"I'm going to kill Wade!" Kim's arms flailed even in Ron's tight grasp. "I'm going to kill him!"

She was still strong. She had always been strong, of that Ron was perfectly aware. But this strength was unbelievable. Lithe body giving way to an animal fury. A caged animal, Ron thought bitterly. He pressed her against his chest and tried to pin her arms down, too, but she was fighting. Why had he told her? What stroke of madness had persuaded him tell her? Tell her what? The truth she deserved to know? Why was the right thing so hard?

"Kim!" he shouted desperately, as if she would listen. To his surprise, she did. She collapsed, panting, draped over his forearms.

He truly had not expected that. So he stood there, hanging on to the sobbing mess that was Kim Possible. If he let her go, well, that would most certainly be the end of Wade. Not that Ron would blame her.

"What?" she finally asked.

"I don't think he meant it," he said. "I… I spoke to him a little while ago. Well, actually he sort of stunned me right then and there… but…"

"He attacked you and you don't think he meant to kill me?" At least she was no longer fighting against him.

"He said you weren't supposed to be caught. That wasn't part of the plan. KP, he was a kid back then. In fact, I'd still consider him a kid. A stupid kid that maybe decided to test you for some insane reason."

"He stole my life, Ron!" She once more twisted against his arms and he fought to restrain her. "He helped steal my life! And for what? Money?"

"Garrison wasn't offering a reward."

"I don't care! Where is he right now? I have to find him—"

"Kim, you need to calm down. Right now." He could barely see her in the darkness.

She finally collapsed to the sidewalk, taking him with her. And there she knelt, crying silently, his arms around her. He could not let her go. Protecting Wade was one reason, but… he pressed his face into her hair, smelling it.

"Six years," she whispered. "I come back and everything is gone."

"No, it's not. Your family is here. I'm here."

"You apparently no longer count," she said bitterly. "Why did Wade do it?"

Wade… He couldn't think about Wade right now. "I don't know. But the important thing is that you are out."

"To help Shego. And I'm hardly even doing that. I'm worthless here, Ron. Worthless."

"You're not worthless. You're Kim Possible."

"Used to be." She sighed and turned. He still held her arms. "That girl is gone now."

"No, she's not. You'll find her. I'm taking you home now. Your family misses you. They need to be with you and you need to be with them."

"But I want to kill Wade," she weakly protested. "I need my revenge…"

"You need sleep and you need your family." He scooped her into his arms. She didn't fight him. She was light, so light. They would have to decide what to do about Wade later. He carried her to her door.

Her father answered it, eyes still shining with the sight of his little Kimmie. "You brought her back," he said quietly. "I still… it's still hard to believe, Ron." Then the stern demeanor only natural to a father appeared. "What's going on?" It was almost like a high school doorstep scene.

"Nothing," Ron said truthfully. "Nothing like that. It's been a day. A long and interesting day. She needs sleep."

"Daddy?" Kim murmured sleepily.

Mr. Dr. Possible put his hand on her forehead. "I'm right here. Ronald, you should take her upstairs."

Ron nodded. "Oh, one more thing."

"Yes."

"Lock the door. Whatever security you have, put it in place. I know you have the goods, Dr. Possible."

Panic hit Dr. Possible's eyes. "Who is after her?"

"No one. It's her that's after someone."

It seemed nothing else needed to be said. Mr. Dr. Possible nodded. "Thanks, Ronald. We'll keep her inside."

Kim was conscious enough to climb the ladder to her bedroom, but after that became the dead-tired thing she was. At least she was no longer screaming about Wade. Ron helped her onto her bed and was about to leave when she grabbed his hand.

"Stay," she said simply. "Stay with me."

Innocent enough, it seemed, though he had been raised better than that. Though they were both adults. She needed someone.

Well, her family was just downstairs. What better protection did she require?

"Stay," she said again. This time her hand, gentle as a butterfly, made its way up his cheek He shivered and his heart flipped. Her hand gained power, tugging his hair and pulling his face down towards hers.

The first kiss was nothing. Just a peck, sweet, but just a peck. But the next was harder, firm and hungry, and he opened his mouth to hers. She tasted like tear salt.

"You're going to help me, right?" she murmured between kisses. "You're going to help me? You have to."

"I can't help you kill Wade, even if he does kind of deserve it." He kissed her eyes and nose. It all tasted like salt.

"I just don't know what to do. I'm just… " She paused as she pressed her lips against his for near the count of ten. Then she fell back, breathing deeply. "I'm just glad you're here, Ron. I missed you so much." Her hands went to his shirt, tugging and pulling.

No. "No!" He pushed himself away from the bed. What was he doing? This, and he hadn't even mentioned what he had heard Shego say.

She sat up on the bed. "What? You're not going to help me?"

He shook his head. "I can't think right now. I just can't." He stormed to the ladder.

"Ron!" she called after him.

He pretended not to hear.

"Ron!"

He left the house without another word to the Possibles. They could deal with their daughter. He hopped in his car and drove as quickly as he could to Monique's.

She was sitting on her couch, flipping through a magazine. She looked surprised to see him. "Ron?"

"Monique" was all he said. He pulled her to her feet and kissed her. She did not taste like salt.


Shego slept late the following morning. Being stunned tended to have that effect on a person. The morning was spent in the tub. Her expensive, fancy tub, filled with water and fancy vanilla bath crystals. None of it seemed to matter. Still, she soaked into it, thinking.

Stupid Wade. How she hated that boy. He had lied to her. Darren's headquarters were in that bunker. She had Kim Possible with her. Little piece of property, all ready to trade, ready to score. And then Darren would have given her back Brexton.

Her arms ached for Brexton.

Well, she could still get Kim. Kimmie wasn't far. Darren Sharp, on the other hand, was an entirely different story.

Shego still wanted to kill Wade. And no doubt Kim would be along for the ride. Another moment of team work before she turned in the great Kim Possible. Pity. They made such a team when teenaged geniuses weren't lying.

Finally the heat began to leave the water. Shego sighed and stepped out, dripping. She stared into the mirror. For a woman and a mother of her age she still managed to look fantastic naked. She pulled a towel around her and considered the plans for the day.

What? Contact Kim? Kill Wade?

And that was when her buzzer rang

Towel still around her, she answered it.

"Shego," said the familiar voice, one she knew so well. "It's me."

She gasped. "Jackson?"

"Yes. Can I come on up?"

The few minutes before his official arrival at her door were far too long. She managed to throw on some underwear and a robe. Hardly appropriate for answering the door, but it had been so long…

Jackson Sharp looked just as she remembered him. Tall. Slender in that university bookish sort of way. He even had the horn-rimmed glasses. Why did professors have to look so darn sexy? Her heart melted and she felt the same way she had the first time she had ever looked at him.

"Shego," he said softly. "You… you look great."

"Thanks," she whispered. "How did you find me?"

"I followed you."

"From where?" She shut her eyes and groaned as everything came together. "You were there. With that Wade kid. You…"

"Possibly saved your life." He stepped forward and shut the door behind him. "That kid is under a whole lot of trouble. It's just a good thing he panicked and called me. I came… I did not expect to see you there."

"I don't understand."

"Wade is a colleague. I promise I never intended him to kill you. It's just a huge misunderstanding. I thought you were someone else. So he gave you the wrong codes."

"Who did you think I was?"

"Anyone else but you. Shego, if I had known, I promise…"

"It's about Brexton," she said quickly. "He's been kidnapped."

"I know. Of course I know."

Tears stung her eyes and she turned her back to him. "Then why didn't you try to find me?"

He put her arm on her shoulder, and to her surprise she did not shrug it away. "That was years ago. Besides, you're impossible to find."

Now she didn't want him touching her. She whirled around, eyes flashing, and to her delight he sprung back. "I'm Brexton's mother! You may be his father, but I'm his mother! Would you doubt that I would do anything in my power and then some to get him back!"

"Shego—" Jackson said.

"I spent millions of dollars purchasing Kim Possible back from Garrison Wiles! Darren Sharp wants her, I know he wants her, but he's impossible to find! He can't be found!"

"Shego—"

"What?!"

For a long time he said nothing. She stared at him, chest heaving. And he just stood there, handsome and quiet, the perfect professor. "You never put it together," he said quietly.

"Put what together?" She gasped. "Oh, how could I have been so stupid! The names! I just thought… Jackson, who is he?"

"Darren Sharp is my father. This was never about you. This was always about me."