Boilerplate Disclaimer: The various characters from the Kim Possible series are all owned by Disney. Any and all registered trade names property of their respective owners. Cheap shots at celebrities constitute fair usage.

The Law Is the True Embodiment

"We can't arrest her," Betty Director told Kim, Ron, and Shego. She had flown in herself on the news of Shego's capture.

They stood around the silent Shego. Kim had picked her up off the floor, and a medic had wrapped her in a blanket before Kim sat her on a chair. She still appeared in a state of shock and they weren't certain how much of the conversation she heard or understood.

"What do you mean, you can't arrest her?" Kim asked

"She's wanted in, like, fifty countries," Ron pointed out.

"Eleven, to be precise." Dr. Director sighed, "When we found Shego in Go-City I sent the facts we had to the guys in the legal department. I told 'em to work on the problem from every angle they could imagine. From this one," Betty pointed to the younger Shego, "being a clone to the other, and anything else they could imagine in their wildest dreams."

"And?" Kim asked.

"And, first problem is we aren't sure who or what this Shego is. Even if we assume this Shego is a clone, the most likely hypothesis, the second problem is the legal status of clones hasn't been established. It took some trials in the early days of IVF to establish legal-"

"IVF?" Ron interrupted.

"In-vitro fertilization. You have sperm donors, egg donors, surrogate mothers… Took some court cases to establish legal precedents. Cases haven't happened yet on clones. Then the third problem, if we assume the clone hypothesis, is that if Drakken had brain duplicating equipment he was probably able to do some re-wiring on Shego's memories. Turn her from hero to villain, from loving her older brother to hating her older brother. I wouldn't mind being the defense lawyer in her case - argue that she had no free will and had been programmed to do evil by Drakken. Hell, it's probably true."

"So what can we do with her?" Kim asked, staring at the silent woman seated in front of her.

"She appears to be in a profound state of shock. Psychiatric hospital is probably our best choice. Her legal status isn't clear, but it's clear she's dangerous. Now, I'm not a doctor, but I'd bet there is a fifty-fifty chance that her condition isn't as bad as it seems and she's ready to escape the minute we turn our back on her." Betty looked at Kim, "Ideally we need her in the custody of someone capable of handling her if she is faking, but somewhere medical personnel are on hand to monitor her. A brain surgeon would probably be ideal for-"

Kim sighed loudly, "I've already got a Shego staying with me."

"Yes, but since it appears she is the 'real' Shego we can probably bring her to GJ headquarters and have some psychologists work with her on-"

"Please, Dr. Director," Shego pleaded. "I don't want to leave Middleton. I'm making friends there, I started school."

"But you don't need to be there. And we need to keep this Shego under observation. You're not a security risk, she is."

Ron broke into the conversation, "Well, since Shego isn't a threat she can probably stay with us for a little while, at least until things get sorted out."

Kim could have done without Shego throwing her arms around Ron and giving him a big hug. "Thanks!" she squealed.

Shego lay on the bed in the Possible guest room. She hadn't moved or eaten for two days. Sometimes she grunted monosyllabic answers to questions she was asked, more often she simply ignored the questioner.

Kim kept a close watch on her the first day, waiting for Shego to spring into action. The second day Kim wondered if Shego wanted to lull her suspicions, or if the pale woman was really too depressed to move. The third day her mother ordered Kim to go see Ron.

Kim was torn between wanting to check on Ron and Shego, and fear that Shego might escape while she was gone.

"Doctor's orders," her mother repeated, "Go visit Ron."

As soon as Kim left Anne Possible drew a chair up to Shego's bedside. "And you, come down to the kitchen with me, now."

Shego rolled over without a word, turning her back on Anne.

"I know you heard me," Anne said. "Out of bed, now. A bowl of chicken soup for you - and then you help me make chocolate chip cookies."

"Leave me alone."

"No. You need food. And you love making cookies."

"No I don't!"

"Yes, you do. I know you."

"You don't know me!"

"You loved to work in the kitchen with your mother."

"My mom was a Petri dish, my dad a test tube."

"That's nonsense. Those are your memories. They're real. Now get out of bed!"

"No!"

"Now!"

Kim stayed at Ron's later than she had planned, and was in a foul mood as she headed home. Couldn't Ron see through Shego? No one could be that sweet and nice. Hana appeared to love her, but she was a baby - what did she know? Even Rufus, normally a wonderful judge of character seemed to accept her. "She's up to something," Kim mused. "I should never have said she could ask Ron out. She set me up - playing on my sympathy."

Kim's mood improved when she opened the door to her home and the smell of fresh-baked cookies hit her. "I'm glad somebody loves me," she called.

Her mother called from the kitchen, "Come in, dear."

Kim stopped at the kitchen door and stared in disbelief. Shego sat with Anne Possible at the kitchen table, each with a cup of tea, and an empty plate of cookies between them.

"The next batch will be out in five minutes," Anne assured her daughter. "Shego was so hungry we finished the first batch."