Chapter 9- Therapeutic

Shego's first round of physical therapy that day had not been fun. Drew, in his ridiculous quest to get her healthy faster, had decided that he would see just how much flexibility was left in her injured shoulder.

"Alright, Can you rotate it?"

Shego tried, she really did, but as she held her arm out and attempted move just her shoulder, she found that impossible, and incredibly painful.

"No Doc." She said, and clutched at her arm with her good hand. "I can't rotate my fucking shoulder." This was the third time today he had asked her if she could. "What part of, 'It Hurts' do you not understand?" He just did not seem to understand the severity of what had happened to her. But he did at least try to help.

Lipsky for his part moved to the side of her and felt her shoulder gingerly. It was warmer than it should be, but it did not feel to be more adversely affected than it had been. "Shego, I'm just trying to push the limits a little."

"If I want to push limits, I'll be doing the pushing." Shego spat back and Drew started to lift her arm slightly, and she hissed when it became parallel to the floor. "So back off."

And that was that. It was now nearing three and Kim's flight, and she was sitting with her personal video phone (which had yet to receive it's own title) in her hand wondering if it was a good idea to call. She'd seen the interview, and it seemed to have gone well. Though she'd only been mentioned by name one or two times. That suited her fine. Later in the show (She'd had nothing else to watch at the time), they had given out the address that most people had sent fan mail too, which was Team Go's P.O box. It was interesting to her that people thought she wanted fan mail through Team Go. She'd be getting her own address soon enough. Using her uninjured leg to prop up the phone, she put it into "Itinerary" mode and scrolled through her schedule. She was going to physical therapy in California, which would be a well-needed vacation from Drew and life in general, but going to the airport did not sound fun to her. Maybe Nerdlinger could get a better ride for them.

Then, while she was in California she was expected to make an appearance on EWE and thank everyone (accept Team Go) for their support. That would be easy enough, she'd get on a crutch, say a few words, swear to kick the crap out of her brothers, and then head back stage. Yep.

As she was looking at her schedule and threatening Drew with much bodily harm, her own phone played her wrestling theme. Kim was calling, which meant that she had a few minutes. She answered with a snarl, "If I kill Drew, do I get a medal?"

Kim rolled her eyes on her end, "No, and I'm fairly certain there's a lot of paperwork involved." Not to mention jail time.

"Alright." Shego said, and sighed heavily, shooing Drew out as best she could with her injured arm, "if paperwork is involved, he can live." Her expression changed to a smirk after the door clicked shut, "So, was the flight delayed or something?"

"No, just waiting to board, I'll be seeing you in a few hours, for therapy round two." She had also arranged with the hospital to stay overnight, so that they could both go to California early in the morning. She was going to be really jet lagged after this trip, but even so, it was better to have Shego healthy.

Over the video link, Shego could just barely hear the call to board, and so waved awkwardly at Kim, trying not to aggravate her shoulder. "Have a good flight, watch out for snakes."

"Har-dee har har." Kim replied, and blew her a kiss, "See you soon." And then shut off the link before picking up her small carryon. In it was a change of clothes, some snacks, and a book to read while on the plane. And then she felt a tugging at her pants. Looking down, she saw an adorable little girl looking up at her. "Hello." She said, and stooped down to her level. "What's the sitch?" She asked in a higher voice, one she reserved especially for talking with children.

"Are you Kim Poss'bul?" the girl asked, and Kim nodded, reaching into her back pocket to retrieve a pen. The girl probably wanted an autograph, and while Kim did not have and pictures with her, she could still sign a piece of paper.

"That's right." Kim said, and smiled widely, "But it's no big." She started looking through her bag for something she could sign for the girl when she felt a shadow fall over her, looking up, she saw an older woman take the girl's hand and start to pull her away.

"Come on honey, you don't want to talk to people like her."

"People like me?" Kim repeated, trying to keep her expression neutral, and searched for the best way to diffuse the situation quickly, "Globe-trotting cheerleaders?" She said the last with a wide smile, and the little girl laughed. The girl's mother was not amused.

"You know very well what I mean." She said, and pulled her daughter further away. Kim sighed and hefted her carryon onto her back for a moment before sitting down on one of the long benches that resided in the terminal. The woman and her daughter sat down some ways away.

Please let my plane come in, now. Wade had offered to get her a ride home, but she did not want to use her favors willy-nilly. Now she wished she had chosen differently, at least then she would not have to deal with people who simply did not understand. Oh well. She could not please everyone, even if it might be nice. But the last thing she really wanted was for people to think she was perfect, clearly she was far from that, and felt a brief flush of guilt for lashing out at Monica that way. But immediately afterwards came a fleeting sense of pride. She had controlled herself better than she had expected actually.

And Monica had even been too scared to file her own suit. Which made it that much more satisfying. She sat down in a seat offered her, the tickets Wade had gotten her had been business class, which meant a bigger chair and more legroom. So Kim stretched out and closed her eyes, letting herself doze until she reached Middleton.

When the plane touched down, she was shocked again. There seemed to be a small crowd gathered outside, waving signs. As she got closer she saw that most of those signs were saying things like: "We Love KP" and "Lesbians forever!" She actually got a laugh out of it before smiling and shaking hands with the women that were there.

"Kim, we just want to thank you." Said one woman in front, decked out in a rainbow t-shirt and several wrist bands of rainbow colors. "For not backing down from who you are."

Kim just smiled as graciously as she could, even though this whole thing was making her feel very awkward. She had never thought she was doing anything extra-ordinary. But she did manage to shake the woman's hand politely.

"It's no big. Really." And she passed through the airport decidedly happier than when she had gotten on the plane. Out in front of the airport Ron was waiting for her with his scooter.

"Hey KP!" He said, and hugged his friend tightly. "Nice trip?"

"More or less." Kim said, and shrugged before putting on her helmet. Ron got in the driver's seat, and they were off… slowly.

"Ron… you need to get a better scooter." Kim said, and cocked an eyebrow at him. Ron for his part just shrugged as they puttered along.

"KP, this scooter has saved our lives." He mentioned, Of course, the Diablo incident, where Dementor was trying to conquer the world through small toys.

"It's a scooter." Kim said, shaking her head, "Not a person."

"Scooty doesn't like it when people say that." Ron shot back, his face a mask of complete seriousness.

"Ron…" Kim said, and then just shook her head, this was better just left alone. Her friend got more eccentric by the day it seemed, especially since she had been spending less time with him lately because of Shego's accident. And really, she was glad to be hanging out with Ron again, even if it could only be for a short time. She hated to have to leave him so soon, but this was such a good thing for Shego, and also promised to be the trip of a lifetime for the both of them. She had already secured tickets for Shego's come-back night, up in a private box. Adrena Lynn was able to pull some strings for her for that one.

She hadn't noticed that Ron was still talking to her until he had said her name several times.

"KP!" Ron said, and Kim looked up quickly, murmuring an apology. "Where'd your mind go, huh?"

"California."

"Ah, right, well, don't let the pictures fool you, I'm sure that there's hardly any sexy ladies there at all."

"Ron, that's ridiculous." Kim said, and shook her head again, but she couldn't help but grin ear-to-ear.

"Not nearly as ridiculous as you going to California. I mean, there must be someone here…"

"No one here is nearly as good as the physical therapist that Shego's going to see. Dr. Brandun is amazing from what my mom says."

"And that's all well and good, but just what am I supposed to do while you're gone?"

"Well, I can always call Señor Senior Sr… I'm sure he can oblige with a small plot to take the world hostage or something, if you're bored that is." The megalomaniac probably would have had no problem with that, and in fact probably would make the plot just simple enough that Ron could send in Rufus to do the job alone, just as something to pass the time. As much as she cared for her best friend, the both knew that she was the better world savior, and so did all the villains.

"Aww, Kim, that's not fun." Ron whined, and pulled up in front of the hospital finally. "That'd be a cakewalk, and you know it." He took Kim's helment and stowed it on the seat as she started to walk into the building with a small wave. "Maybe I'll just play video games."

"That sounds like a better plan." Kim said, and waved a farewell to her friend before passing through the hospital with ease. She was feeling the stress of the constant travel starting to get to her now, but it would all be worth it once she made it to the physical therapy floor, where Shego would be working through her second and more intense round of stretching and strength training. As she approached the door to the room, she could hear muffled moans, seemingly of a woman in pain. Because the door did not have a window in it, she couldn't be sure who it was coming from, and pushed it open carefully.

What she saw inside was Drew on the ground nursing a sore groin while Shego sat in her wheelchair, grinning like the Cheshire cat of literary fame.

"Shego!" Kim said with mock indignation, "You shouldn't be beating up on Drew yet… you might hurt yourself." And walked forward to give her girlfriend a gentle hug, and quick kiss, and then a not-so-gentle whack to her good shoulder.

"Hey Kim." Shego said, and rolled her eyes while Lipsky rolled on the floor with another moan. "He was asking for it this time."

"What'd he do?"

"Well, er… he wanted me to lift this stupid thing:" She indicated a light weight that was sitting next to her chair, "It's like… 5 pounds." She added, looking a bit sheepish as she did so. "Do you have any idea how heavy five pounds are?"

"Like an elephant I'm sure…" Kim returned, and hefted the weight herself, then held it out for Shego to take in her weakened hand, still encased in plaster. "Just try a little, for me?"

The pale wrestler glared at her for a moment before holding onto the weight. Her arm dropped almost instantly to her side, and she hissed in pain before the metal object clattered to the floor, with Shego holding onto her arm for dear life. That caused several alarm bells to ring in Kim's head, and she immediately started to take a look.

"Oh my gosh Shego, I'm so sorry, I didn't realize it was that bad still…" She said, and gingerly pulled Shego's protecting hand away from her arm and shoulder. "Please, let me take a look. The whole joint was inflamed slightly, and was very warm to the touch. "Shego, I think we need to get this looked at."

"I'm fine…" She protested, trying to shrug it off

"No you're not!" Kim cried, and got up immediately walking over Drew's prone body on her way to pick up Shego's things, a stress ball that she was supposed to be using, as well as a light jacket with her wrestling logo on the back. "We're getting your shoulder looked at right now."

"But…"

"No, no buts." Kim said, and began to push the chair out the door. "Something is wrong, and we're getting it looked at."

"Seriously? Do you need to make a big scene like this?" Shego asked, craning her neck to look up at Kim.

"Yes, yes I do." Kim shot back, completely serious in expression if not in tone. "Do you want to lose that arm?"

"I'm not going to lose my arm…"

"You don't know that…" Kim said, and wheeled Shego into her old room and called the nurse on duty.

(Scene change!)

Some three hours later, and the results were in: Shego had nothing wrong with her, and her pain was simply a result of stress from too intense therapy. Kim was relieved, Shego was not pleased.

"Princess, I could have told you that…"

"Well why didn't you?"

"You wouldn't let me get a word in!" She said, and leaned back into her pillows. Kim was curled up next to her on the bed, cramped as it was, but it was still heaven for the pair of lovers, separated injury and distance for too long.

"Well… I stand by my decision." Kim said, and let her fingers wander down her companion's cast to her hand, holding it softly despite hating the feel of cast against her palm.

"That's wonderful…" the brunette added sarcastically, and closed her eyes for a moment. She was tired, as she was sure Kim was as well from all her travel. "We should take a nap…" She murmured, already feeling her eyelids begin to get heavier.

"Yeah, probably not a bad idea." Kim said, and yawned an affirmative as well.

"Good night princess."

"Good night, invalid."

"Ouch… I resemble that remark…" Shego shot back softly, but soon enough she couldn't even care less as Morpheus took her into the dreamscape.

Author's Note: Uh… woops? Sorry this has been so long, I just haven't had time to write anything. This chapter sat half-finished on my computer for MONTHS before finally getting back to it… I'm really sorry to everyone who's been waiting for this to be updated, and I hope that this chapter did not disappoint. I'll be trying to write more frequently, but I can't really guarantee anything as of late… but we'll see.