After that reassuring pep talk, Kim had left Shego's apartment and headed towards her own. She was a bit lost in thought as she found her way to the couch.

"I think we're both so broken up that we can't really move forward," mumbled Kim. She rubbed her eyes.

She couldn't lie - last night was probably the best night's sleep she had had in ages... All because Shego was lying beside her. It was oddly comforting since she wouldn't have normally entertained the idea of sharing the bed, but her mother was being sly on purpose.

Kim smiled. In her own way, her mother had approved of the relationship. "But now it's giving us all sorts of problems..."

Kim knew that giving Shego space was probably the best thing to do right now, which is why she did not suggest staying over at Shego's for a late lunch or early dinner, and had headed back home.

Perhaps that giving Shego space could also be a bad thing, Kim mused as she closed her eyes and lied down on the couch. It might signal to her girlfriend that Kim was just avoiding her. "No, she wouldn't think that," mumbled Kim. After all, Kim did just reassure her girlfriend that she would stick around until Shego didn't want her anymore.

Sometimes you have to be selfless in a relationship, Kim thought. But maybe that's why people get burned in the end - they give their partners their all, only to have it thrown back in their faces later. I wonder what Shego thinks of me right now. Do I seem desperate to keep her? Or does she understand that I know what kind of thoughts and emotions she's going through?

I guess, in a way, I've been the more assertive one in the relationship so far... Starting with how I sort of creeped her out at St. Jude's after she stood me up... No, she didn't exactly bail on me - she was just nervous... But part of me wonders that, if I had never made a move, we'd just remain strangers...

Kim rolled to her side and was now facing the back support of the couch. Don't think like this, Kim. It is what it is. You've done what you've done to get this far... Don't you dare have any doubts. Shego likes you for who you are.

I can't keep thinking everyone's out to hurt me like... Eric.

For a year, Kim had been unable to say or think of just his name. Eric.

Such a simple word could cause a twenty-eight year old woman to go through the following emotions: sadness, anger, despair, and even longing.

But she felt born anew now. Able to face her fears and move on - she hoped.

To be used so thoroughly and to not have one of her best friends help her tough out the pain really wounded Kim. She was never proud, never arrogant, so for the longest time, all she could ever wonder was why she ended up a victim. Why she ended up so hurt. And why a loved one did the things he did.

Power? Control? What could anyone gain from a small local paper? To be manipulated and shamed in her own town, even.

Kim had wondered 'why' so many times that she didn't really know how she managed to function since the break-up. Sure, she had Bonnie and the Seniors, Wade, Hannah, and her family as support, but it wasn't the same as living and breathing on her own.

"Time heals all wounds." It was the mantra Kim repeated to herself. Give it time, she had mumbled to herself. Time to heal. Time to learn. Time to forgive - no, she could probably never forgive him.

So when she saw Shego's ad, she felt that maybe it was time to move on and stop wallowing in her ownself- pity. Time to try something new: meet new people. Time to just get her life back on track.

What she didn't realise was how Shego was similar to her in more ways than one. What she didn't expect was a level of understanding, compassion, and maybe, just maybe, love.

Maybe they were moving too fast and Shego realised it. Maybe Shego also has the same fears of being hurt that giving each other some distance was needed before they could move a step further.

Maybe-

There was a knock on her door, and Kim got up from the couch. Wow, that was quite a train of thought, she Amused. Looking through her peephole, she saw a familiar figure.

Opening the door, she was enveloped in a hug.

"What are you doing here?"

"I..." The speaker shrugged. "I think I was being selfish."

"You weren't."

"I can't hole up like I used to when I was worried or upset about something. It just wouldn't be fair to you, Kim."

"You're entitled to your own emotions," replied the redhead.

"I have to take yours into account too. My world just isn't 'me' now, it's 'we': you and me, I have to be fair to you too."

"Shego-"

"I'm sorry." The older woman sheepishly ran a hand through her hair. "It's obvious we care about each other - I just don't want you thinking that just because I'm upset about something that I get my way. It's a two-way street."

"I'm comfortable at whatever pace you want for this," Kim took Shego's hand and led her to the couch. "I know for sure that my parents rattled you a bit with their pep talk, but what matters is how we handle things, not them."

"I know-"

"I think I should really apologise on my mom's behalf though-"

"Don't," Shego interjected. She rubbed the nape of her neck. "We could do sleepovers..."

Kim was a bit surprised.

"I mean, I see you most of the time at work and all, so sleepovers wouldn't be too big of a step, right?"

"Why the sudden change of heart?"

"I did some thinking after you left... I'll probably never ever meet someone so understanding ever again that I'm willing to accept all the risks that come with a relationship. Without a challenge, we can't move forward." Shego chuckled feebly. "I realised that after you left. It's odd, though, you can get addicted to a certain kind of sadness after all the pain you've gone through. If we can't move past the sadness, then the chemistry would fizzle out sooner than you'd think."

Kim nodded in understanding. "I was actually debating with myself whether leaving was a good idea - I didn't want to give you the wrong impression-"

"We have to work things out together, so..." Shego smiled. "...yeah. I didn't mean to make such a big fuss about it..."

Kim squeezed Shego's hand. "It's fine. Do you want to do anything today? Given since you're already over here and all." She looked at the clock in the living room. "It's well past lunch, but do you want to grab a bite? Or stay in?"

Shego grinned. "Maybe I should make you food since your mom wondered about that."

Kim laughed. "Déjeuner chez moi, except you'll be cooking. I'm sure your cooking isn't as horrible as mine."

Shego smiled. "We'll see about that. Do you have any pasta?"

Author's Notes: Another strange chapter... This is starting to sound like a soap opera.

"Déjeuner chez moi" is French for "lunch at home" - Kim's home, in this case.

The next few chapters have been written, FYI. Just felt like uploading a few before I disappear again (because of school).

Chapter title is from "Somebody that I Used to Know" by Gotye, featuring Kimbra. (Also, check out Walk Off the Earth's cover of this song, it's fantastic...)