Chapter 6- Three Weeks Later

Kim was sitting by the bed, clutching the hand of the woman who was lying there. The woman did not stir, even as Kim squeezed slightly. No, Shego was for all intents and purposes brain-dead, trapped in her own body. She had been brought in three weeks ago, and the doctors had tried everything to wake her up, but there was nothing there. Just organ functions. Her heart was beating, her body breathing on its own, quite strongly. If one were to look at her briefly, she would look asleep. But Kim knew better. Shego was in a coma.

The doctors had said she was lucky to be alive, if this counted. She had hit her head on the pavement and cracked her skull. She had also broken her leg in three places, along with her right arm and four fingers. That same arm had been dislocated. Her left arm was fine but for the major road rash. They'd had to shave much of her head to be able to repair her skull properly, and even with the hair growing back, she knew that Shego was going to go ballistic. She loved her hair, Kim loved it too actually. Running her hands through that main was like passing her fingers through silk, why they had not taken it all was unknown to her. Her face was covered in black and blue marks mixed in with the angry read of cuts and scrapes. It looked as though Shego had gotten into a fight.

And she'd lost. To a Mitsubishi of all things. Depths Murky's Mitsubishi. He was going to be arraigned today for reckless endangerment, driving to endanger, failure to obey traffic laws, and others. Shego's family had powerful lawyers, and all of them were trying to make sure that he paid a heavy price for hurting one of their own. The EWE association were also filing, and were paying for all of Shego's bills, somehow she had managed to get that clause in her contract. Already there was an outpouring of support from the wrestling community, and her hospital room was covered in mail from wrestling fans wishing her well (and that she'd kick her brothers' butts again).

It had taken six men to restrain Hego when he'd heard the news, including his three brothers, and no amount of people were able to keep Carmen away from Depths. He was now sporting a nasty scar along the side of his face. Murky had not pressed charges. In fact he seemed to be quite remorseful about the whole thing, and had even given Kim the article he was writing when he found out exactly who he had hit.

Her parents were outside the door talking about something, probably the brain function, or lack thereof. Kim just stared. She had seen Shego almost like this once before, in the hospital after the break in at the electronics plant. It had been funny at the time.

"So, when you wake up…" Kim whispered to her, "I'm going to buy you dinner. Call it a favor…" She got suddenly choked up, remembering that first night out.

Shego had come to her door in slacks and a dress shirt, looking for all the world like a nervous boy coming to pick up their new girlfriend, despite how she had said it wasn't a date. She had waited patiently, helmet hanging at her side and shook out her hair to make sure it wasn't still in "helmet-mode".

When Kim answered the door in a decent skirt and blouse she smiled. "You look good Red." She said, and Kim blushed, "Better than those rags you call 'mission gear' anyway."

"And just what is wrong with my mission gear?" Kim asked, crossing her arms over her chest, "This coming from the girl who actually wore rags to school."

Shego stopped her with a single upheld finger, "Not all of us have budgets like yours, and as you can see, I clean up well. Now, let's get this over with and you can go back to hating me tomorrow."

"But I don't…"

"Want to be seen with a lesbo like me, I know."

"Hate you." Kim said, feeling a little off-balance, Shego was just so… harsh.

"Sure ya do." She said, smiling, "Now put this on and grab 'hold." She said, sitting on the bike as she handed the helmet over to Kim. "We're running late as is." It was close to six-thirty, and she had made reservations at Apple Orchard, a new restaurant. It was not quite five-star, but it was nice, and she thought Kim would like it.

Damn what had Kim been thinking when she had accepted? But Shego had looked so nervous about asking, almost as though she were expecting her to say "no way!" and run off. But the smile after she had accepted was worth it. She'd never seen Shego really smile, it made her seem almost human, especially after the encounter in detention.

The conversation at the restaurant had been easy and free-flowing. Indeed, it seemed they had quite a few things in common, especially an appreciation for martial arts.

"Do you study anything?" Kim asked, and Shego shook her head.

"Used to do Tiger and Eagle style." She had said, "But it's been years. I'm probably more than rusted through." She shrugged, "You?"

"Uh… fifteen… no… sixteen styles of Kung Fu." Kim said, trying not to sound like like she was bragging, "But it's no big."

"Right, because you need them to stay alive." Shego smirked slightly and took a sip of her coffee.

"Well, yes." Kim agreed, nodding and picking at her desert. "But it's relaxing."

"Definitely. Kicking someone's ass is a good stress reliever."

Kim rolled her eyes, "You know what I mean."

"Yes." Shego said, "But where's the fun if I can't twist it around?"

"Why do you do that?" Kim asked suddenly.

"Do what?"

"Twist words."

"Because people assume that because I dropped out I'm not smart." Shego said, her face betraying nothing, "Among other things."

"So you think that by insulting people they'll respect you more?"

"No. I think they'll realize that I won't take their shit."

"Do you want to know why I think you do it?" Kim asked, a smirk suddenly crossing her face.

"Not really, but I'll humor you."

"I think you're afraid if you don't people will realize you're not the tough chick you pretend to be."

"Pretend?" Shego asked, her face still serene, but inside her brain was screaming at her that Kim was right. She shoved that little voice aside.

"Yes. I think, that underneath the leather coat and ripped pants you're just a girl for what everyone secretly wants."

"And what's the princess?" Shego asked, "What could I possibly want?"

Kim smirked wider. She had Shego up against the ropes now, and it was time to finally get even for being so thoroughly trounced back in detention.

"Someone to see right through you, and still like you."

Yes, that had done it. After that, Shego had taken her home promptly, and then called her the next weekend to hang out again, though she made it sound like a chore. It had gotten Kim thinking actually, that maybe she had touched a nerve and Shego was trying to figure out just how.

On Kim's part, she had shocked herself with how easily she had gotten through Shego's defenses. What shocked her even more was that she was clearly right. Shego was not the cold person she had known in detention, no that person was a front to protect her from something unknown to Kim. But she actually liked who Shego was underneath. That part almost scared her, but what scared her more was that those feelings of affection blossomed alarmingly fast, especially when Shego insisted on doing all the things one associated with chivalry, holding doors, pulling out chairs, and refusing to let her pay for anything.

Almost a month in, Kim and Shego were walking through the park, just talking about nothing, when Kim stopped suddenly. Shego just looked at her strangely.

"Shego… are we dating?" She asked quietly.

"Do you want to be dating?" Was the reply, but she sounded decidedly unsure herself.

"I- don't…" Could she do this? Could she take that step? Shego was so nice, and God, she was gorgeous... And she looked just so damned adorable in that tank top. And with that realization, she steeled herself. "Yes. I do."

"Alright, then we're dating." Shego said, smiling widely, "Took you long enough to figure it out."

"What are you talking about?" Kim asked, confused.

"Princess, we've been dating since I took you to dinner." Shego shrugged, but the smile would not quit.

"But you said…"

"I lied; m'kay?"

"I hate liars." Kim commented, but she allowed Shego to put her arm around her shoulders anyway. "But I'll let it slide this time."

And now Shego was here in the hospital, barely counting as alive. Gone was the girl who had insulted and berated her. Gone was the girl who held doors and paid for dinner. Gone was the girl who had started to finally open up and talk about herself. No, all that was here was a body. A broken and battered body that was entirely her fault. If she had just let her stay like she should have, instead of sending her away in the middle of a storm…

She started to cry in earnest until she heard the heart monitor start to beep faster, and the brain scanner also showed more activity. She called in her mother and father and squeezed Shego's hand again. "Shego, Shannon, I'm here." She said, bending down to talk right in her ear. "Come on… You can do it. Come back to me." She kissed her cheek softly on an uninjured spot and watched as her mother shook her head and the scanners started to return to normal. "Come on Shego! Don't you quit on me!"

She sat back in her chair and kissed Shego's hand, crying softly. She had been so close. Shego had been trying to wake, she knew it. She was fighting. Even if she was normally a sweetheart, Kim knew she had a stubborn streak a mile wide. She'd wake up. Even if it took her another three weeks to do it.

Damn, her head hurt like hell. Her leg hurt like hell. Actually, as she lay there and tried to ascertain exactly what was happening, she realized that her entire body hurt like hell. It felt like she had gotten run over by a truck.

But no, that was not right, Shego thought. She was lucid enough to know that it had in fact been a Mitsubishi car. Great. How did she know that it was a Mitsubishi anyway? Especially when she did not yet know where she was. A moment's thought made her guess she was in a hospital. But how long she did not know.

Her senses started to come back to her one at a time. First was the sensation of pain, lots and lots of pain, mostly in her limbs. Her leg felt like it had broken again (she'd had a accident as a kid, the feeling was the same, if amplified). Her right arm felt as if it were on first radiating out from her shoulder. And her head felt like it had had a collision with something incredibly hard. That would explain just why it throbbed so, since it probably had.

Why, oh fuckin' why had she not taken that helmet home with her? Riiiight. Princess was mad at her, she was mad at princess, and had left without it. That's why.

The next sense to come back was her hearing, there was a distinct beeping sound. Heart monitor perhaps? It was speeding up whatever it was. Maybe it was a bomb, that would just be the icing on the proverbial cake. She could also hear voices murmuring in the background, and soft crying.

A moment later she heard the voices more clearly, and one in particular. It was her princess, come to save her again. Kim wanted to buy her dinner, now that would be nice. She was starving.

She tried to smile, tried to even squeeze the hand that had been places in hers, but couldn't. There was no movement anywhere. And then she was slipping away again. Back into that blackness. No! She had to see Kim! Had to tell her she was sorry. She fought against the encroaching darkness. Fought against her hearing growing duller, straining to hear Kim say something unintelligible in her ear. Fought to feel the warmth pressed against her hand as it grew colder. She fought against her functions leaving her. And failed, and slept, and rested to try again.

Author's note: Hey! She's alive! Look at that why don't ya! Read and review please, I like to know what people think.

Disclaimers: The characters presented here-in are the soul property of Disney, with the exceptions of Carmen and Depths Murky. Mistubishi belongs to Mistubishi.