Author's note: This is the final chapter. I apologize for the amount of time it took, but as an author the story has to sit well with me before I let anyone else read it. Enjoy! Please review!

Author's disclaimer: See the first two chapters...

Shego once again awoke with a stinging sensation in her side. This one however was sharper than the last time. She sucked air through her teeth in a grimace. Why can't I freakin' just stay conscious?

"I know. I'm almost done," a soothing voice assured her. Her mind was a bit fuzzy, but she definatly knew the speaker. She grimaced again when she felt a final pull at her side.

"I'm done. I'm done," the voice assured Shego as she slowly opened her eyes. Her vision was blurrier than she had expected, so she fixed her gaze on the crackling fire and blinked. She could tell she was on the library couch, the one piece of the lair that wasn't completely destroyed, and the only room with a fireplace. She felt a tugging at her shirt. She growled and ignited her hands.

Drakken immediately backed off; his hands in plain sight. "Iwasstitchingyourwound," He said quickly. Shego glanced down and saw that she was in her long silk pajamas. Her shirt was halfway up so Dr. Drakken could get to her cut. She glared back up at him and pulled her shirt down herself. She crossed her arms expectantly.

Drakken squirmed under her glare. He busied himself with cleaning up the medical equipment. Her gaze never left his face. He walked to the sink, and he could feel the heat of her stare on the back of his neck. He slammed down the first aid kit.

"WHAT?" he demanded.

"What do you mean what?" Shego said calmly with a dangerous tilt to her eyebrow.

"Why are you looking at me like that?" he questioned. Her calmness made him nervous.

Her eyes just narrowed. Drakken then went to the closet and got out a blanket.

"Do you want this?" he spat holding the blanket out to her. She looked away into the fire. It was his turn to glare. His focus was lost after a few seconds though. The way the fire danced off of her smooth black hair was entrancing. She shifted her crossed arms up to hold the sides of her shoulders. Her face still held the same raw aggression with one difference...

She was trying desperately to not shiver.

He placed one end of the blanket at her feet and drew it up to her arms. She turned her head quickly and spoke menacingly into his ear.

"How did I get into these pajamas?"

For the first time, Dr. Drakken felt bigger than his sidekick.

"I changed your clothes because if I had left you in this jumpsuit..." Drakken trailed off and stepped over to the table behind the couch. He picked up her torn, blood-stained, black and green outfit, "I wouldn't be able to fix your side properly it would've gotten infected, and I would've had to find a new sidekick."

"You seem to be really good at that," Shego mumbled glancing back to the fire.

"Excuse me!" Drakken was incredulous, "I wanted you two to work together, but your stupid pride got in the way *again*! This time it went as far as ruining my plan and saving Kim Possible!"

"My goal wasn't to save Princess..."

"Then WHAT WAS IT?" Drakken's face was growing red.

"It was to HURT YOU!" Shego screamed back, sitting up, supporting herself with her hand on the arm of the couch behind her.

Drakken fell silent.

"I helped Kimmie because I knew that would get to you. I wanted to hurt you like… like you hurt me."

Drakken's face was smeared with shock. "You left me to rot in prison with the most annoying cell mate on the face of the earth! You were broken out several times, once by my own family, and you didn't think twice about taking me with you!" He took a deep breath. "How did I hurt you?"

Shego matched his skeptical (with a slight twist of insanity) look with a neutral one. She slowly raised herself off of the couch using the arms for support.

"Where were you when I had 10,000 volts of electricity coursing through me? Where were you when I was carted to the hospital? Where were you when I freakin' flat lined TWICE?" With each question asked she took a step closer to him. He was saddened to find that this was a new anger that he's never seen from Shego. This was rage, bordering on hatred. Drakken couldn't meet her eyes anymore. He was forced to look at his shoes.

"I almost died because of you and your failed plan, but more importantly I was left to die alone! I wanted to show you what it feels like to have the person you trust the most to just not be there!" Before he could say anything she stormed out into the half demolished part of the lair. Drakken flinched when she slammed the door so hard she cracked the wall next to it.

Drakken slumped down on the couch where Shego was previously laying. He noticed that the cushions were still warm from her body heat. He held his head in his hands, desperately attempting to figure out a way to fix this.

~D/S~

Shego sat out on a piece of broken machinery. Her shivering blended with her small sobs. She hated yelling at him like that, but she was right! He left her there to die. He deserved to be screamed at. The rock sitting in her stomach was new however. Usually, (mainly her brothers) would leave her somewhere, because they're idiots, and when she yelled at them she didn't feel a rock in her stomach. Regret. The rock grew heavier when she put a name on it.

Why should I feel regret? Another tear dripped down her cheek as just then she remembered his facial expressions towards the end of the argument. He couldn't look at her. She probably wouldn't be able to look at herself either; her face contorted with rage. She punched a dent in the metal she was sitting on. How could I look at myself? I just hurt…my best friend…

Shego leapt up when a blanket fell around her shoulders. She wiped her eyes with the corners of it before glancing back at Dr. Drakken. He looked like a lost wounded puppy, unsure of what he should say next. However, the blue scientist knew exactly what he was about to do.

Damn it! She had been crying… The strongest person I know was crying… because of me… Drakken held out an envelope. Shego took it never looking away from his face.

"What's this?" her voice was hoarse.

"Reference letter." he responded simply.

"Why do I need this?"

"Because you're quitting," Drakken's gaze fell to the envelope. "That is a reference letter that could get you any job. Not that you'd need it, but I still thought I should give it to you. Maybe it's more for the sake of letting you know how much I've enjoyed working with you."

"You want me to leave?" Shego pulled the blanket tighter around her hoping it would keep her heart from falling out of her chest.

"It's not that I want you to leave. It's that I can't bear the thought of putting your life in danger again. What I did was downright stupid, insensitive, and evil, but not the good kind of evil; the bad kind of evil." Shego's mouth twitched into a slight smile. My God, am I going to miss that smile…

Drakken took a step towards her; her smile was gone. "I almost killed you, Shego. I left my best friend to die while I was sulking in self-pity. I'm so sorry… so so so sorry…" Killed, die, self-pity… Those words repeated themselves in his head over and over. Shego's mind, however, was repeating three different words.

My best friend… It was all she needed to hear.

Drakken reached out to touch her shoulder, but then dropped his hand. Shego could tell this was hurting him more than it was hurting her.

"I'm not leaving."

Drakken jolted in surprise at the sudden clarity and strength in her voice.

"Wha… but Shego… I don't want to…"

"You won't." Once again there was no doubt, no hint of weakness.

"I should be left with nothing though. It's what I deserve." Drakken hung his head.

"I. am. not. leaving." Shego crossed her arms very similarly to the way a teenager does when defying her parents. Drakken could hear the *so don't even try to argue this with me because you won't win* tone ring clearly in her voice. Drakken then thought of another punishment.

"Hit me."

"What?" An off-guard expression spread over Shego's face. Drakken looked back up at her.

"Hit me." He repeated. This time Shego had uncertainty in her voice.

"What?"

"I want you to punch me as hard as you can. Right here," he pointed to the side of his jaw, "I won't try to dodge, or block it… not that I could… but I won't make the attempt."

"Do you realize what you're asking?"

"Yes."

"I'm not sure that you do. If I punched you in the jaw as hard as I could with out you trying to move away, I could easily break your jaw and possibly crack one of your teeth." Drakken gulped but stood his ground.

"I don't care. It's what I deserve. I… I want you to hit me." Dr. Drakken closed his eyes and waited for the jaw crunching impact. After a few uneventful seconds, he slightly opened one eye. He couldn't read Shego's face.

"You really want me to punch you…" She trailed off. He nodded his head, and closed his eye awaiting the pain that he deserved, possibly even wanted.

"Have you considered that maybe I don't want to hit you?"

Just as soon as Drakken's eyes opened he saw Shego take two hesitant steps toward him and embrace him. She placed her head against his chest, and her arms wrapped firmly around him.

"I don't need to hit you. You've punished yourself enough," her voice was the softest and most beautiful he's ever heard it. His tense body immediately relaxed as he put his arm around her, and with his other hand he stroked the back of her long beautiful raven hair.

Shego smiled as she felt relaxation wash over him. The warmth from his chest felt nice against her chilled face.

Drakken smiled as he felt her rub her cheek against his chest. The scent of her hair was a scent that he was sure he wouldn't ever forget.

Both smiles were interrupted, however, when he felt a sudden shake course through her. She pushed him away just before she sneezed.

"Ugh… That's gross," she said, almost disgusted with herself that she even sneezed at all.

"You're getting sick. C'mon, let's get you back by the fire." He wrapped his arm around her as he led her back into the library.

"Oh, and Doc?"

"Yes, Shego?"

"I don't hate you."

The End.

Author's end note: Thank you so much for reading this story! I hope you all enjoyed reading it as much as I liked writing it. Thank you all to those who reviewed! I will have another story posted soon.