All the KP characters are owned by disney.

Thanks to all of those that left reviews. I'm trying to tell it piecemeal to show little snippets of an overall story. I mean its all chronological its just that months in a hospital are hard to write about. I'm sure you don't want an entire chapter about two months of sponge baths and surgeries do you? Well maybe the sponge baths but anyway. You get the point.

I hope there are more surprises in here for you guys. Because as we all know a boring story isn't worth reading.

EDIT: to facilitate the change on the first chapter, I changed an interaction here. And I think it works better this way, thanks. It even ties it in better later. Thanks to all the constructive criticism.

break

Anne Possible watched her daughter through the glass as she struggled to walk the mere ten feet of the therapy room path. Mr. Bundy walked with her and helped guide her. When she was finished, Bundy led her to a bench and handed her a small set of weights to work her arms. He left and joined Anne outside of the room closing the door. "She is doing well."

Anne held back a sob. "It's just so hard to watch her like this. She can barely walk a few feet, and a few months ago she was flying all over the world defeating villains and helping people."

Mr. Bundy rested a huge hand on the woman's shoulder. "She is strong. She will come through this stronger than she was. Life places challenges before us. How we master those challenges defines us."

"I know. I am so proud of my daughter."

"Do you tell her that?" The question was soft, caring.

"Every day."

"Do you want to know what she feels?"

Mrs. Possible scoffed. "Any mother would gladly take the pain of their child."

Mr. Bundy smiled. "Not every mother."

There was a brief flash and Anne felt herself lifting a weight. Each rep was agony she could not begin to describe. Her entire body was aflame with pain. She tried to scream, but couldn't. Soon she felt another presence with her. 'Must not cry. Must push through. I have to become stronger.' She felt the words more than heard them. 'I suffer so no one else must. The world will not suffer because I will suffer.'

In a flash Anne was back in her own body and her knees buckled under her. Two powerful hands held her fast. "Mrs. Possible are you all right?"

Anne felt hot tears trace down her face. "What was that?"

"What was what?"

"What did you do to me?"

"I do not understand. We were talking and you just fell. Are you okay?"

Mrs. Possible looked at her daughter whose entire focus was on the small blue free weight. "I'm... I'm fine."

Both were interrupted by a small cough behind them. They turned to see a middle aged man in a rumbled suit nervously wringing his hands. "Mrs. Possible?"

Anne quickly wiped the tears from her face. "Yes?"

The man obviously did not want to be here and steeled himself before he spoke. "I am Don Arthur. I am the man who... who hit your vehicle while driving drunk."

Anne's nostrils flared and she spoke haltingly as the rage built in her eyes. "That was.. you?"

His eyes dropped to the floor. "Yes, it was me."

The hallway was deathly silent for several moments before Anne exploded. "You have no idea how little my Hippocratic oath means to me with regards to you! My daughter almost died because of you. My only daughter." Mr. Bundy clamped his hands on Anne's shoulders as she surged forward. Tears streamed as her teeth clenched. "Why weren't you critically injured? Why didn't you..."

She was interrupted by a pained cry from the doorway to the therapy room. "Mom!" Kim was breathing heavily. "Amp down mom." Kim straightened herself against the door jam, and after taking several deep breaths stepped away from it.

Again Mr. Bundy held Anne fast stopping her from rushing to her daughter. Anne looked up at Mr. Bundy's face questioningly and he merely shook his head. Kim took one agonizing step after another, pain etched into every aspect of her face. Don watched with ever growing dread as that image of pain and suffering came closer and closer to him. Finally Kim reached him and she reached up and laced her fingers behind is neck. Slowly she supported her weight on his neck. Don stiffened to support the extra weight. Kim released an agonized breath which turned into a sob of pain. Squeezing her eyes shut she composed herself then reopened them. "Do you see me, Don?" She asked quietly.

He stuttered as he responded. "Y.. Yes. I see you."

Kim shook her head. "No. Do you see what you have done to me?"

His breath hitched in his throat as he responded. "Every day, I know that I was the man who crippled a hero."

"Everything we do. Everything any human being does effects another." Her hands tightened around his neck. "Nothing we do only effects ourselves. Do you understand that?"

Don nodded somberly. Kim sniffed. She reached down with her wounded arm and retrieved the flask from the coat pocket. One handed she opened it and drank and handed it to Don before returning her hand to his neck. Don looked down between them at the flask in his hand. "I was too weak." Tears began to form in his eyes. "I just needed the strength to come here." His eyes returned to Kim's. "To face you."

"We are all strong enough to overcome whatever challenges we must face." She paused. "Whether that is our own strength or that of family and friends that is shared. We are born with that strength, Don." Don began to sob. "I am going to give you the greatest burden you will ever carry, Don. And this burden will never wash away and will never diminish." Kim waited until he nodded. "I forgive you." Kim leaned up and kissed his forehead. "I forgive you, Don." Kim released his neck and painfully walked to the nearby wheelchair.

Mr. Bundy bowed his head and mumbled a quiet prayer before helping Kim into the Wheelchair and starting down the hall. Anne watched over her shoulder as Don slumped to the floor in uncontrolled sobs letting the flask slowly spill across the floor. Slowly he leaned forward until his forehead rested on the tile and he slumped to his side in the fetal position is face a mask of unimaginable suffering and loss, wailing in grief Anne turned her head away as she followed her daughter.

break

Anne sat heavily into the dining nook in their kitchen with her cup of coffee. James sat down beside her. "How is she doing?" He asked.

Anne frowned and shook her head. "Therapy is going well, but she's... well she's different."

James looked at his wife concerned. "What do you mean?"

Anne shook her head again. "I just can't make sense of it." She took a deep breath and released it. "I mean I've been over it again and again in my head and it just doesn't make sense."

James took a sip of his coffee. "Maybe you should tell me what happened."

She nodded. "We had a visitor today. It was a Mr. Don Arthur. The drunk driver." She watched as James's hands tightened around his cup. Anne covered his hands with one of hers. "Trust me its been dealt with."

He looked at her quizzically. "How so?"

Anne shrugged. "Thats just what I don't get." She frowned. "After Kim talked to him you would swear she had torn his very soul from him. You would have had to see it, James. The look on his face like he had lost everything precious to him."

"What did Kimmie-cub do?"

Anne's eyes turned to James. "She forgave him."

He looked at her confused. "That was it?"

"Well no. It was like a little speech. To listen to her talk like that it... It almost made me feel pity for him. Truth is she was encouraging him, but it struck him like nothing I have ever seen. Like she had peered into his soul and found all the things that made him weak." She took another deep breath. "I mean I was proud of her for the strength it must have taken to forgive such a bastard, but still it was downright frightening to see the effect her forgiving him, had on him."

It was silent in the kitchen for a long time.

break

Mr. Bundy slowly massaged the bunched muscles of Kim's legs. He stopped suddenly and looked up at Kim. "Why did you forgive him?"

Kim looked up at the ceiling and bit her lip. She shook her head. "I don't know." She sighed. "To tell you the truth, I kind of felt like I was on autopilot."

He continued his work on her leg. "And what you spoke of?"

"Look I don't know..." Kim sighed heavily, and continued in a softer tone. "I've just had a lot of time to think on what happened. How it happened. You know?" She let her head come down and look at him. "Everyone feels so weak, but they feel that way just because they haven't faced something they truly can't handle and survived. I just thought he should know that."

The room was silent for a few more moments. "Why was your forgiveness a burden?"

Kim smiled. "Its just so easy for people to blow up on people like him. Like my mom did. At some point they just start to feel like thats the normal reaction. Anger and hatred from the ones they've hurt. But to have someone forgive him? To know that you destroyed what they hold dear and they still forgive you? Now that is something that will make you question your whole life. No matter who you are."

Mr. Bundy smiled. "Spoken like a true acolyte."

Kim's smile faded into a frown. "Shut up."

"As you wish."

break

The small ball of plasma skittered across the table like a drop of water on a skillet. When it hit Ron it shattered in a dazzling display of green light jerking the young man awake. Reeling back from the display he overbalanced the chair and fell backward to the floor. Shego started to laugh hysterically. "You should have seen your face Stoppable." She managed to say through the laughter as Ron pulled himself up from the floor with a scowl.

Ron sat back down in the office chair with a huff. "That wasn't funny."

Shego bobbed her head up and down as she wiped a tear from her eye. "Oh it definitely was funny from my perspective." Slowly her mirth receded. "What not getting enough sleep?"

"I was up all night with Scotland Yard." He yawned. "I finally convinced them to abide by GJ ruling."

Shego mentally tallied up countries in her head. "That was the last one wasn't it?" Ron nodded. "This is actually going to work."

Ron scoffed. "As long as you don't screw it up."

Shego was taken aback. "Chill naco boy. We have an agreement."

Ron scowled. "Uh hello? I'm not completely stupid here Shego. Hello, villain." He pointed at Shego.

Shego leaned back in the chair. "Yes, but I'm a practical villain." She straightened her business overcoat. "I have effectively done what every other villain only wishes to do."

"And what is that?"

Shego smiled. "Get paid based on the crimes I have committed to prevent the crimes I could commit."

Ron huffed. "Well I didn't bust my butt for the past four months for you."

Shego frowned. "Yeah that has bugged me. Why?"

Ron took a deep breath then let it out as he scrubbed his face with his hands. "Cause I'm tired. And if I'm tired of it, I know my best friend is exhausted."

"Whaddya mean tired."

"Just tired of being the first and only call these people make. They get paid to do this and they call us. We don't get paid. I mean sure we get hookups from time to time but no real compensation other than recognition." Ron sighed. "Do you know what I want to do after high school?"

Shego shrugged. "Clown?" Ron scowled looking hurt. "What?"

"I want to be a chef. I can't get into a decent school for that without some kitchen experience. I can't get that experience because I can't hold down a job while running all over the world saving it."

"You know you don't have to do that, right?"

Ron nodded. "I know, but Kim does. She has some kind of messiah complex or something where she HAS to save everybody."

"Still in the dark here, Stoppable."

Ron sighed. "She's my best friend. I just couldn't live with myself if she went on a mission and I wasn't there and she was hurt."

Shego inspected her nails. "Well you kind of screwed the pooch a while ago then didn't you." Shego's head jerked up to see the pain in Ron's face. Her gaze dropped and she averted her eyes in shame. "Yeah, over the line there. Sorry."

Ron took a deep breath. "Yeah just a little." He paused. "Hopefully with you out of the game and GJ taking over, I can pound it into her head that its not her problem anymore."

Shego snorted. "Knowing the princess, you may need a very large brick."

Ron smiled. "Big hearty Duh to that." He poured himself a glass of water from the supplied pitcher. "The contract was pretty simple, it shouldn't take them that long to go over it."

"Hell even you understood it right?" Shego grimaced.

"You know one of these days you might find it appropriate to re-engage that brain mouth interlock. It does save everybody a lot of trouble." Dr. Director tossed the sheaf of paper on the table with a dull thud.

Ron stood to shake her hand. "You get used to it after a while."

Betty took a seat at the head of the table. "I don't think I could get used to it." She indicated the contract she had tossed down. "I have to say Ronald, its quite the piece of work. I's are dotted and T's are crossed. All you?"

Ron shrugged. "The initial idea yeah, but my dad has some lawyer friends and a few meetings with the Middleton DA for a lot of the more technical aspects."

Betty nodded. "All in all decent work, Ronald." She paused before sighing heavily. "Unfortunately, we can't accept it." GJ guards came pouring through the two doors to pretty much line the walls. "We do, however, appreciate you bringing this fugitive in without incident."

Ron shot to his feet. "I'm begging you to reconsider this. She's right here. No cuffs no fighting nothing. And with the contract you will know where she is EXACTLY for the next five years. She won't be committing any crimes and if she needs extra money she will do good stuff. If you do this. Best case is she will break out in three days and you won't know where she is. Off the grid, until she steals something important. Please reconsider what you're doing."

Betty frowned. "For one thing Ronald, I believe you are underestimating our holding cells."

Ron interrupted her. "Or you are underestimating her like the other countless times you've tried to keep her in prison."

Betty scowled at him for interrupting her. "And secondly we don't make a habit of PAYING criminals."

Ron held his hands out to his sides. "You're not seeing the big picture here."

"And you are obviously blind to what the law requires here, Ronald." Betty stood. "Take her."

Shego shrugged. "Sorry Stoppable. It was a great idea."

Ron sighed. "No, I'm sorry for leading you on. And for being an idiot again apparently." Ron took a deep breath and released it. "At least I can get that retainer money back from GJ since they obviously had no intention of honoring our agreement anyway."

"What retainer money, Ronald?" Betty looked genuinely confused.

Ron's eyes widened in surprise. "You authorized the transfers. I have the receipts."

"What transfers?" Ron's jaw dropped at Dr. Directors question.

Utter silence filled the room to be broken by Shego. "Let me go on the record and say that I'm evil. I mean I've stolen candy from a baby literally and I... Well I umm..." She shook her head. "I'm really evil and I guess not even I can come up with words to describe how messed up that is."

Everyone jumped as Ron threw the pitcher of water across the room narrowly missing one of the GJ guards who ducked out of the way. Ron cried out in frustration. "You have got to be kidding me! Four months of work wasted by one narrow minded fool. Twelve million jacked out from under me by the same narrow minded thief."

He howled in frustration again, but was stopped by a shout from Shego. "STOPPABLE!"

Ron whipped around on her. "WHAT!" Shego shook her head from side to side slowly never breaking eye contact. Ron took a deep breath and let his shoulders droop in defeat. "You're right." His eyes met Betty's. "But I tell you what. Next time GJ can't 'Handle it' or they 'need our help'. GJ can just go screw off."

"The work we do saves the world, Ronald. If we need help doing that we will get it."

Ron's voice rose. "You've had four years of help from Kim and me. One would think that we'd be put on the payroll for our apparently legendary talents, but no. The extraordinary get squat but the people who are trained to save the world, never do, but get the salary to do it. Its time you earned your pay." Ron turned and stepped to the door which was blocked by two guards. "You so do not want to do that right now." Quickly they moved aside to let him pass and leave the room.

"Huh." Shego huffed.

"Anything to add Ms. Gho?" Betty growled.

Shego smiled. "I think you just screwed the pooch, hard."

"Get her to her cell."

break

Ron paced the hospital room retelling the events to Kim whose face grew more and more angry with each event. "I don't know Kim, I was just so mad." He finally fell into the couch and cradled his head. "I really messed up this time didn't I."

Kim took a deep breath and released it. "Some yes but mostly no."

Ron lifted his head. "Whaddya mean?"

Kim adjusted herself on the bed carefully. "Yes because you made it about the money and it was never about the money, Ron."

Ron grimaced. "I know, I think a little Shego rubbed off on me."

Kim smiled. "Hopefully it doesn't stick." She sighed. "But the rest of it, I can't see how you screwed up. That twelve mill in retainer money."

Ron yanked some papers out of his back pack. "I have the receipts though. I kept receipts. Me."

"Yeah, Betty did screw you over. I'm sorry about that."

Ron sighed. "Don't worry." His face brightened. "Dad always said, never spend money you don't have."

Kim nodded sagely. "True." She smiled. "And the whole plan with getting Shego out of the game was a preemptive strike for when I go to school. So that wasn't a screw up at all." Kim looked thoughtful. "Not exactly what I would have expected from you though." Kim realized what she had said and quickly back peddled. "In a good way. Stroke of genius in fact."

Ron still frowned though. "I guess I was just too optimistic about it actually succeeding though."

Kim gave a short laugh. "But thats you, Ron. Always optimistic." She leaned forward. "And you know what the kicker to this whole thing is though?"

Ron snorted. "Shego didn't call me a buffoon or an idiot for three whole months?"

She nodded thoughtfully. "Well besides that." Kim smiled. "You actually stuck to it long enough to see it shot down at the very end by someone else."

Ron laced his fingers behind his head as he leaned back on the couch. "True. I did broker deals with fourteen foreign countries."

"Yes, you did." Kim returned to her reclining position. "I don't exactly like why, but I am pretty impressed with you." She met Ron's eyes and grinned wider. "Okay a lot impressed."

Ron nodded. "I'm impressed with me."

Kim laughed. "Don't let it go to your head." Ron chuckled. "Mr. Bundy says I'll be okay to leave the hospital soon."

Ron's smile faded. "To go to Norway?"

Kim shook her head. "No. There's only a couple months left in the semester, so I'm going to finish out before I go." Kim looked down at her hands. "Speaking of going off to school..." She took a deep breath before looking back up at Ron.

He leaned forward and he, too stared at his hands for several seconds. "Yeah, I suppose we have some stuff to sort out." He looked up at her. "Okay."

Kim rubbed her eye. "So..."

Ron stood and went to her and took her hand. "Okay, so we can be super optimistic, or realistic and optimistic." Kim nodded for him to continue. "The super optimistic way to look at it would be to try and keep the BF GF thing going through the mail." Kim grimaced. "Yeah, my thoughts exactly. So I'm gonna go with option two, which..." He sighed heavily. "Would be friend zoning myself after clawing out. Not the ideal option, but in this case about the only one available."

Ron leaned down gave Kim a quick kiss on the cheek. Kim laughed. "Well there is always option three." Ron looked at her confused. "Super messy breakup like the night I leave for school?" Ron grimaced. "I mean I have a couple of months I can come up with some really good bitch moves?"

Ron kissed her again before returning to the couch. "Get some lessons from Bonnie? Really find your inner bitch?" They laughed together. "So, I think you know I would prefer option two, one a close second, and three a very very distant last."

Kim pursed her lips. "I am really warming up to option three though." Kim could only hold the straight face for a very short time. "For a goofball you can be surprisingly down to earth." She sighed. "I am going to have to agree with you."

Ron nodded. "Still best friends since preK. With a brief stint as kissing friends." He stood. "Damn, every single breakup is going to be messy compared to this one."

"I wish it didn't have to be." Kim said, her eyes slightly downcast.

Ron smiled. "You just say the word and we can upgrade to bone buddies?"

Despite herself Kim grinned broadly. "Jesus, Ron." She pursed her lips before looking down at her body. "We'll just stick a pin in that." She groaned.

Ron stepped over and kissed her forehead. "Realized it after you said it didn't you?" He stood again and squeezed her hand. "All-right, I have to jet. See you later?"

Kim nodded and watched him leave.

break

Kim supported her weight on Ron's shoulder as they entered the familiar halls of Middleton High. Kim took a deep breath and supported her own weight and walked beside Ron slowly. Ron cinched up Kim's backpack. "Glad to be back?"

Kim smiled. "I was beginning to think I'd never see these halls again."

"Kim!" The shriek of surprise interrupted them. Monique came rushing up to them and pulled up short. She looked a little pensive. "Can I hug you?"

Kim laughed. "Duh." Monique shrieked again before she hugged.

"Mr. Giant let you come back to school so soon?" Monique asked as she released Kim.

Kim nodded as she continued her slow pace. "On a probationary status." Kim ticked off the rules on her hand. "I can't carry by book bag, I don't push myself, if I get tired I go home, and no cheer leading practice."

Monique looked her over before asking in a conspiratorial tone. "So this is as fast as you can walk?"

Kim smiled sheepishly. "I tried going faster and my leg cramped up something fierce."

"Back so soon, K? We were beginning to think you'd never come back. Not that it would be a bad thing." Bonnie passed with her customary air of superiority.

Ron stopped as if to return the salvo of insults, but his insults sputtered out as he watched Kim simply walk past as if she hadn't noticed. "You okay Kim?"

Kim turned her head. "Cool it Ron. After what I've been through her blathering is pretty much a drop in the bucket." Kim started walking again.

Bonnie laughed. "Rough being pampered in a hospital bed?"

Kim's head dropped to her chest and she shook it before turning. "Guess what I've done in the past six months, B?" Kim painfully turned to face her attacker. "I came back from the dead." She jutted her chin out at Bonnie and drew it back. "What have you done?" In a huff Bonnie left.

"Nice one, Kim." Monique resumed step next to her.

Kim shrugged. "I have to give her props though. Its hard to make fun of cripples."

"You're not a cripple!" Ron was indignant.

Kim sighed. "What do you call someone who can't carry their own books or make it to class on time because they can't move fast enough."

Ron was darkly silent before doing what he did best. "Does that mean you can get one of those mirror hangy things that let you park closer to the school?"

Kim laughed. "You know, I should look into that."

Sweat was building on Kim's forehead before they reached her locker. She leaned against the bank of lockers thankfully. Kim gave Ron and Monique a reassuring smile before they had a chance to protest. "Yeah I'm fine."

Kim opened her locker to the surprised look of Wade. "Hey Wade."

Wade smiled. "Hey, Kim. How you doin?"

Kim shrugged. "Been better. So to what do we owe the honor."

His smile faded. "I was about to call you on the Kimmunicator. I have a message..."

Kim interrupted him. "Go ahead and send it through."

Wade rubbed the back of his neck. "Actually its a video conferencing call and the caller asked for Ron."

Ron stepped up next to Kim. "For me? Who is it?"

Wade shrugged and took a deep breath before furiously tapping keys splitting the screen. The saw a black lipped smile greet them. "Stoppable. What's shakin?"

Ron's smile faded some. "I'm out Shego. I'm sorry but I don't think a second go is going to work."

She waved a hand in front of her face. "Well, Duh." Her face hardened. "Name a charitable foundation."

All four other faces grew confused. "What?" Kim asked.

"I second the motion. What?" Ron added.

"Well I got to thinking. GJ pretty much stole that money from you... So I stole it back, with interest. I know you wouldn't take it. And its way funnier if they try and get it back from sick kids."

Ron shrugged. "Don't be so sure. Twelve million is a lot of money."

Kim punched Ron in the shoulder. "Ron, you wouldn't."

Ron smiled as he recoiled. "I was kidding."

Shego interlaced her fingers and stretched cracking knuckles. "So, which sick kids get an anonymous donation."

Ron thought for several seconds. "St. Jude's."

Shego's fingers flew across the keyboard before her. "Done, and done."

Wade's eyebrows rose noticeably before squeaking. "Holy crap."

Kim frowned. "How much was it?"

Shego growled. "Tell them and I come in for a personal visit." She engulfed her hand in flame to emphasize her point.

Wade alternately looked at Shego on his screen and Kim. Finally he seemed to compromise. "Considerably more than twelve million."

The flames died on Shego's hand. "Okay, Stoppable. We're even. Have a good day."

Before she could sever the connection Ron spoke up. "Hey hold up. Hey Wade. Why don't you get on the Villainous boards and post that Shego is no longer in the employ of Team Possible." He paused. "Make up some suitably incredibly evil reason why."

Wade began typing on his keyboard. "You got it man."

"Now we're even." Shego nodded at Ron's words and cut her connection.

"I guess she's not as bad after all." Monique spoke up.

Ron snorted. "No, she is as bad. She's just practical." He sighed. "To her, I'm a money pot that doesn't want her to work for it. I'm a bridge worth not burning."

"Is that... Is that safe?" Kim asked not quite sure how to phrase it.

Ron shrugged. "We'll see." He sighed again. "At least I won't be the target though."

"Always look on the bright side, huh?" Monique asked.

"There's always bright side. Sometimes you have to look really hard though." Kim closed her locker.

Kim stopped Ron as they walked to their next class. "I have to rest. You go ahead."

"You sure, KP?" Ron asked concerned.

Kim forced a smile. "Yeah. I'll be there soon, I just need a minute." Kim leaned on the bank of lockers.

"If you're sure." Kim waved him off. Reluctantly he continued on.

Kim bit her lip as the students filed out of the hallway and the bell rang. When the last student left she turned and rested her head on the cool steel. She punched the locker and let out a whimper of pain. She massaged the spasming muscle in her thigh roughly. "Holy shit." She cursed through clenched teeth.

Her eyes clenched tight she didn't notice Barkin coming down the hall. "Possible. There are a lot of things I will tolerate. Cursing is not one of them."

Startled Kim roughly wiped the tears from her eyes and stopped massaging the muscle. "Sorry, Sir." She began limping down the hall to her class.

"I didn't say you had to get to class. You take as long as you need."

Kim stopped and leaned her back on the lockers. "Sorry." She looked at her principle. "I really am. You ever had your whole thigh cramp up on you?"

"Can't say that I have." He grew concerned. "They don't have you on pain meds?"

Kim shook her head. "I won't take them."

Barkin shook his head. "As much as I admire the gun-ho attitude. There is a limit."

Kim shook her head. "They make me fuzzy. I can't think straight."

"And the pain doesn't?"

Kim closed her eyes and lowered her head. "Kind of. The pain is like an interruption. More of a 'hey, I'm still broken, just thought you should know' type of thing." She opened her eyes. "And then it goes away until I do something stupid and make it remind me again."

Barkin nodded sagely. "I suppose. Here." He offered his arm. "Lets get you to class." Kim took it and they made their way slowly down the hall.

Kim barely managed to shut the door behind her on her way to collapse onto the couch. She used her arms to lift her bad leg up onto the arm of the couch, elevating it. She sighed in relief. She was almost asleep when her mother called from the kitchen. "How was your first day back at school?"

"I never realized how long a school day was."

Anne laughed as she picked up Kim's legs to sit underneath them. She began massaging Kim's bad leg. Kim grimaced and her head jerked up. "Whoa! Slow, Mom. Go slower." She let out a shuddering breath as she relaxed into the couch.

"He makes this look so easy." Anne sounded sad.

Kim smiled. "Trust me Mom, you're doing fine. You just have to ease into it after a long day like today." Her voiced hitched several times as Anne hit sensitive spots.

"What are you going to do when you start actually working out after a day of school?"

Kim shrugged. "After a week of walking everyday it should get easier. I think thats his plan."

Anne was silent for a long time massaging her leg. "I'm proud that you finished the first day though."

"Thanks mom." Kim spoke softly. "I so wanted to jet a few times."

"Why didn't you?"

Kim half laughed. "Barkin found me every time and helped me to class. I had to stop in the hall a couple of times to rest."

Anne stopped. "He made you stay?"

Kim looked up and shook her head quickly. "Oh, no. No, its just that he helped me and I felt kind of guilty. I couldn't just bail after getting help you know."

Anne released herself from the couch. "Thats good. You want me to bring your supplements in here?"

"If you could." Kim almost started to use the puppy dog face and stopped herself. "Thanks."

Anne returned with a small tackle box and opened it. She handed Kim a handful of pills and a glass of water and Kim dutifully downed them. Anne read over a short list and found the appropriate ampule and a sealed syringe. Carefully measuring out the dosage on the syringe the injected Kim in her upper arm. Kim loosened her pants to expose her bad thigh which Anne injected with a different concoction. "There all done."

Kim put her pants back on. "I hope we can get rid of some of this ritual soon."

Anne laughed as she secured the box. "You and me both." She leaned forward and kissed her daughters forehead. "Take a nap, dinner will be ready in a couple of hours."

Kim nodded as she covered her head with a pillow.