the holiday break. In deference to her own family, though, she wasn't going to be leaving to join Shego until the Friday of the 26th so she could be with her own family on Christmas day. So, with her girlfriend so busy she couldn't see straight, Kim was left to pursue other activities, like avoiding her girlfriend's former girlfriend and watching her best friend develop his first post-her crush.
Monique had heard a few things on the wind about Ron and Lindsay going to Bueno Nacho together, and she passed them on to Kim as soon as she saw her on Monday. So, when Ron and Lindsay joined her in history, she asked them casually about how detention had gone after she had gone to Chicago, only to have Lindsay gush about how fabulous the Naco was and how she had not had one in her old hometown. Kim then "accidentally" let it slip that Ron had invented it, causing Lindsay to shriek and Ron to blush. Kim chuckled and kept an amused and interested eye on them for the next couple of weeks, completely unsurprised when the afternoon excursions to Bueno Nacho continued even when rodent-induced detention did not. She would join them from time to time when either Ron and/or Lindsay would invite her, and she was reassured to see that Lindsay was as nice, mischievous and smart as she had appeared to be on that first day. Kim grew to like her more and more after getting to spend time with her, and Ron obviously did too, which made Kim like her even more.
Meanwhile, as all of this was going on, two weeks passed and Shego finished up her finals. She put off the inevitable for as long as she could, but finally, knowing she had no other recourse, she packed her stuff and got ready to leave, wondering all the while why she had agreed to come right after finals and not for just the day itself. The doorbell dinged and donged and Shego sighed, knowing it was her ride to the hangar.
"Hey Princess," she said as she opened the door.
"Hey Shego," Kim replied happily. "Ready to go?"
"Not really," Shego admitted. "But Mom and Daddy need their plane back, so I guess I have to."
"If you didn't want to go back, why did you borrow their plane?" Kim asked reasonably. "We could have taken a commercial flight."
"Ugh. I hate commercial flights," Shego said, her distaste obvious.
"Then how did you get out to Chicago in the first place?" Kim asked, having figured that should have been the only way Shego could have gotten out to Chicago without one of their planes.
"Damn," Shego thought, almost caught. "Um, when I told Hego I was coming, Mom had Chuck come out with their plane," Shego hurriedly lied.
"Oh, okay," Kim said. "Well, you promised them you'd come, Junior, so you had better get going."
Shego breathed a sigh of relief that the plane inquiry had been dropped. "Yeah, I better," she agreed. She gathered up her luggage, stepped out on to the porch and closed the door. Kim made sure it was locked, and they walked over to the car, loading the bags inside and getting in.
"Why don't you like your family, Shego?" Kim asked unexpectedly as they were driving. "I mean, mine annoy me sometimes, but I wouldn't want to be apart from them for too long."
"I don't not like them," Shego protested, glad that they weren't at the Mansion because she knew Nana Mim would have appeared to beat her about the head and neck for the double negative. "They're my family."
"Then why didn't you visit until your dad was in the hospital?" Kim asked.
"I wasn't welcome," Shego answered. "Mom and especially Daddy had a really hard time when I left Team Go to turn evil. Goshens aren't supposed to be evil; they're supposed to be pillars of the community who use their fame and fortune to help those around them. People in general annoy the shit out of me, though, so the last thing I wanted to do was help them. Daddy could never quite understand that, and when I told them I was leaving Team Go, we had a huge fight and I walked out. And then he told me not to come back unless I got my priorities straightened out."
Kim picked up on something that piqued her interest. "Why do people annoy you?" Kim asked, curious.
"Because most of them are as dumb as a box of hammers," Shego replied. "And stupidity annoys the shit out of me."
"And yet you worked for Drakken?" Kim asked quizzically. Shego shrugged. She really had no explanation for that. "So what if what you think is stupidity is just differential logic?" Kim asked, pressing on. "Not everyone sees the world the way you do, Shego, so they might just be coming at it from a different angle."
"But, see, that's the thing; I've always thought my angle is always the best," Shego stated immodestly. She pulled the Mustang up to the hangar and put it in park. "I mean, Mom and Dad always taught me there were other perspectives, but even as a kid, I thought my way was best. Then I grew up and knew my way was best. There have really only been two people who have ever convinced me otherwise and one of them left awhile before the second one managed to show up," she explained. "So, in the interim, everyone else was stupid and annoying and I didn't want to help them out. Being evil was the best way of getting out of that, and hence, not much of a family life."
"Hm," Kim commented, taking it all in. "Why do I convince you otherwise?" she asked.
"Because I didn't have to tell you that you were one of the two," Shego said simply. She grinned self-effacingly and a very light blush covered her cheeks. "And, apparently, I'm a sucker for redheads," she admitted.
Kim laughed at that and gave her a kiss before she jumped out of the car. Shego got out as well, popping the trunk to get her stuff before giving Kim the keys to the car. They went into the hangar and Kim put Shego's luggage in the plane while Shego checked everything out to make sure it was flight-worthy. It was, so there was not much else to do but say goodbye.
"Call me at night if you get a chance," Kim requested. "And please don't kill your brothers."
"I make no promises, Pumpkin," Shego declared, before gathering Kim up in her arms. "Have a good time with your family, but come as soon as you can, Pink," she pleaded only half-jokingly, kissing Kim soundly.
"I'll be there Friday afternoon," Kim promised, only to have Shego pout. "Early Friday afternoon," she hastily amended.
"See you then, Princess," Shego said, reluctantly letting her go and climbing the steps into the plane. She waved goodbye from the cockpit and Kim waved back. The doors to the hanger opened and Shego taxied out, getting the all-clear from the tower before she positioned herself correctly and took off. Kim watched her plane until she couldn't see it anymore, closed the hanger doors and then climbed into the Mustang to go home.
Monday night, Tuesday, and Wednesday passed quickly for Kim as she did the last-minute shopping and wrapping that she hadn't had time to do until then. Shego's gift had been planned for months, and it was finally done, so she was at last able to pick it up and get it ready to go. Ron's gift had also been tough to find, but at last she had located what she was looking for and it too was now wrapped in festive Hanukkah paper and ready to go. Her Nana's, parents' and brothers' gifts were also done, so Wednesday evening, Kim was ready to settle into full on holiday mode, complete with Snowman Hank on the TV and her family and Ron on the couch. Of course, that was the point her Kimmunicator beeped.
"What's the sitch, Wade," she said unenthusiastically, not really wanting to go on a mission on Christmas Eve.
"Got an e-mail from the Middleton Mansion," Wade replied. "Mim and Sheila have something for you and um, 'Junior' that they want you to pick up."
"That's it?" Kim asked, relieved.
"Yup," Wade confirmed. "And thanks for the gift. I love Toriyama's work."
"I figured you would," Kim replied happily. "Thanks for the info, Wade; I will head over there soon."
"Merry Christmas, Kim," Wade answered and signed off.
Kim bounded down the stairs. "I have to run a quick errand," she told everyone. "I will be right back, I promise." They all looked at her dubiously, knowing that "quick errands" turned into weeklong missions for Kim, but she was true to her word and the whole trip took less than fifteen minutes. "I'm back," she announced, carrying a square, ornately-wrapped box.
"Who's that from, Kimmie-cub?" her father asked.
"It's for Shego and me from Aunt Mim and Aunt Sheila," she answered. "They want me to take it to Chicago with me." Her father nodded, as did her mother, brothers and grandmother, and Kim couldn't help but be grateful for a family that was perfectly okay with her getting a Christmas present from two women who had been dead for over fifteen years. She carefully put the package on her pile of stuff that was going with her to Chicago and then snuggled down next to Ron on the couch. He smiled, she smiled back, and the wondrous saga of Snowman Hank began.
Ron went home when it was over and the rest of the Possible clan when to bed. They all slept peacefully until the tweebs woke up, at which point the entire house was awakened due to the thundering footsteps up and down the stairs and the hallway. The yelling also precluded any kind of sleep, so all of the adults put on their robes and came downstairs. Mrs. Dr. Possible put on some coffee while the rest of them gathered around the tree. When his wife had joined them, Mr. Possible started passing out presents.
Kim got the usual collection of socks, underwear, sweaters and pajamas, as well as an iPop from her Nana. "Thanks, Nana!" she said happily, having wanted the trendy item for a while.
"You're welcome, Kimberly-Ann," her Nana said. "And thank you for the SCUBA gear."
"You're welcome, Nana," Kim replied.
"Thanks, Kim!" Tim and Jim shouted, as they opened their gift from Kim. "Gift card to the N-Bohrium! Sweet! They sell all of the good chemicals!" her brothers said excitedly.
"Um, Kimmie-cub, do you think that was wise?" her father asked.
"A friend of mine works there, Dad," Kim explained, handing him a box. "He promised not to let them buy anything dangerous."
"Oh, okay," Mr. Dr. Possible said, relieved. "And what is this?" he said, shaking the box gently. "Hey hon, come over here. This is to the both of us." Mrs. Dr. Possible sat on the couch next to him, and together they opened to the box to reveal three antique frames. The first frame held a picture of the Possible family circa 1965 in which a ten-year old James Timothy Possible stood next to his fifteen-year old brother Slim. They were flanked by their parents, Timothy and a much younger Nana Possible, who were in turn flanked by Timothy's parents, Mim's younger brother James and his wife Elizabeth. The second frame held a picture that was very similar in composition, but with a different family. In this one, an eight-year old Ann, her first cousins Betty and Sheldon, and the rest of the kids were positioned in front with Bertram's adult descendants, Ann's mother and Betty's father included, clustered behind them.
"Where on earth did you find these, Kimmie-cub?" her father asked, looking at the Possible picture with reverence before handing it to his mother. Ann Possible didn't say anything, but just smiled at Kim, her thanks for the picture coming through in her gaze.
"I had help," Kim said modestly, blushing at her parents' reaction.
"They're beautiful," her mother said at last. She carefully put down her family portrait to grab the third frame in the box, the picture that had been forgotten when they had seen the other two. This frame held a picture of a raven-haired girl, a redheaded, mostly-bald baby and a clouded leopard all cuddled up together and sleeping peacefully. Ann chuckled. "I remember that visit," she said. "Your bassinet came back ruined. Been sleeping together for a while, have you?" she joked.
"Mom!" Kim groaned, blushing even deeper.
Ann chuckled at her daughter's discomfort. "I need your help with something, Kim," her mother said. "Do you think you could throw some clothes on and help me out?"
"Sure, Mom," Kim said agreeably, noticing that the rest of the family was trying to look disinterested but had perked up as soon as her Mom had spoken. Intrigued, she went upstairs to change, and suspiciously, everyone else scattered and got dressed as soon as she left to do so. And, when she came back downstairs, everyone except her mother was still noticeably absent. Her mom didn't say anything but grabbed her coat off the coat rack, put in on and headed out the front door. Kim followed suit, zipping up her jacket and heading out into the late December cold, only to be stopped by the sight of a beautiful, mint-condition 1967 Volkswagen Type 2. It was fluorescent green, and Kim looked at her mother in amusement.
"Yes, we did consult outside sources about the color," her mother admitted.
Kim laughed and scampered off the porch to look at her new ride, causing various Possibles to pop out of their hiding places. "We are totally going to fix it up for you, Kim," Tim and Jim promised. "We already have plans for the rocket launcher and the jet engine, and we are working with Wade to get communications fully integrated into the dash. We also promised Nana we would put in a jack for your iPop."
"Like it, Kimmie-cub?" her father asked hopefully. "I had one just like it in high school and it was a tank. I figured it would be nice and safe for you, even when these guys get done with it, and you would have room for everyone."
"I love it, Dad; thank you so much," Kim said gratefully, hugging him.
"Hey KP! Sweet new ride!" Ron's voice called out, and Kim turned to see him, along with Lindsay, coming up the driveway.
"Did you know about this?" Kim demanded as she bounded over to jump on him. "Merry Christmas, Lindsay," she added as she was pummeling him.
"Merry Christmas, Kim," Lindsay replied, laughing as Ron put up his hands in surrender.
"Yes, I knew about it, but your Mom threatened me with bodily harm, so I couldn't say anything," Ron protested. "Stop hitting me."
Kim relented. "Only because it is Christmas," she said. By saying that, she realized that it was still Christmas and she hadn't given Ron his gift yet. She went to each of her family members and gave them each an enormous hug in thanks. "I love it," she gushed. Her mom, last to be hugged, hugged her back and realized how cold it was out there.
"All right, we've all seen the car and Kim loves it. Everyone back inside," she ordered, and they all willingly complied.
When they were all back inside, Kim went to fetch the gifts she had for Ron and Lindsay. "Happy fifth day of Hanukkah, Ron," she said, handing him the blue box. "Merry Christmas, Lindsay," she said, handing her the red package. They both grinned and produced the packages they were carrying. They all smiled shyly at one another before giving up on ceremony and tearing into the packages.
Ron won the competition and got his present open first. He opened the box, his eyes widened, and he carefully lifted out its contents. It was Snowman Hank, or at least it was a nine-inch model of Snowman Hank. He looked at Kim. "Where did you get this?" he asked, delighted. "They don't sell Snowman Hank toys anymore."
"It's not a toy," Kim corrected him. "That's actually Snowman Hank."
Kim didn't think it was possible, but Ron's eyes got even wider. "You mean this is…" he stopped mid-sentence, unable to get the words out.
"It's the actual figure from the TV show," Kim confirmed. Ron looked at it in awe, handed it carefully to Lindsay and then grabbed Kim in a hug. "That is just so awesome that I can't even say," he said.
"I'm glad you like it," Kim said happily.
"I love it," Ron replied, as he took it back from Lindsay. "Hey Rufus, you gotta come out and see this thing!"
Kim smiled and continued to attack her presents. She got Ron's opened first, and with a chuckle pulled out a Naco-scented car air freshener and a gift card from Dinoco. "For the new car," Ron explained, somewhat unnecessarily.
"Yeah, I figured," Kim replied wryly. She opened her package from Lindsay, and in it were a beautiful green flannel shirt and a brand-new pair of brown Birkenstocks.
Lindsay grinned and shrugged. "My Moms said it was the law that you have these in your wardrobe," she said impishly.
"Thanks," Kim said, hugging her. "And thank your Moms."
Lindsay nodded, smiling, and continued opening her package from Kim. It was mainly a card, but something dropped out when she opened it. "A gift card to the House of Freaks?" she said, stoked. "I have been wanting to get something done there ever since I got into town. "
"Which is what I was hoping," Kim replied cheerfully. Now that the last of the presents had been opened, there was a bit of a lull, and Kim looked at Ron to see if he would be up for a ride in the new car. It was only then that she noticed that he and Rufus were wearing the exact same sweater in different sizes as they examined Snowman Hank. She looked at Lindsay.
"Yeah, those were my doing," Lindsay confessed.
"They're adorable," Kim said. "And you got him out of that red shirt. Nice job." Lindsay smiled. "May I try out my new car, Mom?" she asked as her mother.
"Sure, just be careful; it is slick out there," her mother warned. "And dinner is at 5, so be back by then."
"Okay," Kim agreed. "You guys want to go for a ride?" she offered Ron and Lindsay.
"Sure," they replied and the three of them made a break for the door.
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The Goshen Estate – Christmas Morning
Shego leaned back in the wingback chair in the sitting room, her legs slung over one of the arms. Mom always hated when she sat in the good chairs like this, and even though she was back in the family and everything was for the most part cool, she couldn't help being a little subversive. The last few days had been tolerable, and at various points had almost reached pleasant. She interacted with her brothers here and there, but she spent most of the time with her mother and especially her father, catching up on the last few years under the guise of helping them out around the estate. It made the time pass quickly and fairly pleasantly, because Shego was always more prone to talk while she was doing something, whether that something be trading flying tips with her mother or painting with her father, so they actually got to talk.
Shego snapped out of her reverie when an energy beam came rushing toward her head. She put up a palm and the beam hit it, dissipating as she absorbed the energy. "Sorry, Mimi!" Augie called out penitently.
"Be more careful, Dumbass," Shego shot back. "You are going to catch the curtains on fire and Mom's gonna be pissed at all of us. Besides, isn't all of that crap supposed to be for Go Tower?"
"Quite right," Lottie agreed, wanting to spare her curtains. "Boys, put those things away until you get back to Go City," she told them.
"Aw, Mom!" the Wegoes, Mego and Hego whined. Their mother fixed them with a stern glare and they sighed, gathering up the laser pistols, the plasma cannons, the portable communicators, and the self-detonating tear-gas canisters into a pile by the tree. "Come on, guys," Hego said, grabbing the football they had also been given and taking off down the hallway. The rest of them rushed after him and Shego, Lottie and Archie could hear the tinkling of breaking glass as they went down the hallway.
"TAKE IT OUTSIDE!" Lottie bellowed, and Shego put the tip of her finger in her ear and shook it, trying to bring back her hearing. "Quit being dramatic, Mimi, and open your last gift," Lottie said, handing Shego a large box. Shego looked at the box interestedly; Mom and Dad were obviously glad to have her back and she had gotten a ton of stuff, but this was the last present, which meant it was supposed to be the grand finale. She ripped off the paper and sliced open the tape that held the box closed with a small stream of plasma, tossing out newspaper stuffing until she found three boxes. "Open the big one first," Lottie requested, so Shego did, and discovered a bright green crop-sleeved shirt and black cargo pants. Looking more carefully at the shirt, Shego was unsurprised to find the yellow and green "KP" logo positioned on a black oval just above the left breast.
"What was wrong with my old one?" Shego protested, liking the new uniform quite a lot, but not quite seeing why she needed a new one.
"You're not a part of Team Go anymore and you never will be again," her father said reasonably. "We figured this is more representative of you and your life. Plus, it's flame retardant," he said excitedly.
"My old one had to be too," Shego pointed out, but she couldn't resist lighting up. Sure enough, the fabric did nothing but sway in the air currents generated by the heat. She grinned and put the uniform down before opening the other boxes. One box held green gloves and green boots that matched the shirt, and the other held a utility belt. There was nothing in it, but Shego figured Wade would have no problem filling it up. "Thanks, guys," she said, slipping off her chair and hugging each one of her folks. "It really is kinda cool," she admitted.
"Half-hearted at best, but from you, Mimi, it is glowing adoration," her father said merrily. "We were hoping you would like it."
"I do," Shego admitted, as she retrieved the last package under the tree. "And this is for you guys," she said, handing them the package and reclaiming her chair.
Her father took it and her mother left her chair to sit on the arm of Archie's. The paper came off, the box was opened and out came a picture frame. As it emerged, Shego had a twinge of guilt for stealing Kimmie's idea, but she got over it quickly, especially when her parents' faces lit up into very wide grins.
"Is that baby who I think it is?" her mother asked.
"Yup, that's Kimmie," Shego confirmed.
"Wow, I mean I know you are many things, Mimi, but I never would have figured you for a cradle robber," her father joked.
Shego rolled her eyes; she knew that joke was going to rear its ugly head some time. "Uh, yeah, thanks for that, Daddy," she said.
"Incoming!" came the bellow from the hallway and Shego suddenly found herself with a football in her lap. She growled, popped up and took off down the hall, and there were unmanly shrieks of terror as her brothers ran the other way.
"Mom told you to play outside, goddamn it!" was the last thing Archie and Lottie heard before they saw their brood pop out the back door and into the snow covering the gardens. The boys scattered, and Shego went tearing after them. Archie and Lottie smiled as they watched. It was so nice to have the family back together again and it felt like old times.
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The Goshen Estate – December 26th
Shego sat on the bench after brushing the snow off of the seat. It was in the perfect location for watching for Kimmie as she approached in the hovercraft, and it also had the added bonus of being quiet. After listening to the din of her brothers for most of the previous day, quiet was good. It was also cold outside, and cold had the benefit of keeping it quiet by shooing everyone else indoors. Shego was pretty much impervious to cold; she could feel it, she wore sweaters and coats to ward it off, but she could always light up to banish it. It took energy to do that, though, so wearing a coat was just easier, but on days like today where even a coat wasn't quite enough, being able to generate your own heat was awesome. The sky hummed, causing Shego to look up, and she smiled when she saw it was the hovercraft. It took her a second to realize she was smiling and then she shook her head. She was acting like such a love-struck doofus.
Kim smiled as she carefully set the hovercraft on the ground. She had seen Shego waiting there for her, and she thought it was adorable. The panel beeped, indicating a successful landing, so Kim shut down the controls, unbuckled her safety restraints and walked to the back to disembark. She lowered the gangplank and walked out, only to be enveloped in a pair of very warm arms. "Merry Christmas, Princess," Shego said, kissing her.
"Merry Christmas, Shego," Kim said, kissing back. A low growl and a polite cough alerted them that they were not as alone as they might have thought. "Sorry, Rama," Kim apologized, moving off of the gangplank so that Rama could leave the hovercraft. "I brought a friend," she said.
"So I see," Shego replied, rubbing his head. He started purring and Shego scratched his ears. The polite cough repeated itself. "And I told him he didn't need to come out in the cold, but I believe Chuck is here to help you with your stuff," Shego said, raising an eyebrow at Chuck.
He smiled at Kim, ignoring her. "Very nice to see you again, Miss Kimberly," he said. "Besides the leopard, is there anything else that needs to go back to the house?"
"I do have some stuff that should probably go in," Kim replied, retreating back into the hovercraft. She emerged with two suitcases, dropped those off and then went in for the remaining two packages, both of which were beautifully wrapped.
"And who would those be for?" Shego inquired casually.
"One is for you, and the other is for the both of us from Aunt Mim and Aunt Sheila," Kim said.
"They wrapped a gift?" Shego asked.
"And sent me an e-mail to come pick it up," Kim told her.
"Why'd they even bother dying?" Shego muttered. Kim laughed and took her arm and they went back to the house with Chuck, Rama and the luggage cart trailing them.
Lottie was there to greet them as soon as they opened the back door. "It is so good to see you again, Kim!" she said brightly, hugging her as she came in the door.
"You saw her less than a month ago," Shego pointed out.
"So?" Lottie challenged. "Please ignore her and come in," she told Kim. Shego rolled her eyes but said nothing. "Is that a leopard?" Lottie asked as Rama waited impatiently to get out of the cold and into the warm.
"Clouded leopard," Shego answered. "Cold clouded leopard," she clarified hastily as Rama growled at her. Shego got out of the way and Rama came in, shaking himself as he did so.
"Then we should go into the sitting room," Lottie decided. "It is the warmest room in the house."
They all trudged upstairs to the sitting room, and Kim was delighted to see Archie sitting in one of the high-backed chairs. He got up immediately when she saw her, and much like his wife, gave her a hug. "Welcome back, Kim," he said.
"Thanks! It is nice to be back," Kim replied sincerely. Archie released her and she turned around to admire the Christmas tree in the corner, a tree that, Shego was interested to note as she put Kim's packages under it, suddenly had presents under it again, all of which were for her girlfriend. That was interesting, Shego thought. Nina had never gotten anything but cards from Shego's family.
Lottie took over as soon as the hugging was done and Shego had stepped away from the tree. "I think we still have a few presents to open," she said, steering Kim toward a chair. Archie and Shego took their wingbacks, Rama crashed in front of the fire and Lottie fetched the gifts, piling them all up beside Kim. "These are all for me?" Kim asked, a little embarrassed at the largesse and blushing because of it.
"You're right; she does do that a lot," Lottie chuckled. "It's only two presents, Kim."
"But I didn't get you anything," Kim protested.
"Like we need it," Lottie scoffed. "Even our kids are reduced to giving us charitable organizations and stadium naming rights."
Kim paused, thinking about that statement, then realized Lottie had a point. "Well, thank you," she said at last. "You didn't have to, but thank you."
"We know we didn't," Lottie responded. "But we did, so you have to open them up. Start with the small square one."
Kim did as requested, ripping off the paper and opening the box top. Her eyes widened in disbelief, and very gingerly, she pulled out two Cuddle Buddies. The first was a Super Star Panderoo and the second was a Flamingoat. "We weren't sure if you had either of those," Lottie said apologetically, "but they seemed to be pretty rare, so we were hoping we would catch a break and get something you didn't have."
"Um, yeah, they are rare," Kim confirmed, touched at the thoughtfulness and stunned that they would spend that much on her. "And no, I don't have either of them. Thank you. These are really so nice that I don't know what to say."
Lottie beamed; Kim liked them and she was happy. "Now the big green one," she prompted. Kim carefully put her new Cuddle Buddies back in their box and ripped off the paper of the green package. There were three boxes in the big box and Shego could sense what was coming.
"Open the big one first, Princess," she advised. Kim glanced at her and nodded, opening up the big one to find a pair of bright green cargo pants with a utility belt and a black crop-sleeved shirt that had a green and yellow KP logo stitched right above the left breast. Kim's face lit up and she held it aloft looking at it. The uniform was really sleek and professional looking, and it came with the extra-added bonus that if Shego knew which order to open the boxes in, she probably had one too.
"This is spanking!" Kim said ebulliently. Lottie looked at Shego for confirmation.
"That means it's good," Shego told her mother in an aside.
"Ah," Lottie said, relieved. "And, unless there were unforeseen problems, the green should match your new car."
"You got a new car?" Shego asked, surprised. Damn, there went the birthday present.
"My parents got me a green VW bus," Kim answered, also surprised. "Didn't you tell them what color to paint it?"
"No," Shego replied slowly, looking over at her mother and father.
Lottie and Archie smiled. "We may have talked now and then with James and Ann," Archie admitted cheerfully. "It's how we knew about the Cuddle Buddies and how they knew about the uniforms and what color they would be." Kim and Shego looked at one another, their mutual trepidation written all over their faces. They were so done for if their parents were already in cahoots. "What?" Archie said, chuckling at their faces. "You two shouldn't act so shocked. We do know how to use a telephone and the Internet." Kim still looked worried, but after peering in the box she realized she still had two more boxes to go and there were more interestesting things to care about. She opened them and one held black gloves while the other held black boots, and with them her uniform was complete.
"Thank you so much," Kim said, setting everything down and going to hug Archie and Lottie. They hugged her back, and Shego coughed. "What?" Kim asked playfully. "Too much cheer?"
"The sap is so thick in here I am going to need an insulin shot," Shego confirmed. "So, should we open Nana Mim and Nana Sheila's gift?"
"Sure," Kim said, pulling out the right box. She sat next to Shego and they ripped off the paper together, opening the box to expose a map and a journal. The journal was titled "The Search for the Time Monkey" and the ancient map seemed to show the location of a temple in some unknown jungle. Kim and Shego smiled at one another. "It looks like they gave us another mission," Kim said.
"Looks that way," Shego agreed. They chuckled to themselves and replaced the items in the box. "So what's in the other one?" Shego asked pointedly. Kim scooted off the chair arm and retrieved the other package, handing it to her with a smile. Shego opened it, and in the smaller box that was in the larger box rested two identical amulets, one of which had a former life as a dampener and should have been around Kim's neck.
Shego looked at Kim for explanation, and so she gave one. "I really had no idea what to get you," Kim confessed. "But I thought and thought about it, and after a while it occurred to me that one of the best things I could give you had already been given to you by two people very dear to you and I had the power to give it back. I knew that you had given it to me, though, so I thought you might find it rude if I gave it back. So I had an indestructible replica made. But after the replica was made, I started thinking that it was presumptuous of me to assume that you wouldn't want the original and that you might be insulted if I gave you a replica. So I decided the best thing was to offer you both and let you take your pick."
Shego smirked. She set the box down on the chair arm that Kimmie wasn't sitting on before taking Kim's face gently between her hands. "Thank you. You think way too much, but thank you," she said affectionately, kissing her softly on the lips. "Which one is the original?" she asked when they broke apart.
"That one," Kim said, pointing to the amulet that was on the chain rather than the one on the black cord.
Shego picked it up, unclasped it and with no hesitation, put it back around Kim's neck. "I gave this one to you, and I don't like my gifts returned," she said sternly, even though she was smiling. "Besides, it protects you from me."
"But I don't need to be protect…" Kim started, but Shego interrupted her.
"Shit happens, Pumpkin," Shego said simply. "And being the lazy bum I am, I'd rather not have to worry about watching myself around you and I won't have to if you are wearing that thing. Besides," and here she paused, unsure if she actually wanted to admit this, "when I gave it to you, I kept my promise to Nana Mim, and I don't like to go back on my promises."
Kim knew what that promise had been, and so she accepted Shego's declaration for what it was and made a promise of her own. "I love you, too, and as long as we're together, I'll never take it off," she promised.
"Good," Shego agreed. "Now what happened to mine?" Kim picked up the other one up by its black cord. "I assume this is non-flammable?" Shego asked, pointing at the cord.
"Yup," Kim confirmed, sensing it was all getting a little heavy for Shego and she wanted a subject change.
"Good," Shego commented, putting it on. "Now we get to go fetch your present from me."
"Where is it?" Kim asked.
"Outside," Shego replied. "So grab your coat, Pink." She glanced at her parents. "Mom already knows what it is and used it to blackmail me into coming for Christmas, but would you two like to come?" she asked.
"Love to," Archie responded. Shego nodded and grabbed Kim's hand, pulling gently to lead her out of the sitting room. Lottie and Archie followed. "Did I hear an "I love you'?" he furtively asked his wife.
"That's what I heard," Lottie replied quietly.
Archie smiled. It always made him happy tos see his kids happy, even if she tended towards cranky and smart mouthed. "So did you really blackmail her into coming back for Christmas?" he asked.
"I did," Lottie said proudly.
"Well done, hon," Archie congratulated her. Lottie smirked.
After they had grabbed their coats, Shego led Kim to the hangar where her present was being stored. She made Kim close her eyes and then brought her inside. "Okay, open them," Shego said.
"You got me a jet!" Kim said excitedly. "And it's got the logo on it!" Shego grinned. She knew that Kim would know the difference between a plane and a jet.
"There's a custom flight suit for you when you get jet-certified," Shego added.
"It rocks, thank you, Shego!" Kim said, hugging her.
"Eh, I liked your gift to me better," Shego said honestly. "Now mine seems kinda lame."
"It's gorgeous," Kim disagreed. "Take me for a spin?"
"Not in this weather," Lottie said flatly. "It's not safe."
"Mom's a certified pilot," Shego whispered to Kim, "And she is really picky about flight safety."
"Damn right I am," Lottie said, having overheard. "And there will be no flying today. You two will have to do something else like play football with the boys."
"Football?" Kim asked interestedly.
"You're a cheerleader; you're not supposed to like football," Shego objected.
"Are you kidding?" Kim retorted. "Do you know how many games I've had to watch? I've always wanted to play." Shego sighed, but Kim was already dragging her off to find her brothers.
After they found them, which really wasn't all that hard, they decided on flag football and decided on Shego and Hego as team captains. Each team got a Wego, which allowed them to play eleven-man football with only three players and Shego picked Willie for her Wego, although it really didn't matter. She also laid claim to Kim, sticking Hego with Mego, a choice that proved wise when Hego's first pass sailed right through Mego's fingers.
"So tell us again why Mom and Dad adopted you, Reg?" Shego taunted.
"I'm not adopted, Mimi," Mego said crossly. It was a familiar taunt; Hego and the Wegoes looked a great deal like Lottie and Shego was the female version of Archie, but Mego didn't really look like either of them, so they always teased him about being adopted.
Shego's team got the ball eventually, and Kim proved adept at being either a wide receiver or a running back by being able to flip over the heads of the defensive line or the safety/linebacker. Being able to negate the opposition's superpowers also helped, as Kim found out when she stiff armed a Wego only to have him disappear when the amulet absorbed the copying power that allowed him to exist. She had to try it out on the other two, and sure enough, when she touched them, Mego would grow back to full size and Hego's strength would wane. This advantage, along with their superior athleticism, allowed Shego, Kim and Willie to run up the score at will, so after a couple of hours of chasing them all around the field, Bertie, Reggie and Augie quit.
"Quitters!" Shego taunted as they walked off the field. They ignored her and trudged off toward the house. Willie gave them both a high-five and then ran off to join his twin.
"That was fun," Kim said, wrapping Shego's arms around her to get warm now that her game heat had dissipated. "Maybe we can do it again tomorrow."
"Tomorrow?" Shego whined. "I thought now that you were here, I got to go home."
"But we still have a week of vacation," Kim reminded her. Shego grimaced. Kim smiled. "Well, if you want to get out of here, you could take me to Mexico for the new year," she offered.
"You want to go to the beach house?" Shego asked, liking this suggestion.
"Yeah, I do," Kim admitted. "That's why I brought two suitcases. One has beach stuff in it."
"So you were planning on it," Shego teased.
"No, I was hoping for it," Kim corrected. "And besides, I figured you might be going a little stir crazy having spent this much time with your family and Mexico seemed like a good idea."
"It is an awesome idea," Shego said enthusiastically. "Can we go tonight?" she asked plaintively. Kim laughed.
They ended up going the next morning, and neither Lottie nor Archie seemed surprised that Shego was leaving. Kim and Shego promised to pick up the jet before they went back to Middleton, and after saying goodbye to everyone, they and Rama took off in the hovercraft.