~o0o~

Sadie brought the cloaked hovercraft down over Global Justice's deep-storage facility in Antarctica – and that was the easy part. It was still nighttime, and a wintry gale howled through the darkness. It left them with zero visibility, but even with that restriction it was obvious that something was wrong.

"No exterior or landing lights," Kim muttered, the entrance to the base invisible in the dark of the frozen hillside.

"That's going to make things difficult," Shego said.

"You get used to it."

"Don't count on it."

"Kim," Sadie piped up. "I've lost all communications with Wade and the Omega Lair. The whole area is being jammed."

"Then they're still here," Shego stated.

Kim nodded in agreement. They currently had the element of surprise on their side, but that would mean no lights from Sadie. It would make things interesting, but not impossible. She strained to see anything that would help them, but her efforts were ultimately futile because of the weather conditions.

"Sadie, can you scan?" Shego asked.

"Yes, but only in a limited fashion."

"Then scan the area, and overlay it with a topographical map of the base. Let's see what shows up before we blindly drop in."

"Good idea," Kim said.

"It's a thief thing," Shego replied.

They watched as Sadie brought up a 3D map of the base and then overlaid it bit by bit with a wireframe scan. A few things stood out immediately.

"The communication tower has been totally destroyed," Kim said, pointing at its remains.

"And the hangar bay doors have been blown wide open," Shego said.

"There's the downed the transport. Sadie?"

"Sorry Kim, I'm unable to scan for life signs," Sadie said.

"Then we'll check it out first before hitting the base," Kim said. She tapped her chin in thought. "It feels like a well-managed attack, yet look at all the random blast damage."

"They wanted in, and didn't care about the collateral," Shego said.

"Well, whoever they are, they can wait. Our main priority is the safety of the agents," Kim said.

"Until we bump into the bad guys."

"Yeah. And then we go through them."

"Works for me. Now let's go play Warehouse Thirteen so I can get back to my shopping.

"Warehouse Thirteen?"

"Inside joke. Forget it."

Sadie dimmed the lights in the cabin then raised the hatch in the floor, a rope ladder rolling down.

Kim adjusted the hood of her big goose-down jacket, Shego in one as well. They had both rugged up in multiple layers of protection from gear that Kim kept on board, knowing they would be stepping out into hellish conditions. Kim pulled down her face mask like a bank robber and snapped her goggles into place, then adjusted her mitts and slid down the ladder.

She had dealt with cold climates before, but nothing compared to an Antarctic winter at night during a blizzard.

Geez Louise! This is freaky cold!

It kind of summed up her life – from a balmy Italian summer to freezing her ass off in a desolate Antarctic wasteland.

She stamped her feet to keep warm as Shego came into view and smiled despite the seriousness of the situation. She was on an actual mission with Shego. No being thrown together to help Shego and her brothers or working to defeat a rogue A.I. They were on an official mission, together. Reminiscing about the past also brought up the last time they had been around hovercrafts and ladders. They had both been in skimpy bikinis on a tropical island, followed by Shego embarrassing the heck out of her with some strategic wolf whistling.

Yeah, she got me good, she thought, blushing at the memory. Wish I was brave enough to get a revenge whistle in right now.

She stepped to the side as Shego landed beside her, and even as rugged up as Shego was, she still found her sexy.

She could be wearing anything, and I wouldn't be able to keep my eyes off her.

It was strange not having to help her mission partner to their feet. She was so used the way Ron invariable ended up on the ground with his pants around his ankles. It had been cute and endearing back in the day, and she kind of missed it.

Not that I'd complain if her pants fell down.

She saluted Sadie that they were set, the rope ladder disappearing up into the cloaked hovercraft before Sadie took herself away to a safe distance.

"Let's get inside," Shego yelled over the howling gale. "The mercury just hit minus a hundred, and it's still dropping."

"Transport first," Kim yelled in reply, pointing towards where the downed ship would be.

They took a few steps – and a missile slammed into them.

There was no way to survive such an attack, then out of the smoke and dust a bolt of green plasma streaked skywards. It slammed into something invisible, the resulting explosion turning it bright as day, a boiling, flaring sun briefly filling the sky. Then the shockwave hit, rolling across the landscape. Before darkness once again claimed the world.

Kim stood there in just her battlesuit with an arm outstretched, her hand up and fingers splayed as she maintained her forcefield. She stood in a circle of untouched snow, Shego by her side. Whatever craft Shego had hit, there was nothing left, and Kim stared in sorrow at the sky, knowing that Shego's retaliation had been pure reflex – just like her own when she had registered the incoming missile.

Whatever she hit, that explosion wasn't normal, Kim thought, dropping her arm.

"Quick thinkin', Princess. That was fuckin' awesome."

"Well, anything's–"

"Don't you dare say it!"

"–possible for a Possible!"

Kim smirked at Shego's facepalm, then paid attention to all the warnings flashing across her suit's HUD. Her eyes darted across the various readings, the radiation and exotic particles worrying her briefly. It was the suit's imminent failure on maintaining her body temperature that caused her the most concern. On reflex she brought up her wrist kimmunicator, then remembered they were on their own.

"Transport then inside," Kim said. "Suits having issues with the weather."

"I don't doubt," Shego replied, looking her over.

Kim noticed the look and it was no different than any other time from their past. However, she now knew where Shego's orientation lay and blushed despite herself. The suit fit her like a glove and accentuated her slim curves, and for the first time she was struck by how sexy it could appear to others, especially Shego. She hurried off with Shego following, feeling that heated gaze on her every step of the way.

I feel like I'm wearing lingerie. Which was stupid. Get yer head in the game, Possible!

They quickly entered the tangled remains of the transport's fuselage, and she set about checking the bodies as Shego waited nearby. There were no survivors as expected, but she was never one to just assume. She actually felt a little relief that Amazingman's remains weren't here. It would have been way too painful to find him in person.

Rest in peace, big guy, Kim thought, sadly.

"Done?" Shego asked.

"Yeah, I'm done," she replied, standing up.

"After that light show, they know we're coming."

"I know." She clenched her fists. "So let's go say hello."

She looked out of the fuselage, no way to know if they were safe or not. Where there had been one unseen craft there could be more, and next time she might not be so quick to react. She glanced at Shego knowing her battlesuit's cloaking field wouldn't cover the both of them, so she trusted her instincts. With a nod, they both ran across the open ground with senses on high-alert. Nothing happened. And they entered the hangar bay through the massive hole in its door.

The only illumination came from the emergency lighting along the walls. It was barely enough to see by, but that was all they needed..

One undamaged transport. Room for two more. And bodies. She quickly checked the downed agents, all of them quite dead. Energy based wounds, so definitely not your run of the mill type villain. But we already knew that.

"They took out the communications tower, so why cut the power as well?" Shego muttered.

"Maybe an accident?" Kim said, joining her. "Or maybe they can see in the dark?"

They both looked around at all the darkened recesses in the room.

"Great, now I'm getting a John Carpenter's 'The Thing' vibe," Shego said.

"Tell me about it," Kim said.

They stealthily made their way over to the main airlock door and looked inside. It was empty, the other end blown wide open. They glanced at each other, Kim shrugged, and they walked into the base. After the bitter cold of outside, the loading bay felt like springtime in Colorado as Kim watched her suit's readings return to normal. She looked around, the walls floor and ceiling all in the standard blue/grey color schemes of every Global Justice base. Multiple hallways led away from where they stood, while up ahead were a dozen service lifts.

"So now that we're here, why does GJ have a base in Antarctica?" Shego asked as she peeled off her gloves and heavy coat.

"Long story," Kim replied.

"We've got time."

"We really don't."

"We really do."

"Shego!"

"What? Just tell me!"

Kim sighed, knowing they didn't have time for this. She also knew that Shego wasn't going to let it drop.

Best to just rip the Band-Aid off, she thought. "Fine! The quick version then."

"Sounds good," Shego replied, her hands in her hips as she waited for Kim to continue.

Shego's stance was such a classic for Kim that she almost giggled in happy nostalgia.

"The Perses Virus, it caused a global rethink on how companies store their critical data," Kim said. "So voilà, Global Justice has a base in Antarctica for all their hard copies and confiscated tech."

"Huh…" Shego said, looking thoughtful for a moment. "So what's the plan then? Saving people is your department."

It was yours too, once upon a time. But she held her tongue as she recalled the schematics of the base. It wasn't a complex structure as things went, but it was big. The main warehouse in fact took up over ninety percent of the underground floor space.

"Well, admin and the crews quarters are thataway." She pointed right. "The main warehouse is down there. "She pointed straight ahead at the lifts. "And power and electrical are that way. "She pointed left. "So you go and sort out the power, and I'll go and see to the agents."

Shego gave her a disbelieving stare.

"Um, please?" Kim asked.

"Kimmie, I meant what I said. I'm here to watch your back, nothing more."

"But we need to get the power and climate control back on, and to see to the safety of the agents!"

"Not happening, Princess!"

"Please?" She searched for an incentive. "I'll owe you big time!"

"You'll owe me?"

"Yes."

"Big time?"

"For sure."

"Fine!"

"Please and thank you."

"No, thank you," Shego said, walking away. "It's a piercing and a tattoo for you… when we get back."

~o~

Ohh, her face when I said a piercing and tattoo, Shego thought as she trudged along the corridor. So what should I have her get first? A navel piercing? A nipple piercing? Or maybe a cute little tattoo on her butt?

She felt spoilt for choice.

Oh, she's going to argue and complain, but she promised. She grinned. Yeah, this is gonna be fun!

She let her imagination run wild, as it was far better than acknowledging the Global Justice base she was actually in. She paused at a junction and raised a glowing hand, and read the signage on the wall before continuing on.

Navel piercing and a tattoo, and get her into some stylish black clothes as well. She pictured Kim's growing ensemble. Yeah, black suits her way better than pink

She stopped as she encountered a problem. Up ahead the roof had collapsed, and blast marks on the walls showed that it was no accident. She stared at the barrier as she considered her options.

Can't blast it, that'll only make things worse. Digging through would take forever. Sooo… find a way around?

She pictured Wade's schematic and how the main warehouse had many corridors leading off from it.

Around it is.

She turned and ran back to the last intersection, then changed her mind and went all the way back to the first room she and Kim had started in. From there a lift door offered little resistance as she forced it open, and she cut a hole in its floor and kicked the plating loose, then shimmied down the lift's cable and out and into the pitch dark warehouse.

Easy. And without crawling through any air vents. She ignited her Glow to give herself some light. Now I'll just follow the wall

Revealed by her Glow were row upon row of stacked warehouse shelving rising up to the roof and disappearing into the distance. It wasn't this that had given her pause. Nearby a forklift lay on its side, a massive glass cylinder smashed and on the ground beside it. Around the vehicle was a scene of grisly devastation. Five dead and dismembered cyborgs lay strewn about the area, blood, metal, viscera, and other fluids covering the floor.

These guys again?

She slowly moved forwards, eyeing the long dark corridors between all the shelving. In her travels she had picked up whispers about the cyborgs. No one knew where they came from or where they went, or who they even worked for. They were the boogeyman – always leaving death in their wake. But she had fought them and survived, as had Kim, when no one else could.

They're tough as fuck. What could rip them apart like this?

She knelt by the closest cyborg and examined his remains. There weren't many bits left to check. Half a chest, some leg, and a whole arm were all that she had to work with. She leaned in close, then shot to her feet.

He's got fucking bite marks! I'm in a warehouse full of confiscated supervillain tech, and something ate a body made of steel!

She spun wildly as she tried to look everywhere at once. Things with lots of teeth were a primal fear for her. She intensified her Glow and checked out the next cyborg. It wasn't any better. More bite marks and signs of being sliced apart. She wiped the sweat from her brow as she moved over to the broken glass cylinder, the reinforced glass easily an inch thick and clearly designed to house something dangerous. She leaned down and checked the base, finding it full of high-tech electronics and what appeared to be some form of cryogenics.

I guess… they came to steal whatever was in this. She tapped the edge of the cylinder. And it woke up while they were ferrying it out. Or maybe it broke free? Either way, it literally ended up biting them in the ass. I'd say 'well done, it'. She nervously looked around. But now something with a lot of teeth is loose in the building.

She let out a big, reluctant sigh.

I really don't want to handle it, but I'd best take care of it since Kimmie's here.

"Shego?"

Shego jumped in surprise, Kim's voice crackling through her earpiece.

"Shego, are you there?"

Shego swore then touched her earpiece, activating it.

"I'm here, what's up?"

"The jamming's gone, so I thought I'd touch base."

And give me a fucking heart attack! she thought, resting her hands on her hips. "Well, consider it touched. Encounter anything interesting yet? Or Any bad guys?"

"No, just lots of stuck bulkheads. Wade thinks an EMP went off, so that's why the base is dark. How are things your end?"

"Our friendly neighborhood cyborgs are back."

"I'm on my way!"

"Stay there, they're already taken care of."

"Really?"

"Get to the agents, Princess. And I'll have the power back on soon." She looked at the trail of blood and other fluids leading away. Once I've dealt with our mystery jailbreak.

"Roger that, Kim out."

"Ciao."

Shego followed the trail, and as luck would have it, it headed towards the power station. Weapon damage along the walls showed her that at least one cyborg had survived and was in full-retreat.

Build a secret base and fill it with all the outlandish doodads you confiscate from supervillains, and this is the only possible outcome.

She passed the remains of another cyborg, just a hand left uneaten.

What a bunch of morons GJ are.

She slowed when she spotted a light at the end of the hallway, and cancelled her Glow. On high-alert, she heard it first, the sound of something chewing on metal. It was like nails on a chalkboard to her. Steeling herself, she continued on, needing to survey the creature first.

Know your enemy, then nuke 'em from orbit!

She reached the end of the corridor and peeked around the corner.

Oh!

The things back was to her, and it was easily ten feet tall, roughly humanoid but without a head, and made of writhing, twisting metal. In one of its hands it held the still-living torso of a female cyborg, and as Shego watched, the cyborg futilely raised an arm as it was lifted up, its body spasming as its head was bitten off.

Shego almost threw up at the crunching sound, so took a moment to calm herself before stepping into the room. She went unnoticed as she positioned herself behind the thing, watching as fresh tendrils of metal grew along its twisted hide.

"Hey! Snack time's over!" she called out, her hands erupting in green flames. Whatever the hell you are.

"Sheeeego?" the thing replied.

Shego went pale as a ghost – that voice, it haunted her dreams. Its bearer present in all her nightmares.

"Is that really you-u-u?" it asked.

"Mendelos…?" she whispered, her Glow petering out.

The thing turned to face her, a Frankenstein's monster brought back to life. Within the constructs chest sat a huge, pulsating, brain-like blob, its grayish, oozing skin suffused by a black glow. Multiple human-like eyes stared down at her, a vertical mouth filled with razor sharp teeth running the full length of its grotesque form.

Mendelos grinned at her, and took a step towards her.

She stepped back and tripped to the floor, terrorfied out of her mind.

He's dead! He's head! He's dead! He can't be real! He can't be

"Myyyyy Sheeeego," Mendelos said, saliva and bits of half-dissolved cyborg oozing from his lipless maw. He took another step and extended a metallic hand.

"No…" she mouthed.

"You always come back to me-e-e." He raised the remains of the cyborg and tossed it aside. "We are meant to be, and together we will achieve my glorious plan."

She shook her head as a tiny voice inside her screamed at her to run or to fight, or do something, anything, but it was drowned out by her overwhelming terror.

"Stand!" he ordered.

She jerked to her feet.

"Come to me!"

She took one unsteady step, then another, the conditioning still there even after all this time.

He loomed over her, his horrific form filling her world, then he grabbed her by the neck and lifted her high into the air. She hung there and feebly clawed at his hands as dozens of tentacles disgorged themselves from his body and wrapped themselves around her arms and legs, holding her spread-eagled before him. She tried to turn her head as an elongated tongue oozed from his mouth, the oily proboscis running across her lips as some sort of kiss.

"You are mine!" he rasped in glee.

"No… please…" she croaked.

"To do with as I please!"

She screamed in pain as tentacles pierced her wrists and feet, crucifying her.

"You cannot escape your destiny. That you will be the mother, originator, goddess of my creations." His mouth moved into a rictus-grin, his fetid breath making her gag. A second tongue wrapped itself around her ankle, shredding her pants and drawing blood as it circled its way up her leg and under her shorts.

"Together we shall be worshipped as gods," he burbled. He raised two scissor-like appendages, the blades coming to rest over her wrists. "Now let's remove those troublesome hands of yours. We can't have you escaping like last time."

She stared into those merciless, unblinking eyes, hope and sanity dying within her.

~o~

"GET AWAY FROM HER, YOU MONSTER!" Kim screamed as she sprinted into room.

The techno-organic horror turned to look at her, and she used its distraction to her full advantage. She turned invisible, then appeared flying through the air between it and Shego and let off an EMP. Spinning, she sliced Shego free, then caught her and kicked off the beast, and brought herself and Shego away to a safe distance. She quickly laid Shego on the floor, then put herself between Shego and the monstrosity, ready for anything.

"Myyyy… my, my, wh-what do we ha-ha-haaaave here?" the thing said in a statico voice, a blending of human and something utterly alien.

"I'm Kim Possible, and I won't let you touch her again!"

"She-e-e is mine!"

"Sorry, no Frankenstein's bride for you!"

"You-u-u cannot stop a god!"

"I can do anything! Especially if it means keeping whoever you are away from her!"

"Whoever I am?" He shook with laughter as he stepped forwards. "I am Mendelos, your God! And I won't let you interfere with my great work!"

He's not dead? She pushed that thought aside, as he clearly wasn't. She said he'd been mutated, but I never imagined how bad! Or how insane it made him!

"Now, die!" Mendelos stated.

A metallic, spear-like protuberance shot out from Mendelos' exoskeleton almost faster than the eye could see.

Kim didn't even flinch as she raised an arm, a shimmering blue forceshield coalescing into view to block the attack. Three more protuberance followed, spearing at her chest. She blocked two of them with catlike grace, the third she cut in two with a glowing green energy blade extending from the back of her wrist.

"Impressive. But you're only human," he stated.

"You'll find I'm full of surprises!" Kim said, staring him down.

She watched a tendril rise into the air and thin until it disappeared, the stubby base whipping out towards her. She dodged on instinct even though it was falling far short, shocked as a chunk of her hair fell to the floor. She dived to the side as it lashed out again, nothing to see.

Geezus! A monofilament whip!

A dozen more monofilament whips lashed out at her, and she flipped away turning invisible.

Mendelos snorted in annoyance.

"Very im-im-impressive, but you cannot hide forever," he rasped.

"Wade, ideas?" she subvocalized, standing guard over Shego.

"Working on it," Wade replied, his worried face in the corner of her HUD. "His bio signs are all over the place, as are his energy readings. Definitely stay away from his organics, don't even touch them. But the exoskeleton… that seems to be a weak point, as dangerous as it is.

"Roger that."

She fired her wrist grapple fun at the far wall and launched herself up and over him, and landed behind him. She decloaked then slashed through his metallic legs. It definitely unbalanced him, but the damage appeared to instantly mend itself. It also enraged him. She dodged and weaved and hacked off every attacking appendage, her suit giving her a perfect 360° view of the world along with the skills and reflexes to take advantage of this. She dived and rolled and went invisible, then popped back up on the far side of him and let out an EMP before leaping forwards to hack off more wiry tentacles.

"Enough!" Mendelos roared.

Kim threw up her forcefield as dozens of blades came at her at once, blocking them all. Then the world went dark as Mendelos surged over her barrier, his lethal attacks pounding away on her shield.

She was safe, but trapped.

"Wade, problem."

"I see it," he replied, slurping on his drink in concentration.

She turned around looking for an opening, and spotted a tendril from Mendelos heading towards Shego.

"Hurry!"

"Okay, I've got an idea, but the suit's not designed for it yet," he replied. "I'll have to activate it from my end."

"Understood. What's the plan?"

"I'll rapidly expand the forcefield out from you. It'll push everything away while giving you time to escape. However, the structural integrity of your shield will weaken, so there's a high chance an attack will get through."

"It's the best we've got." She readied herself. "Do it!"

She dived towards Shego, the forcefield exploding out from her.

She cried out in agony as multiple blades pierced her flesh, and landed awkwardly and collapsed, barely able to move – yet she did. Pushing through the pain, she cut herself free and turned back towards Mendelos. She found that the villain had fared much worse from her escape. He lay on the far side of the room, his exoskeleton a pile of twisted metal around him. Even as she watched it started to reform over him.

"Kim?" Wade said, his face filled with worry.

"I'm fine," she replied. "It's no big." She quickly checked behind her, Shego curled up and safe. With that in mind, she grabbed one of the pieces of metal piercing her shoulder and pulled it out; relying on her suit to staunch the bleeding for now. She dropped it to the ground, the metal solid and unyielding without Mendelos' influence.

She teared up as she removed the rest of the bloody barbs, then gritted her teeth and stood, and painfully limped over to Mendelos.

"You're beaten, give it up!" she snapped.

"You cannot defeat a god!" Mendelos replied. "You're only human!"

"I'm more than enough to beat the likes of you!"

"Never!" He regurgitated seven small spheres, and a few seconds later the mini-bombs began to beep. "I'll survive, as will she." He flicked his eyes towards Shego. "But you, you will die!"

He started laughing, the black glow around him intensifying.

"Wade?"

Wade stared at his screen, his face turning pale.

"Run, Kim! Grab Shego and run! You're over the fusion reactor, and it'll take out the whole base when it goes!"

She wanted to run, needed to, but her injuries were too severe. The best she could manage was a quick hobble, the pain almost making her pass out as she picked Shego up. She felt tears in her eyes for all the trapped agents, but there was no way to save them in time.

She limped from the room, Mendelos' insane laughter ringing in her ears.

We're not going to make it! The hallway impossibly long, the exit and safety even further away.

She tightened her grip on Shego, her hands slick with their blood. She almost stumbled as her legs shook, clutching Shego tighter.

Maybe by myself, but I won't leave her.

She felt a wave of dizziness, then the pain from her injuries was gone. How, she had no idea, but she wasn't going to question the miracle.

We have a chance!

She sprinted for the exit as hard and as fast as she could, Shego held tightly in her arms.

~o~

Kim stumbled as she hit the deep snow outside the base, then Sadie materialized in front of her. She leaped aboard the hovercraft, Sadie instantly flying them away to safety.

Tears and congratulations could wait. As could Kim's own injuries.

"Sadie, get us to a hospital– Wait! No. Get us back to Italy!"

"Okay," Sadie replied.

Kim shuffled to the back of the hovercraft and gently laid Shego on the large seat and took stock of her injures. Shego's wrists and feet were covered in congealed blood, Mendelos' vicious looking spikes piercing all the way through. However, they weren't what worried Kim the most, it was Shego's catatonic state.

You believed he was dead, she thought, resting a hand on Shego's forehead. And I know I can't help you with that. Only family can.

She pushed her worry aside, as there was something she could do for Shego. She eyed the spikes, and for a normal person she would leave them in for a doctor to remove, but Shego healed. So she dragged out the medical kit, then gently grasped a spike in Shego's foot.

"This'll hurt, a lot!" So I really hope you're out of it. 'Cause none of my painkillers will work on you.

She deftly pulled the spike out, then quickly covered the bleeding wound with gauze. There had been no reaction from Shego, so she bound the wound then moved onto the next spike.

Shego did not utter a word or flinch at any of them. She appeared totally out of it.

"All done. You're safe now," Kim said, kissing Shego on the brow.

She kicked all the medical waste to the side and sat down, then gently moved Shego's head onto her lap. She teared up as Shego weakly curled up against her, and only then did she feel the violent trembling coming from her.

~o0o~

"Kim, we're over Italy," Sadie said.

Kim turned her attention away from Shego and looked out over the side of the hovercraft, the Mediterranean and the shape of Italy far below. She watched it expand as Sadie angled the hovercraft down, and soon enough San Siro then the Sacks' mansion came into view. She stayed with Shego as they landed, Hego, the Wegos, and Mr. and Mrs. Sacks anxiously waiting for them on the front porch.

Hego ran and jumped into the hovercraft and knelt before her.

"I've got her," he said, holding out his arms for Shego.

Kim did not want to let go, but she did. Reluctantly letting Hego pick up his sister and carry her inside. She followed at his heels, everyone silent around her. They made their way upstairs, the hallway and the door to Shego's room all repaired. It's what happens when you have an army of Wegos at your disposal.

Shego's room was spotlessly clean, fresh sheets on the bed, while an IV drip and other medical supplies stood nearby.

Hego gently lay Shego on the bed, then set about inserting an IV line into Shego's unresisting arm. He seemed quite competent at it, and it was a side of him that Kim had never really seen before. It made sense to her that he would have some medical knowledge as team leader, and she silently acknowledged that she really did not know that much about each of Shego's brothers.

I'll add it to my to do list, she thought, resisting her natural inclination to pace back and forth. Once she's better.

"Kim, you should go take a shower, and change," Mrs. Sacks said. "Then we can talk about what happened."

What? No! "I'm fine–"

"You really do need a shower," Wesley said.

"Yeah, you do," Wendell said. "So use mine in case we need yours."

Kim looked at them all then down at herself. Gone was the pristine white of her battlesuit, dried blood all down one side and even more on her hands and arms. She could only imagine what her face and hair must look like. And to top it all off she was lightheaded and absolutely starving.

Geez, I'm a total mess. She glanced back at Shego and reluctantly accepted her fate. "Okay, a quick one."

She grabbed the first set of clothes she could find from her suitcase and rushed from the room, Wendell's suite at the end of the hallway. His bedroom reminded her of Ron's as she passed through, quickly closing the bathroom door behind her. She tossed her change of clothes onto the counter, then caught her reflection in the mirror.

The person looking back at her was almost unrecognizable.

Oh

She had dirt, blood, tears and other horrible substances all over her face, neck and suit, her own haunted eyes staring back at her. She wiped at a particularly dark smudge on her brow, her gaze drifting up to her ruined hair. She turned her head this way and that, the missing chunk glaringly obvious from every angle.

I-I didn't realize how close– she thought, running her fingers through her shortened locks. Half an inch closer and I would've been killed.

She was used to facing death on her missions, so this change to her hair was a far more distressing problem. It would need a particularly good hairdresser to fix. She sighed, then turned her attention to the next issue.

Multiple sharp force traumas. This isn't going to be good.

She pulled out the medical kit from under the cabinet, and lay needle, thread, anesthetic and lots of painkillers on the benchtop.

"Kilo-India-Mike, One-One-Zero-Zero-Six, Pandaroo," she muttered.

She braced herself at what she would find as the battlesuit retracted back into its bracelet, then stared in surprise. All her injuries were nothing more than angry, red welts on her skin, not even any pain with the suit gone. She gently poked one of the wounds, feeling only a slight discomfort.

Well… okay, this happened. It's like totally normal, not!

She shivered at the implication, then pushed it aside and stepped in the shower.

I'll talk with Wade about it tomorrow, or the next day

~o~

Kim trotted back down the hallway, then slowed as she neared Shego's doorway. From inside she could hear deep, wracking sobs and softly murmured words of comfort from Mrs. Sacks. She paused with her hand on the door, then stepped back. She ached to go in, but knew Shego would hate to be seen like this. So she waited outside. She slid to the floor with her back against the wall, choking up at Shego's pain.

That monster ruined her life, and then he's back. Why isn't he dead?

She did not like the implications that Global Justice had been involved both times. Chewing on her lip, she looked up as the door opened, a haggard looking Hego stepping out. She jumped to her feet, eyeing the darkened room.

"How is she?" Kim asked, keeping her voice low.

Hego glanced back into the room, then took Kim's elbow and led her down the hallway to the sunroom at the end.

"She's… resting for now," he said, his voice strained. "But she's not good. She'll heal, physically. A lot faster thanks to you. But mentally– How is that monster still alive?"

"I don't know, I'm as much in the dark as you. But I aim to find out.

"Those– those cads!" he snapped, accidently smacking a hole through the wall. "Over and over, they told me he was dead. That he wasn't there." He collapsed into a seat, face in his hands. "And I believed them."

"That'd be Global Justice?" she said, a hand on his shoulder.

"Yes," he said, looking up at her. "She told you about that night? What happened?"

"She did."

He looked surprised then hopeful, then a lot more.

"She's never told anyone before."

They both turned as they heard Margaret call out for Hego, the two of them rushing back.

She followed Hego into the bedroom and positioned herself out of the way by the doorway. It was quite cold inside, the air-conditioning turned way up. The only light came from outside, Shego curled up beneath the heavy covers with Margaret sitting on the bed beside her.

"Henry, can you please stay with her?" Mrs. Sacks asked. "She's finally drifted off, and I don't want to leave her alone while I go and talk with Alan for a bit."

"I'll do it," Kim said, stepping forwards.

Mrs. Sacks rubbed her tired eyes and gave Kim a brittle smile.

"Of course, dear. I know she'd love that," Mrs. Sacks said. She brushed Shego hair aside and kissed her on the forehead, then kissed her again. Standing slowly, she met Kim by the end of the bed and pulled her into a fierce hug. "Thank you for saving my darling girl. I can't stop thinking about what would have happened if she'd encountered that monster all by herself."

"I-I know," Kim replied, returning the hug.

"I won't be too long, and I'll have the boys make up the couch for you downstairs."

"Please and thank you, but I'd prefer to stay with her."

"I know. We'll see."

Mrs. Sacks stepped away and wiped her eyes, and with a worried glance at Shego left the room with Hego in tow.

Kim watched them go, then moved around the bed and sat down next to Shego. Shego was curled up into a fetal position, her raven-black hair in complete disarray. She always looked so peaceful while sleeping, but now her face was haggard and deathly pale. Kim hated it, hated what this insane madman from Shego's past had done to her, and knew she would never stop until he had been taken down.

Hey you, it's gonna be okay, she thought.

She reached out for Shego, but realized she might accidentally wake her. So instead she crossed her hands on her lap instead.

I'll be here if you need me, or even if you don't. But you'll never be alone while I'm around.

It was as Shego had heard her thoughts, a hand finding its way out from under the covers. Kim swallowed back her emotions at the fresh bandage around Shego's wrist and at the IV line in her arm. She fought the good fight for a good half-a-second before she took Shego's hand, those pale-green fingers twitching against her own.

Not how I pictured us first holding hands when I came to visit.

She sat there in silence, stewing in her own thoughts, but eventually the chilly conditions got the best of her. Luckily her suitcase was only a few steps away. So she removed her hand from Shego's and went to stand.

"Stay," Shego mumbled, her words slurred by the heavy painkillers.

Kim paused.

"Please?"

"Hey, it's okay. I'm not going anywhere," Kim said. "I'm just–"

"Don' leave me."

Kim could hear it in Shego's voice, see it in her eyes, she was terrified to be alone. Leaving her for even a second was not an option. She smiled encouragingly and moved across the bed, then slipped beneath the covers. She tried to keep it as chaste as possible, then wondered what to do next.

Shego made it easy for her, shuffling closer and curling up against her chest.

"I've got you," Kim whispered, slipping her arms around Shego. "I won't leave you. I've got you."

Shego pushed herself even closer and whimpered in relief.

Kim gently stroked Shego's back until she felt her relax, Shego's breathing eventually slowing. Kim didn't stop until Shego had fallen asleep, then realized how tired she was herself. It had been a big, dramatic, terrifying day, so she didn't fight the call, drifting off with Shego in her arms.

~o0o~

There ya go, they're falling asleep together at last. You're welcome. Oh, and other things happened as well.

~o0o~