The blazing sun crept up over the eastern horizon, beams of light shooting across the sky like a volley of arrows. But the cliffs overlooking Montre Les Amants kept the stretch of beach bathed in an eerie and misty haze, like something straight out of an old noir detective story. Only instead of revolvers and Tommy guns at their sides, those standing on the beach, waiting for the coming storm, were strapped with blades and clubs. Mother and daughter stood still, a passerby might mistake the pair as statues if not for the salty breeze catching their red hair, but their eyes never faltered from the beach ahead of them.

Everyone should be in position by now, Anne Possible thought to herself, holding her daughter tight. All we can hope for is that Meisner and the Laufer got here ahead of Lynne's people.

Did she dare turn to see if their friendlies were in position? All involved were certain that Lynne had picked this place because he'd have been able to place agents there readily and both Sean and Meisner had assured Anne that Meisner and the others could get the drop on them. Were they in position? Would this work?

"Mom."

Anne's eyes narrowed…and she spotted the approaching group, maybe a mile up the beach. It was a far distance but Anne could make out seven. The two ends were clad in body armor and toting guns. The four blondes in the center had to be the Lynnes…and in the center of the group, shoulder length red hair visible even in the hazy morning mist, was Mom. She…oh God; in that moment, she was the same as before Dad had died! This had to work! Anne couldn't leave her in Andrew Lynne's hands. She…she looked to be walking unaided. That was a good sign, especially if they had to resort to plan B on getting out of here. As the group closed the distance…yet another lucky break; Mom's hands were cuffed behind her back!

Of all the training Anne underwent at Mom's hands, lock picking had truly stuck. Many was the time that that little skill had proven to be a life saver, both in gaining access to a target and escaping from one…not to mention breaking out of her room to spend the night with Tommy Weiringa when she was a teenager. The most important lesson, Mom had always said, was always try to be cuffed with your hands behind your back. It was therefore much harder to see the hands.

"Remember the plan. If this comes to blows, you take Adrianna. I take the older two. Grandma…Grandma will want Andrew Lynne himself."

"I know," was Kim's only reply.

The approaching group was now a mere twenty yards ahead of them. Even at that distance, Anne could make out the identical looks of equal parts smugness and lethality plastered on the blonde-haired faces. Her two targets, Aletta and Alistair, were virtually glued to their father's side, almost as if trying to keep the younger one, Adrianna, from their father. Sean had mentioned that Andrew Lynne and the elder siblings wouldn't have taken the failure to kill him and the subsequent escape of Kim very well and the younger Lynne would be in the doghouse desperately looking to get out.

"Per glaciem manet ut coluber saluta," The man clearly knew as much as Anne did about their shared history if he was opening with THAT insult. "Your love for your mother must indeed be great."

"Are you okay Mom?" Now having a better look, Anne could see she was a little bruised but didn't look to be too severely hurt.

"I've been better," Mo calmly replied. "Annie…you don't know what this monster is capable of. You've got to get Kim out of here…"

"And yet here we remain," Andrew Lynne barked, silencing Mom. "Anne Possible, please understand that my associates are quite skilled. Should you choose to run, terribly unwise if you ask my opinion, they will shoot you dead, thereby forcing me to take your daughter anyway and end your mother's annoyance at my expense. Rest assured, these men will not hesitate…nor will the four others that I have watching us right this moment as a safeguard. So in the most humble terms, may we get on with this? Have your begin walking and on my honor, I shall send your mother. The pair may bid their goodbyes in the middle and we shall hear no more of each other forever."

She had to look surprised. Glancing around, she now could spot at least two on the cliff tops. No way to tell from this distance whether they were Laufer or not…but at this point, there wasn't much more that could be done either way. The rest was all in the hands of fate at this point.

"Are…are you ready Kim?"

Her daughter gave only the slightest of nods and began moving forward, step by creepingly slow step. Anne looked across the distance and saw Mom moving as well. Kim's faux limp seemed to be fooling them, therefore making it plausible that she would have the cane, but Mom should've been able to see through the ruse the moment she spotted Daddy's cane.

This will work! Please God let this work!

KPKPKPKPKPKPKPKPKPKP

As far as Kim was concerned, there was nothing else but Grandma and the Lynnes, nothing but her objective. She could feel the leather sheathes hidden under the jacket, pressing against her, hopefully not a one visible to the enemy.

Out of nowhere, Kim was standing face to face with Grandma. Her face was bruised but…she looked okay. "Are…are you okay Grandma?"

"Your mother has some kind of a plan in the works?" Grandma's eyes darted to the cane and a small smile appeared on her lips. "Nice acting with the limp by the way."

Through all of the anger that Kim had built up, she had to fight from smiling. "Can you fight?"

…CLICK…

"Now I can but what's…"

"Do you trust me?"

"I do Kim. I trust you."

"Then draw the rapier in…three…two…ONE!"

With reflexes that a rattlesnake would envy, a hand darted out and slid the rapier out of its sheath. The sandy ground wasn't exactly even but Grandmother and Granddaughter effortlessly slipped into fighting stances…now staring at a pair of rifles ever so slowly being leveled at the pair of them. This…had they…?

…BANG…BANG…

…BANG…BANG…

KPKPKPKPKPKPKPKPKP

The shots rang out like thunder claps. Had the Laufer gotten there in time? Were Kim and Mom okay? For a split second, it was as if Anne's eyes had just shut off. As everything slowly came back into focus, she felt a hand on her shoulder and turned to see Martin Meisner standing next to her, a marksman's rifle on his shoulder. He'd been hiding under a tarp just next to where Kim and Anne had been standing. Had…had…she and Kim been even a fraction to the right, they would've…KIM AND MOM! Anne's eyes darted back to the center of the croud…and there they were! Both redheads were locked in a warm hug as the Laufer agents moved past to surround the Lynnes. Needing no further motivation, Anne took off running and nearly toppled into the other two as she made contact.

"Whoa there," Mom called out playfully, trying to steady herself. "I haven't felt a hug that powerful since your Dad and I got you that new bike when you were ten."

They were okay! Mom and Kim were okay! All of the past, in that instant, was forgotten. If Mom had lied about Daddy, if Anne's whole childhood was a lie…oh God; it didn't matter! The familiar feel of those long and slender arms wrapped around her made Anne feel like a little girl again, before Daddy had died. She was safe. As long as her Mother was here, all the boogeymen and monsters wouldn't dare come near…

"UNHAND ME; I'M BRITISH NOBILITY! YOU THINK THIS IS OVER POSSIBLE?" The shout was like a smack to the back of the head, jerking all three women back to reality. Andrew Lynne was still on his feet, they all were, and even with guns pointed directly at them, each family member was refusing to give an inch of ground. Andrew Lynne and very much Adrianna looked to be near madness at losing yet again. "I swear by all that is Holy and the Hand of the Almighty there is nowhere your family can hide from me! I will slaughter every Wesen in Middleton, everyone that you've ever cared about, until your life is such a living nightmare that…"

"What do you want Lynne?" Mom snarled.

"I want your BLOOD!"

"Then say it! I call on you to make the claim…and then we end it!"

"Mom, no…" Make the…? There was only one thing that she could possibly mean. The Laufer had the Lynnes at gunpoint…and Kimmie didn't have to be party to…to make the claim of…Anne had been fully prepared to invoke Krieger-Tanz…but only when it was she herself facing an Ende Der Zeiten one on one. To make the invocation now would…Mom was in no condition to do this. With the element of surprise, Mom would've been able to do something but…

"Anne, I'm sorry but this has to happen. One way or another…this has to end," Mom stepped over and picked up the rapier's sheath.

"Belli choro invoco," Anne heard not Andrew Lynne…but Adrianna shout out the Latin invocation, eyes focused firmly on…Kim! "Kim Possible, if you have any honor, if you be any REAL descendent of the Lion's Pride," She put as much scorn into that term as she could. "Then cross your sword with mine!"

This was getting out of hand. The claim had been made…but…DAMN tradition and Anne's ancestors. She could end this with a wave of her hand. Kim didn't HAVE to have this blood on her hands. Anne made a move to raise her hand…but was quickly silenced by Kim. "I'll do it Mom. I…I'll live with the consequences. This…this has to end!"

This…what was…Anne kept looking from Kim to Adrianna Lynne, trying to make sense out of this. Anne was losing control. Grimm or no, Kim was preparing to…Anne had…Anne had shed human blood in pursuit of a Wesen and…and that was a nightmare that she carried with her for ages. Now…now Kim was going to…damn it!

DAMN the Lynnes! Kim was right about one thing. All of this went back to them! They were the ones who were turning her first born child into…something else, something that Anne had dedicated her life to keeping her from becoming. It wasn't Mom's influence, nothing to do with her. In that moment, the events of the past few weeks were clear. It was like a switch had been flipped in her mind and she was operating on auto-pilot. She could feel it as she walked up to the four Lynnes and unstrapped her kanabo, reaching it over to Andrew Lynne's head.

"You leave now," She hissed. "I give all of you the chance to leave now. All four of you will get up and never set foot in my domain again. We part ways right now!"

"HAURTAM SANGUINE EORUM!" He howled back, making a swift motion for a knife.

…SMACK…

One of the Laufer agents hammered the butt of his rifle into Lynne's back.

"Then understand this Andrew Lynne," Anne placed the kanabo along his head once again. "You've kidnapped my daughter, you've attacked my mother. I…I hardly recognize what my daughter's become. So no matter how this turns out…you die today…ALL of you!"

KPKPKPKPKPKPKPKPKP

The morning breeze cascaded over Kim Possible as the jacket and shirt fell to the sandy beach, leaving her clad in pants and an undershirt. She'd need maximum motion for what was to come.

Adrianna Lynne was exceedingly arrogant, Kim knew that going in. Her opponent was full of hubris and quite easy to manipulate and goad. Kim could use that.

At Grandma's order, the Laufer agents backed away, leaving Kim and Adrianna encased in a circle. Both Mom and Grandma were standing next to the remainder of the Lynnes should…should things turn south. Mom had…that speech was…unexpected. And even before what was arguably the fight of her life…Kim couldn't get those words out of her head. I hardly recognize what my daughter's become. Since Grandma's capture, Kim…that was rage that Kim had never experienced before; looking back on it, Kim was more than a little disturbed about…well…being that out of control. And she didn't exactly regret any of the things that were said but…Mom was…she was trying to protect her from…but now that Grandma was safe…and Adrianna wanted to face off against Kim, she wasn't afraid to stand her ground against someone like this…but Mom's words from yesterday were seeping in, almost as if Kim was finally hearing them.

These aren't Wesen. Are you prepared to live with the consequences?

Kim was fully prepared to fight the woman…but could she kill her? Could Kim follow through on the vengeance that she'd planned…but had proved unnecessary?

Kim gazed across the distance at Adrianna Lynne. She'd been bred for things like this. Kim could only speculate that every moment of her life had been spent training for this. She had a chink in her armor…but Kim wasn't so confident of victory that she could afford a weakness.

"She's all attack," Grandma appeared beside her, arm around Kim's shoulder. "When we fought each other earlier she was all attack. She'll try to overwhelm you quickly. But wear her down. You've got great stamina Kimmie and you can out last her easily."

"Thanks Grandma," Without hesitation, Kim turned and wrapped her arms around the older woman in a hug. "Listen…please…don't let Mom…don't let her lose…"

"You'll be fine," Grandma assured her.

She…she WOULD be okay. But just in case…Kim turned to Mom. Kim had recovered herself enough to…to at least give Mom this. "Mom, I…I…am I still…your little sunshine?"

Mom's face was stone but Kim could still see the tear rolling down her cheek. Damn it; the urge to just run over there and hug her too, to wipe the tears away, was overpowering.

"I will break her soul as I break your ribs!"

Engrossed in her own musings, Kim had nearly forgotten that Adrianna Lynne was there. And standing before her now…the woman had utterly no fear of what was to come. Mom had as good as promised that one way or another, none of the Lynnes would be walking off this beach alive. And the woman before her had looked as if Mom had merely told her that the sun was rising. As ready as she would ever be, Kim's hands sunk to the hilts of her kukris.

"Are you ready?" Kim grumbled.

In answer to the question, the blonde woman charged forwards, blades out and at the ready.

…CLANG…

The sound of metal on metal was like a cannon. Grandma wasn't kidding, Kim soon realized. Whether it really was her traditional fighting style or…or Adrianna Lynne's fury at Kim had reached a breaking point, the next instant was a flurry of attacks. It took every ounce of concentration Kim possessed to deflect the blows. But Grandma had also been right in that her opponent's strategy had an inherent weakness. Mom, Kim's senseis, all of Kim's trainers had instilled one basic rule in their teachings. Never attack in anger or be too eager to rush your opponent.

"You can't win Adrianna," To illustrate Kim's point, she deftly stepped out of the path of Lynne's fresh volley of strikes and brought the flat side of one of her kukris onto Lynne's upper back. The impact was enough to put her flat on her stomach…but only temporarily. She was back on her feet before Kim could land a follow-up strike.

"You can't kill us," Adrianna snarled, throwing a strike that unfortunately creased Kim's upper left arm. "My people are everywhere, in every corner of the world."

Okay…Kim had let her guard slip but…was there ever a time when this woman WASN'T exaggerating? Kim steadied herself and braced herself for another volley.

"We are a hydra; kill one and three more take its place! That…creature…that you claim to…feel…for," The sentence actually seemed to cause her physical pain. And she brought this up herself? Adrianna almost seemed to be goading HERSELF into an overreaction. "News of this blasphemy will spread," Kim ducked a blow and hammered her fist into her opponent's gut. "And if not I, someone will come to purge this evil from existence! We've seen to it!"

They…they had seen to…it? Her and Ron's relationship was…what did she mean? What had…they…this was NOT happening! If Adrianna Lynne had wanted to a sure fire way to make her fight harder, this was it! Using the momentum from the punch and the athleticism and dexterity that years of cheerleading had instilled in her, she brought her foot up, connecting solidly with Lynne's face. Turning on the ball of her foot, Kim swept the leg into Lynne's, dropping her once again to the ground. This time however, Kim was all too quick to capitalize on the advantage. She brought her right kukri down hard and felt the all too familiar sensation of metal colliding with flesh. Lynne was stunned and Kim leapt onto her, hammering punch after punch into Lynne's face and finally pressing the crook of the already bloody kukri against her opponent's neck.

"And I will be there to stop them…every step of the way you bitch! The only make me fight harder! His name only makes me fight harder! Every innocent Wesen who falls by an Ende Der Zeiten's blade, like the Lion of the North and his mighty Pride, it makes me fight harder to stop you! And all I have to do now…is press down!"

This was it! She had Adrianna Lynne under her blade and…and all she had to do was press the kukri down, slicing the Ende der Zeiten's neck. For all thing things she'd done, for all the things she MIGHT have done…all of those innocent Wesen would finally have…what?

This IS it, isn't it? The crossroad is here. I can end this right now and have revenge…but not justice. I end it quickly…or I break HER spirit instead of mine.

"But that would be far too kind for someone such as you," She wanted Adrianna Lynne to suffer…and living with this would be far crueler. The Laufer would see to the family…and Adrianna Lynne would spend the rest of her days knowing that Kim Possible had gotten the better of her, had held her life in her hands…and at the last second had let it go. "I don't have to become you to beat you! From this moment on, I'm better than you! Enjoy your life Adrianna Lynne," A thought suddenly occurred to Kim; she wasn't a killer…but she never made any claims about being a saint. "And this little memento of our time together." Kim whipped up her kukri from Lynne's neck and deftly sliced a small "G" into the woman's cheek. "A little something so the Devil will know who sent you." Kim delivered one last blow to Lynne's face and hauled herself up. Oh man…the cut on her arm didn't seem too bad but with her adrenaline levels returning to normal…wow, that thing really hurt. Mom would undoubtedly make a big fuss before stitching it up. Cheer practice would likely be a little difficult for a few days but…

"Kim?"

When…when had she sunk to her knees? Was Mom…Kim could see Mom rushing to her. She felt Mom's arms wrapped around her.

"Kimmie? Kimmie, are you okay?"

"I…I'm sorry Mom. I…I couldn't do it. I…I couldn't kill her."

"Shhhhh; it's okay Kimmie," She could feel Mom running her hands through Kim's hair. "Everything's going to be okay. I love you so…"

"BETTER THAN ME?"

Kim turned just in time to see a charging Adrianna Lynne, blade outstretched and ready. The whole thing was a blur, some kind of primal instinct that Kim didn't even know she had. She only had moments to react. She snatched a kukri from where it had fallen into the sand and…

…CRUNCH…

She'd…she'd spared her! Kim hadn't wanted…even with all of the blood on Adrianna Lynne's hands…Kim wanted justice, not…more blood. But looking between them, seeing the carbon steel blade of her kukri embedded square in the center of Lynne's chest…this…this wasn't supposed to happen! It…Kim was vaguely aware of figures rushing to her, of Mom crawling up from next to Kim but…she didn't know where she was!

KPKPKPKPKPKPKPKPKP

The scene that played out before her was…Anne couldn't…didn't want to describe it. She couldn't keep her attention on Kim without taking it away from her prisoners. All…all she could do was listen. Every blow, every clang of steel against steel was like one to her own body. But Kim would win! Her daughter would survive! She heard Kim grunt in pain and Anne's grip on her kanabo became white-knuckled…until she heard Kim's voice.

"All I have to do is press down," This…this was it. Kim had gotten the upper hand and was face to face with… "But that would be too kind. I guess I don't have to become you…to beat you."

It…it was like the clouds had opened up and angels began singing the Ode to Joy. That…that was Kimmie speaking. It wasn't some hardened killer or homicidal maniac…but in that blessed moment, Anne could hear her 17 year old daughter, the teenager who came home from work smelling like sawdust and wood stain, the girl who went out of her way to help someone in trouble, damn the consequences. It was the little girl whose bed had been adorned with those nutty pandaroos since Kim was a toddler. It took all the effort she possessed but Anne tore her face away from the Lynnes in time to see Kim, rising like a phoenix from the ashes, like the old Kim being reborn from the rubble that had been what she was becoming. But as she finally reached full height…no, Kimmie's left knee was about to buckle! Anne darted to her daughter's side and caught her in her arms, looking into those emerald eyes.

"Kimmie? Kimmie, are you okay?"

"I'm sorry…I couldn't…I couldn't kill her Mom."

"Shhhhhhhh, everything's going to be okay Kimmie," It…it felt like nothing had happened. The last two weeks were all…just a bad dream. Anne was holding her baby girl in her arms and…and it was the most indescribable feeling, like all those times when she was little. She…for the rest of her life, Anne didn't want to let go. "I'm gonna get you home and…"

"BETTER THAN ME?"

It all happened in the blink of an eye. Before she knew what had happened, Anne was lying face up, more than a little disoriented. Something was going down! Her kanabo was a foot away and…that sound was unmistakable. After so many years of this life, that sound, that sickening wet sound, was unmistakable. She…she could hear it in her sleep. And it had come from…Anne shot off her back and…and laying before her was Adrianna Lynne, a kukri sticking out of her chest and…and Kim…flat on her back…with a dagger embedded in her stomach!

"KIM!"

Anne darted over and knelt down at her daughter's side. She…she needed a…bandages…a…a retractor…forceps. The…oh God; she…she had to focus! She had to focus if…if she wanted to…to save…

"I…cough…I tried to…I wanted to…cough…let her…" Kim choked out. Anne could feel Kim's hand groping for…something, but Anne grabbed it and squeezed. "I…I'm sorry Mom. I…"

"It's okay Kimmie," She…she had to sound more confident than she felt. "I promise you that it's all going to be okay. We're going to get you home and…and you, your grandma, and I will spend the whole day together."

"I…I wanted her to…live. I…I…"

"Kim?" She…she'd stopped mid-sentence and started coughing. "KIM?"

Nonononono…she was going into shock!

Author's Notes:

I knew from the get go that Kim would have to come face to face with the decision of holding life and death in her hands in a completely different way than she'd experienced before…and yes, ultimately choosing the good side of the force if you will.