I don't own these characters; Disney does. Cali and Isabel are my characters.
5: Biology 101 — How to Relate to Your Blood
"Are you all right with us having breakfast here?" Bonnie asked Kim. Bonnie, Shego, and Joss set up a small breakfast around Kim's convalesce nest, as they had come to think of her bedding in the living room.
"I don't mind. I like having breakfast with you guys," Kim answered. She knew the question was asked because everyone was now doing their best not to treat Kim like a complete invalid and they were trying not to hover in order to save Kim's sanity.
"That's good to know," Bonnie commented with a smile. "We like having breakfast with you."
"You guys are so cute!" Joss cooed.
Three sets of eyes rolled. Joss had taken to their relationship quite well and completely approved of their unconventional family. Of course, she had a lot of time to prepare for seeing them together mentally, but she did not act as if it was strange in the slightest. They figured it was due to the fact that Kim was almost fatally injured. Joss was more focused on Kim's recovery than anything else, which was what she was there for. But, they appreciated her diving right in and not being judgmental in any way.
"We're not cute. No one older than you can be cute," Shego stated, giving Joss a glare while buttering a croissant for her redheaded girlfriend. Once it met with her approval, she passed it to Kim.
"Y'all are totally cute, though!" Joss smiled. "I mean, you just buttered her bread!" She motioned between Kim and Shego.
Shego decided to just ignore the younger woman. "My parents are coming home in a few days, Kimmie. They wanted to know if it was all right for them to visit you."
"I don't mind. I think I want to thank them," Kim said. Ever since speaking to Isabel, she felt a little better about herself. And ever since speaking with her lovers, she began healing mentally, which she knew she needed more than anything else.
Kim was not too happy about how everyone was sort of tip-toeing around her now, but she could understand and appreciate why they were doing it. She could not have it both ways – asking them not to hover and then request they not ask her if certain things were all right with her. It was nice that they wanted to respect her wishes, even it felt a little weird.
Groaning, Shego shook her head. "Please, don't. My mother might never shut the hell up about it if you thank her."
It was Bonnie's turn to groan. "Are you going to get back onto this 'I hate my mother' horse of yours?"
"She gets on my nerves. She is, like, the world's most annoying woman," Shego proclaimed. "And I totally, honestly mean that."
"I wanna meet the woman that gave birth to you," Joss commented with a laugh.
Shego resisted the urge to throw some bread at Joss. "And I always thought having a little sister would've been better than having brothers, but it seems like it would've been the same thing."
She earned laughs with that line. Breakfast was eventless, which was great for them. Before, meals between them had been tense. It had been because of Kim's habit of smiling and being sweet all the time when they knew that was not how she felt inside. With Kim becoming more comfortable with things, they were all able to become more comfortable.
"Shego, are you going to drive me to work today or are you going to go to class?" Bonnie asked as Shego started buttering another croissant, which was for the lawyer.
The eldest looked to Kim. "Should I go to work or do you need me here?"
"Hey, aren't I here so you can go to work!" Joss objected with a good-natured grin.
"You're here because I haven't figured out where to hide your body yet. Don't forget that, kid," Shego remarked, wagging her finger at Joss.
"Shego, you should go to work. Give your brothers a break. Besides, you know your students miss you. Poor Yori has probably been sexually assaulted more times than we can count since you haven't been down there," Kim pointed out.
"Yori might've killed my whole class and the twins if that's the case," Shego retorted with a scoff. She could imagine the carnage. She would have to go to work just to find out where Yori dumped all of the bodies. Her parents would undoubtedly like to give the twins a proper burial, after all.
Shego did not argue with Kim in regards to her returning to class. Joss was there to help with Kim when Shego and Bonnie where gone, after all. Besides, she had to trust Kim and give her space, like they agreed on, she reminded herself. So, it would seem that she would be returning to class after a month's absence.
"If you don't mind, I'll call you at around noon, baby?" Bonnie inquired with hope sparkling in her blue-green eyes.
"That's fine. I'd like that," Kim replied with a smile, a real smile. Before, Bonnie called every fifteen minutes while she was at work and that was overkill. It was not that Kim did not want to hear from her tanned lover, but she did not want Bonnie treating her like a baby. She also did not like Bonnie being so obviously worried about her. Lessening the calls would help Bonnie, too.
Breakfast was finished and Shego and Bonnie gave Kim farewell kisses. Cali trotted after them to the door, but did not follow them down. Shego drove Bonnie to work and they held hands the whole way there. Kisses were exchanged when they pulled up to the firm, Bonnie exited, and Shego returned to their building in order to get to work.
"Hey, sis, what are you doing down here?" Wes inquired as she settled into her classroom. Of course, she was one of the few people who knew it was Wes. Hell, even Yori could not tell the Go twins apart and she was an expert in noticing the smallest details.
"I'm taking back my class if you don't mind. Go help Wen, so he doesn't end up with anymore bruised shins," Shego dismissed her younger brother with a wave of her hand.
Wes chuckled. "They really can't stand the fact that he's not Kim. She's starting a cult up there or something."
Snorting, Shego rolled her eyes. "Ah, that's what everyone thinks we're doing."
"Kim more so than you and Yori. You see, you and Yori's students get that me and Wen are only here for certain amount of time because Kim got hurt. They understand you're gonna be back and Kim's gonna be back and everything's gonna fine. They get we've only been here a month. Kids don't get that, especially that young. Kim made an impression on them and they all admire her. They want to be her. They want her approval. They want her," Wes tried to explain. He doubted he was doing a very good job. "Oh, I know, think of us if Mommy was suddenly gone." He pointed between them.
Shego looked directly at her brother and could not help thinking about the event that seemed to keep coming up – the time Isabel really was gone. Shego had not been very old at the time and did not fully comprehend what had happened, but she knew that a void had opened up inside of her. She had tried to fill that void with her father, which she knew she still did. Much of it was force of habit now, but in that year her mother had been lost to her, Shego had accepted it and tried to move on as best a child could. But, it was not her reaction that interested her right now; it was Mego's reaction.
She could not recall much of her brothers' reactions at the time, but Mego had been the one that always made it a point to comment on how something was not like their Mommy's or someone could not tell them what to do because the person was not his Mommy. Their grandmother had actually almost snapped his spine in half when he told her, "You might look it, but you ain't my Mommy, so leave me alone." He refused to accept any and all substitutions for their mother. He had been a very smart-mouthed little brat, she recalled with a smile.
"Call Matteo and try to get him to help with the kids. He should know what they're going through," Shego said.
A red eyebrow arched. "Huh? Mego would know what someone's going through? Mego? Our brother Mego?" he could not have sounded more incredulous if he tried.
She snickered a bit. "I know it's hard to believe that the crazy egomaniac would be empathetic, but it happens. When Kim's better, we'll bring her downstairs for the kids to see. Until then, I think we can figure out a video connection or something for the kids to see Kim. She's pretty coherent now."
"I'm sure she is. You and Bonnie force those pain meds on her, but she always makes you stop, so they don't make her feel doped up. I don't know how she does it. I mean, we heal extra fast thanks to our powers, but it still hurts a lot when we break something. I couldn't imagine breaking everything and still feeling that pain a month later," Wes commented, shaking his head.
"It sucks and I'm not even the one that feels the pain physically. All right, time to get things started," Shego declared, clapping her hands together.
Shego walked off while her little brother wandered off upstairs. She did some stretches and warm up exercises. By the time her first few students trickled in, she was all smiles and ready for work. She had missed these maniacs, she realized. They're my maniacs.
"Teach, you back?" one of her students inquired with a hopeful grin.
"I'm back. And, to show you I mean business, as soon as we get enough people in here, we're going down the hall and kicking those ninjas' asses. They'll never see it coming!" Shego proclaimed, punching her left fist into her open right palm.
The students cheered. The plan to invade Yori's class showed Shego was back for good. Her students were reassured, so now she had to work on reassuring Kim's students.
-8-8-8-8-
Kim sighed and tried to settle back into her nest. Cali had promised to give her sometime to herself and Joss was busy on the computer. It was just Kim on her own, trying to get herself together. She meditated a little, but it did not settle her like it used to. She actually needed to be able to stand for meditation for help her.
"I can make it through this. I've had plenty of broken bones before. Sure, not all at the same time, but I've had them before. My mom took care of me pretty good. Why is it so hard for me to accept Bonnie and Shego doing it for me? I mean, I'd do it for them…" Kim sighed, scratching her head. Already, she thought these were not things she could just work out on her own. Quickly, she reached for her Kimmiucator and made a call.
"Hello, darling," Isabel chirped, apparently pleased to hear from Kim.
"Isabel, I need your help. I thought having time to myself, time to think about things and sort myself out was the way to go, but one day of it and I already know I'm wrong. What am I supposed to do?" Kim begged to know.
"Kimmie, I know this is difficult. Trust me, I've been through this… which, of course, would be why you called me," Isabel chuckled a little.
"Yes."
"Kim, I've already told you how to overcome this. You have to speak with them. I overcame my depression by finally talking to Kane… once I realized he was there anyway. It was a horrible time. Anyway, You just have to keep talking to them. I know you feel weak and you want to be left alone. I felt like that when I was coherent enough to realize where I was. But, I was able to regain my sense of self by talking to Kane. Trust me, it works wonders," Isabel vowed.
"You make it sound so simple."
"In introspect, it was the easiest thing to do. While it was occurring, I think I felt I would have had a better chance of walking across molten lava carrying an elephant. Have you spoken with them?"
"Yes, we spoke about this last night."
"Didn't you feel better?" Isabel inquired.
"I did."
"I know you did. So, just keep it up. Trust me, Kim, it works. I know you think getting space and working it out on your own is really the best course of action along with speaking to them, but it isn't. All your head is going to do is tell you how spectacularly imperfect and mortal you are. Your head lies," Isabel said, laughing somewhat.
"My head lies?" Kim was pretty sure she was imperfect and mortal, just like her head kept insisting. It was something she should probably come to terms with.
"Oh, yes, when damaged, the head lies. It lies a lot," Isabel insisted.
"But… I am mortal."
"Yes, we all are, but some more enlightened than others. You're leaps and bounds ahead. Your head will lie, so you will stop believing that. Don't listen to your head. Your head lies."
Kim took a deep breath and sniffled. "Are you sure?"
"For a person meant to keep moving, when you stand still, you're thrown off balance. Your mind's used to a fast pace and it responds to that pace. Once at a stand still, confusion begins because it doesn't know what to do, it doesn't know how to process the new, but some how lessened data coming in. Kim, trust me, just talk about it with your spouses as often as possible."
The hero burst out laughing. "Spouses?"
"Yes, spouses. Why are you and Firefly so insistent you three aren't married? I should call Bonnie and see if she considers you her wives. Perhaps she's the one I can talk to about some grandchildren," Isabel mused aloud.
Kim made a choking noise. "Grandchildren?"
"Yes, grandchildren. I need some while I can still spoil them. At my age, my mother had several. I want that," Isabel declared.
"Uh… Isabel, I need to go," Kim replied. She did not have the mental capacity for the rest of this conversation. "Thank you for helping me. I can't wait to see you," she said and she disconnected the call. She blew out a breath. "Grandchildren? She could've waited until I felt safe fainting to tell me that one."
Briefly, Kim was overwhelmed by the thought of marriage and kids. That would certainly extend their little family of four; she had to include Cali in her thoughts. But, as the thought settled, it was not as bad. Well, it would not be bad if she were able to stand up on her own and bathe herself.
"I wonder…" Kim decided to make another call. "Hey, baby."
"Hi, Kimmie. I'm surprised you're calling me. I thought you needed time to yourself," Bonnie said.
"And now I need to talk to you."
"Well, talk. I've got the time," Bonnie commented. The sound of voice made it easy to deduce that she was smiling.
"I know this might sound like a weird question, but do you think of me and Shego as your wives?"
Bonnie chuckled. "I'd like to, but I do not."
"You'd like to, but you don't? Why don't you?"
"Well, for one, we'd have to exchange rings and I'd really like a ceremony with vows and everything."
Kim laughed a little. "Rings I can understand, but a ceremony? I know gay marriage is all the rage and everything, but I don't think they'll allow the three of us to do it."
Bonnie giggled. "I don't mean a legal ceremony, baby. I just want something for us and for our families. Don't you think your father would like to give you away? We could have a lovely ceremony on the beach or at Kane's vacation house. I'm sure between your parents and Shego's parents, someone would be able to find someone to perform a ceremony."
"I can see you've thought this out pretty well," Kim muttered. She was loath to admit it never crossed her mind. She had been perfectly content with everything the way it was before her accident.
"I have. I want to spend my life with you and Shego, after all."
Kim scratched her chin. Wow. "I … I want that, too," she realized. Because she had never thought of it, she did not realize she wanted it. These were the only two people she wanted to be with from now until the end of time.
"I should hope so. You're the reason we all came together, after all," Bonnie commented with another laugh.
"Yeah, but love has kept us all together. So, this ceremony that you'd like to happen… do you see it happening sometime soon or…?"
"The future. Not too distant, but not too soon. Shego's very squeamish at the mere implication that we're spouses and you've never even brought it up. Have you been thinking about this while sitting on your ass all day?" Bonnie teased.
Kim chuckled. Oh, she's teasing me. Maybe my calling helped her. "No. Honestly, I called just because talking helps."
Bonnie was silent for a moment before she made a noise that sounded like she understood what was going on. "It does. Talking to you helped me get over my insecurities. Remember what you would always tell me when I got down on myself?"
"That you're totally awesome because you're totally awesome," Kim proclaimed. It was true then and it was true now.
"Well, guess what? Baby, you're totally awesome. In fact, you're, like, the most awesome person on the planet. I mean, you're Kim Possible. You can do anything," Bonnie declared with a laugh.
Kim absorbed that and smiled brightly. "Thank you for that."
"Hey, I'm only telling you the truth. I'm happy you decided to talk to me about this. You are awesome, baby. Totally awesome."
"You are too, you know that, right? You're totally awesome."
Bonnie giggled. "I know I am, baby. You make me feel that way everyday. You and Shego."
"I love you."
"I love you, too."
"I'll let you get back to your work now," Kim said.
"Please, call me anytime, my love."
"I will." Kim then disconnected the call. She was almost annoyed to find out that Isabel was correct; she felt better. Talking with Bonnie made her feel much better. She inhaled and smiled.
"Kim, I'm going out to do the shopping. Do you want anything?" Joss called into the living room.
"Yeah, can you come here for a second?" Kim requested.
Joss appeared in the entryway seconds later. "Yeah?"
"I appreciate all of the help you've given me and us over this week. You've been amazing," Kim said and her cousin grinned. That got a smile out of her. "I just thought you should know the truth."
"I thought… I thought I was useless cuz you were so grumpy," Joss admitted in a low tone, glancing away briefly.
"What? No, Joss! You're doing great! I was grumpy because… well, look at me! I'm kinda in a bad way," Kim pointed out. "In a really bad way."
"I know you are, which is why I never thought much of you being grumpy, but you seemed so resistant to everything I tried to do."
"I was just pissed. Actually, I am still pissed. I mean, look at me, right? But, I don't mean to take it out on you and I'm going to do my very best to stop doing that," Kim vowed.
Joss smiled slightly. "Good to know."
"Again, thank you, Joss."
"You're welcome."
Joss practically skipped out of the room after that. Kim smiled and admitted to herself that she was feeling a lot better. She was healing in every way possible now.
-8-8-8-8-
Bonnie smiled softly, glancing at the phone. She was still beaming because of Kim's call and the conversation. She was glad Kim asked her about marriage. It had been something that had been on her mind for a little while, especially after Kim injured herself.
"Or maybe it's been since I accepted that they're my family. I just want to be closer to my family and marriage would do that. It would show a great deal of commitment, but I think I have my own demons to work through before I can ask that from Kim and Shego," Bonnie muttered.
While she was often going on about their family and how they had given her two loving extended families, she knew she had one matter to deal with. She still had a biological brother out there that had not forsaken her, Johnnie. Johnnie had made strides to make amends, but she had resisted. After all, he had abused her just as her other siblings had, but he had done so for survival, just as she had done. Except, since she was the baby of the family, she had to target someone else, someone outside of their family – Kim.
"If I could make up with Kim, have her forgive me, and end up loving her this much, I think I really should have a chat with Johnnie. No reason to be a bitch longer than I've been already," Bonnie figured. So, she picked up her phone and dialed.
"Bonnie?" Johnnie sounded beyond surprised.
"Hey, bro. How are you doing?" Bonnie asked.
"I'm fine. I just wasn't expecting to hear you."
"Yes, I've learned that talking about things might actually help start the healing process. I think the couple of times it seems like we're starting, I hesitate. I need to stop doing that. If we're going to get on with our lives, we do need to talk," Bonnie explained.
"I would like that," Johnnie commented.
"How about we have lunch today? I'll have to call Shego and everything, but I'd like to have lunch with you."
"That sounds great. So, where do you want to meet up?"
Bonnie made plans with her brother and then had to cancel her usual lunch date with Shego. That seemed to work out for Shego, who planned to meet up with her own brother for lunch along with the twins. Bonnie did not bother to ask why there was a Go sibling luncheon, figuring she would get the whole story at home. With that out of the way, she finished up with her work and then went to meet her brother.
Johnnie was waiting for Bonnie at a diner and smiled when she entered. His blue eyes lit up as he focused on her. Bonnie smiled a little, too, pleased her brother was happy to see her. His ebony hair was longer than she recalled and he seemed to have the workings of a beard going on. He was dressed well; it was the first time that she had seen him in business casual clothing.
"Bonnie, I'm so glad you showed up," Johnnie said, reaching out for her and guiding her into the seat across from him.
"That makes two of us. Sorry I've been blowing you off for so long," Bonnie apologized.
"It's fine. You have your life and I have mine. It's nice when they can coincide, though."
She chuckled. It was nice that he was giving her an out, excusing her behavior to help get her to stay. "Yes, but they should coincide more. I know you've been trying, Johnnie. I just haven't."
"I can understand why. I wasn't a very nice kid." Sighing, he shook his head and ran his hand through his hair.
Bonnie nodded. "You weren't, but I also wasn't a very nice kid. I treated Kim the way you guys treated me, but she never gave up on me and she forgave me when I was mature enough and willing to change. She helped me change. Now, you're trying to apologize to me and it's time for me to forgive you."
Johnnie smiled. "I'm happy for that. I really am sorry for everything, Bonnie. I was a dumb kid. I wanted them to accept me. I'm not that kid anymore. I want to be your brother now. Is that all right?"
"I think that's fine. I should've said something earlier to you."
"You said something and that's all that matters. I'm glad you said something," Johnnie declared.
"Yes, so, let's try having a normal conversation now, like a brother and a sister should have. How have you been? What's with the suit?" she asked. For all of her family talk with Kim and Shego, honestly, Bonnie did not even know what Johnnie did for a living anymore.
"Just got a job in management."
"At that same crazy store you used to work at?"
Johnnie nodded. "The very same." He paused as a waiter came over to take their orders and then picked right back up when the guy was gone. "Brick pushed me to go to college and get a business management degree. He's been a lot more encouraging than Mom and Dad have ever been. Remember Dad would always tell me to just join the army? 'They could always use more practice dummies.'"
"Dad… if ever there was a person that shouldn't have had kids…" She trailed off with a chuckle.
He laughed a little, too. What else could they do but laugh after growing up in that house? "I think Mom would've been on that list, too. How does one manage to raise so many sadists in one home?"
"That might've actually been the problem. One might have been the sadist and then the others followed the lead without any adult intervention. But, then again, only two of us seems to regret our behavior," she pointed out.
"Like I said, sadists. But, whatever. We're more than the Rockwaller family." He sat up a little taller and looked at her with sparkling eyes.
"This is quite true. You mentioned Brick, how is he?" Bonnie asked.
"He's doing pretty good. He still doesn't understand how it's possible he's not in the professional football league. He complains about it every now and then, but he's doing well in a semi-professional league. How about your girls?"
Bonnie smiled. "Kim's been a little under the weather," she said. She knew Kim would not want anyone outside of their small circle to know about her injuries. "Shego and I have been taking care of her, but other than that, everyone's fine."
"That's good. Work going well for you?"
"Yes, very well. I assume it's going well for you, too."
"It is."
The pair chatted very amiably throughout lunch. Bonnie was quite pleased with the afternoon. She hoped Shego's lunch with her brothers went in a similar manner.
-8-8-8-8-
"Stop eating my chicken, dammit!" Mego complained as the twins plucked food out of his container of takeout Chinese food. They sat on the floor in Shego's classroom. The Go gang was all there, except their eldest brother and their parents.
"Could you two be any more annoying?" Shego huffed, shoving the youngest twin away from her.
"Doy!" Wes and Wen both responded by creating ten clones.
"God, this is why we used to beat you up!" Shego laughed, slapping the nearest clone.
"Ow!" Wen complained, putting his hand on his cheek where his clone was smacked. "Hey, you know we can feel it when you guys hit our clones!"
"No shit. You're lucky you can't feel your clones being smacked around by the bad guys with the way you guys have your horrible defense," Shego teased. For some reason, the twins could not feel the pain of their clones unless someone with comet powers hit the clone. It seemed like a good addition of their power… until they started annoying sibling, anyway.
"No way! We could kick your ass right now!" Wes proclaimed.
"No one kicks my ass," Shego declared with a confide smirk. Her brothers wisely did not dispute that. She turned her attention to Mego. "So, you're cool on that thing we talked about?"
"Yeah, I don't have a problem with that. I'm happy to help, especially Kim. She's adorable," Mego said with an impish smile.
"You like Kim?" Wes inquired. He and his double leaned in, as if they did not want to miss the response there.
"You haven't even seen her that much. I mean, we've seen her way more than you have. Yes, she's totally adorable and everything, but how would you know?" Wen added on.
"Hey, just because I don't come around too often doesn't mean I don't keep up. She's practically our sister-in-law!" Mego pointed out.
Emerald eyes narrowed. "Did Mommy or Daddy tell you that?"
Mego thought on it for a second. "Mommy first, but Daddy plays along now. You've been dating long enough, anyway. I think it's rather apropos."
"Yeah, yeah, yeah, tell them not to order any dresses just yet. They keep trying to get us married and Kim's upstairs stuck in her freaking nest and miserable!" Shego snorted, motioning to the ceiling.
"Speaking of that, you think I can go upstairs and talk to Kim? I know I haven't been around a lot, but I do want to make the best of my time, sis," Mego said.
Shego smiled and nodded. Mego always showed the world that he was a selfish bastard, but what he really was spoiled. He cared about the people close to him, especially his family. Everything did not have to be about him, even if he floated all around the world because it was something that he wanted to do.
"Just try not to be annoying. She's understandably a little cranky," Shego said.
"I'm not annoying! Don't confuse me with the twins!" Mego grinned while pointing accusing fingers at the youngest two.
They laughed and went back to eating… as well as bothering each other by stealing food. They actually thought it would be fun if Hego were with them. It would have been like old times. Some other time, Shego thought.
-8-8-8-8-
"So, how did things go after Mego explained stuff to my class?" Kim asked as she, Shego, Bonnie, and Joss sat down for dinner. Cali was in her cat form, lounging on the floor with food of her own.
"He was actually good with the kids. It was shocking as hell. He was even surprised at how well he dealt with them. I'm scared, but I think he might be considering kids now," Shego grimaced at the mere thought.
"Your mom will talk him out of it," Kim remarked.
"I hope so. No kid deserves to be with Matteo for more than an hour," Shego quipped with a laugh.
"Come on! He's your brother. He can't be that bad," Joss commented.
"No, he's worse," Shego grinned.
"He was nice when he came up here to see Kim," Joss pointed out. Kim nodded in agreement.
"Don't listen to Shego. She teases, but she loves, which was why she trusted Mego to talk to Kim's kids today and why she trusted the twins with the classes. They're not as incompetent as she swears they are," Bonnie insisted with a small smile.
Joss laughed a bit, but she knew Bonnie was right. She saw how Shego barked at Cali one second and would coddle the cat the next. Shego was like that with Bonnie and Kim, too. It was very mild with her lovers, but Joss realized she was around at a very trying time for the trio. She planned to come around more often to see more of them.
"Joss, I'm still surprised that you're so cool with this," Shego said.
"Your family is cool with it, so why shouldn't the Possible family be cool with it?" Joss replied with a smile.
"Is that what this is? You have to prove your family's as cool as mine?" The smug smirk was pure Shego.
"My family would kick your ass if we were up to par," Joss bragged. The trio chuckled. Joss fit in, they all thought.
"You know what, kid? I think we might keep you for a while," Bonnie quipped with a bright smile.
"Thank ya kindly," Joss remarked with a smile of her own.
-8-8-8-8-
Next time: Ron and Monique show up when Ron needs Kim and Monique to help him with important business.