When Kim woke up, she did so on in a strange bed. The sheets were clean and neatly folded around the mattress. She looked to her left, grunting with the effort-her whole body seemed to hurt and she had trouble breathing. There were a multitude of machines there; they displayed her heart rate, blood pressure, and other vital signs. Kim relaxed markedly. This was a hospital. Then she caught movement out of the corner of her eye, a nurse was leaving the room. Kim turned her gaze to her right, and was pleasantly surprised to see Shego there, sitting in a chair that had been pulled up as close to the bed as it could get, fast asleep. Kim examined her closely. Shego had a multitude of bandages, crisscrossing back and forth across her torso. Shego's right arm was in a cast, as was her left leg. They weren't mobile casts either; they were the ones that they used in traction. She pitied whoever tried to keep Shego away from her. Kim smiled and brushed a stray lock of hair away from her lover's face. Kim's hand brushed the woman's cheek gently as it returned to her side. She wanted to stay awake, at least until Shego herself woke up, but the siren call that was slumber proved too much for her. She held on to consciousness just long enough to utter a soft sigh.
"Shego."
And then she was gone.
Beep.
Shego found herself fighting for consciousness. She was still half asleep, combating the trace remnants of whatever pain medications the nurse had given her before her 'unauthorized relocation' to Kim's room.
Beep.
Kim, there had been something about Kim. She remembered an explosion, a building coming apart around her. She remembered hugging Kim tightly, trying to shield her from the blast. And she remembered carrying her somewhere, Canada maybe? The building they were in had been in Canada.
Beep.
She was vaguely aware that other people were in the room with her, milling around Kim's bed. They were talking hurriedly amongst themselves, but to Shego, it sounded like they were underwater. Their voices sounded soft and distorted. The only thing she could hear clearly was Kim's heart rate monitor.
Beep.
She latched onto the sound, relying on it to keep her at least partially awake. Then Shego came to realize just how devious her subconscious was. A mental image of Kim danced around her thoughts, enticing her to sleep with promises of pleasant dreams.
"No." Shego slurred softly. Thankfully, not one of the room's inhabitants could hear her. "I want real Kim. Not dream Kim."
Beep.
Even her sarcasm had deserted her in this state. Shego briefly determined that she was never letting another nurse with a needle anywhere near her. Shego was glad she was incoherent. She'd never be caught saying anything so stupid.
Beeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee eeeeeeee…
The calm beeping was suddenly replaced by a shrill screech. Shego snapped out of her daze instantly. Her eyes shot toward the heart monitor. It had flatlined. Reason immediately deserted her. She shoved aside an orderly and grabbed Kim by her shoulder. Shego began to shake her violently. Tears welled up in the woman's eyes.
"No. You will not die on me." She shouted. "I did not drag your sorry ass halfway across the country just so you could die here. You will stay with me." She cried desperately, tears flew freely down her face.
"I'm sorry ma'am." One of the doctors said. He rested his hand on Shego's shoulder. "There's nothing we can do."
She shrugged him off and sat there. She closed her eyes, unable to accept the reality before her. She took Kim's hand in her own, squeezing it gently. For a moment, she could almost imagine that it squeezed back. Then she was aware of another hand patting hers. She looked up to see Kim smiling brightly at her.
"There, there Shego." She whispered. "I'm sure I'll manage just fine while they unhook me from the machines."
At this, the room's other occupants had the good sense to leave the room before bursting into fits of laughter. They almost made it to the staff room, but not quite. The echoes of their laughs drifted back down the hallway. Shego didn't care.
"Oh God Kim," She said, her heart slowing down. "I thought you were-" Then her voice dropped to a whisper. "I didn't want them to be right."
They sat there for a minute, neither moving much. Then Kim fixed Shego with a critical stare.
"Shego, what did you mean, you ' didn't want them to be right'?
"Kim." Shego paused for a moment, wondering how to tactfully break the news. "We're dead."
Kim recoiled slightly, her hands fell back to her side. She stared blankly at Shego.
"Dead?" She finally choked out.
"It's been all over the news." Shego explained. "They had a funeral for us. In the eyes of the world…we died."
"But then…wait…why weren't we recognized?"
Shego raised a hand up to her neck, touching a spot about halfway up. Kim brought her own hand up to the place that Shego had indicated, and was surprised to find a thin metal collar there.
"It's a portable holographic projector. Wade made it for me in case I ever had to disguise myself. Trust me, no one would ever confuse you for Kim Possible right now. As for me," Shego shrugged. "I just told them I had a skin condition. Only villains and law enforcement usually know what I look like."
"So you just…went on letting everyone believe that we're dead?" Kim whispered. As Shego nodded in response, Kim felt anger roll up from inside her in waves. "How could you?" She shouted. "How could you just let everyone believe that we're dead?"
"Kim," Shego tried to console her, but Kim was having none of it.
"Why would you do that to our families, our friends?" Tears began to fill Kim's eyes as she imagined the pain that they would be going through. "Ron and Yori and Monique and Felix and…and…" She fell back into her bed. "Oh God."
"Kim." Shego planted her good arm firmly on Kim's shoulder. "Believe me, I didn't want to, I called Wade, and we both decided that it was for the best." Kim opened her mouth to argue. "Kim, have you tried moving your legs?" She did. She couldn't. She couldn't even feel them. "The docs say that you'll be in bed for about a month. You'll be confined to a wheelchair for the seven after that, and crutches for four months after that. For the next year, you're an invalid." She paused for a second before continuing. "Do you have any idea how much danger you'd be in if everyone knew that? Yes, most of our usual foes wouldn't do anything about it, but would you trust Gemini, or any young upstart with something to prove, to do the same? You'd be a massive target. So would your family and our friends. I didn't want that." At this, Shego broke her gaze and hung her head. "I know you're upset, but try to understand what I-"
Kim cut her off, pulling her into a tight embrace. "I understand." Shego felt Kim's tears dampen her hair. She looped her arm around the redhead.
"It's going to be alright." Shego whispered.
"I know…but this sucks."
A month later, Kim wheeled herself out of the hospital's door at an alarming speed. A nurse, who had insisted that she push the chair, chased after her. Kim rocketed along the sidewalk, leaving the nurse doubled over and gasping for breath. She let out a light, carefree laugh. It was good to be out. All she wanted was to find the apartment that Shego had rented out so that she could take off the holographic collar she wore. It was really starting to irritate her. She found the building fairly easily, it was within walking distance of the hospital. It was large, and fairly pricey Kim took the elevator to the eleventh floor and knocked on the door to apartment seven. When the door opened, Shego was standing there, her trademark smirk plastered to her face.
"Hey Princess." She stepped aside and beckoned Kim inside.
Kim sped into the apartment, found a secluded place, tore off her holographic disguise, and spun each wheel in a different direction-making her rotate in place.
"Freedom!" She shouted.
"Oh come on." Shego complained in mock exasperation. "The hospital isn't that bad."
Kim turned to face her. "Says the woman with super healing, and thus was out in a week."
"Well don't get too excited." Shego chuckled. "You have to go back in a few weeks."
Kim stuck her tongue out in way of reply, which only resulted in more laughter from the older woman. Shego made her way into the kitchen so that she could check on the status of lunch. After a quick self-tour of the apartment, Kim entered the kitchen as well. The dining table caught her eye. It was four sided, but only had three chairs. The side closes to the doorway was empty. Kim realized why it was there. With a sigh, she pushed herself into the opening.
Shego turned away from the counter, both hands grasping plates, and almost dropped them both. Kim's chair occupied the empty position in the table she'd set aside for it. Kim herself was in the wooden chair next to it. Only a slight tremble in her arms suggested what the exertion had cost her.
"Kim," Shego set down the plates and took a seat across from Kim. "you know the docs said that you aren't supposed to do that by yourself."
"I'm Kim Possible, I can do-"
"Do not finish that sentence, Pumpkin."
"Anything." Kim mumbled before turning her attention to her plate.
Shego felt a smile tugging at the corner of her lip. "You are infuriating."
Kim flashed her an innocent smile before resuming on her meal. After a brief chuckle, Shego started on hers as well.
Will Du was still getting used to his new responsibilities as head of Global Justice, even though he'd occupied the post for over three months. He was busy filling out several dozen authorization forms-he loved doing paperwork. It was probably the least stressful and challenging aspect of his new job-when the phone rang. That itself was unusual, and for it to have gone straight to him, without first passing through his secretary first, was almost unheard of. Only one person had ever pulled that off. And she'd been dead for four months. Briefly, he entertained the possibility that somehow, by some miracle, the lucky amateur had survived. Then he forced himself back to reality, and picked up the phone.
"Director Du."
"Ron Stoppable."
Will's eyes narrowed. He hit a small red button on the phone's cradle. It began to glow red. The call was now being recorded.
"Why have you contacted me Mr. Stoppable?" Will asked, his tone curt.
""I want to know what the hell happened." Ron growled.
"Pardon?"
"You know, contrary to what my teachers…and classmates…and parents…all think, I'm not that stupid. Wade and I did a little digging."
If Wade Load was involved, then Stoppable might have some very sensitive information at his disposal. Will Du audibly gulped. He was thankful that Dr. Director had the phone modified so that his voice always sounded slightly garbled, as if there was a faulty connection. Ron missed the slip. It was a good negotiating tool; the person on the other side of the line usually relaxed their game when they thought they had some room to slip up. They didn't, Will's receiver worked fine. Ron's voice came in crystal clear.
"Kim and Shego head out on a mission provided by G.J. intel, while Yori and I are on another G.J. backed mission in Tibet. Only Kim wasn't supposed to be with Shego. Wade was supposed to send her on another mission. She doesn't, and they both die. Over the next month, half of Global Justice's senior analysts quit, as does Dr. Director. Something went wrong. You had something planned for Shego, I know you did, but this time it didn't work did it?"
For one of the few times in his life, Will Du struggled to keep his face impassive. He said nothing, and that told Ron all he needed to know.
"It…it did work, didn't it?" Ron asked quietly, dumbstruck. "That was your plan. You wanted to…"
"Goodbye Mr. Stoppable." Will said right before his hand slammed the phone back into its receiver. He went back to his paperwork, this time with a slightly trembling hand.