Breaking Point (Shego)

Shego felt all the rage she'd been holding back finally snap inside her.

How dare Motor Ed...

She was about to roast him like the pig he was in that moment. Her hands flared green, but he seemed to be more focused on the oncoming sound. Sirens. She smirked and watched as they sped in. She wasn't going back, but Ed sure was. She kicked him square in the gut as he turned towards her. His words caught in his throat as he flew the ten feet right into the windshield of the cruiser. His wide-eyed and terrified expression thrilled her. She hoped that got the message across loud and clear.

I am no one's accessory!

"Seriously, Green, what the hell?" asked Ed as he tried to climb off as the police got out. "You're ditching me, like Drew? Seriously?"

"I'm on vacation," she scoffed and fled before the police could make a move.

She sprinted through the marsh land, hissing at the ridiculous heels she wore. She should have known this was just some sort of deranged idiotic scheme. Motor Ed was as backwards as they came, how could she have thought for a second...

How are he and Drakken related!?

At least with Drakken, no matter the stupid scheme, it all was for one thing: world conquest and power. No! Motor Ed just wanted her to sit pretty and go on a cross country road trip. She swiped a tree as she headed towards the backroads. She stopped her running as she found a canal and slumped against the driest part, deciding to wait until nightfall. She'd cleared enough ground and taken enough different routes, left enough false traces that even a hound couldn't find her. Not that they would even use one. She was a villain, not a normal level criminal, and most law enforcement would rather Global Justice handle it.

Honestly, do they get paid enough?

She snorted to herself and sighed, pulling her legs up to her chest as her adrenaline fell to the wayside.

"An accessory?" muttered Shego. Her eyes narrowed. So the gossip was really getting around.

Fantastic!

Shego rested her head against the stone and tossed the ridiculous earrings she'd been wearing in the water. Her shoulders slumped. She could easily dismiss Motor Ed as just being Motor Ed, and perhaps that was the case... But there was something in her gut twisting... What if it wasn't? If Motor Ed, the second most oblivious person she knew, already had got wind of the gossip...who else had? The idea of taking up mercenary work and everyone treating her the same as Motor Ed did made her furious and crestfallen. Mercenary work was hard, tedious, and dangerous. The one thing she'd hated was leeches, and now she might as well go swimming in the pond. Villains like Drakken were few and far between. Though he'd had his setbacks...

No, nope, not happening!

Shego took a deep breath and shook her head. She wasn't wavering this time. She was going...she was going where? She smirked, yes... Vacation.

Shego walked around the spa, trying to shake the bitter annoyance and stress she'd gained from working with Motor Ed. She'd been there for a few days, trying to squeeze in an appointment with Midas for a much-needed hot stone massage. Unfortunately he was exclusively hard to get in with. She could have any number of the others do it, but she felt she really deserved to be pampered. Of course, she needed to be careful not having a steady paycheck now...maybe. She groaned. Her mind had been plagued with the idea of busting Drakken out.

Nope, no, we need to focus on this vacation before we decide anything.

She told herself this as she relaxed in the steam room.

"Shego?" came a familiar voice, and she looked to see an unfamiliar dark-haired woman waving at her from across the steam room. "I thought it was you."

"Do I know you?" asked Shego with a raised brow.

"It's me, Camille," she said with a heavy smirk. She indicated to her features. "What do you think? I got the final injections."

"Camille? Leon? Oh, yeah, the baby villain who ditched us all when Possible busted in at the lab," said Shego with an eye-roll. The girl shrugged.

"I was still getting my feet wet," said Camille. She held a bundle in a matching robe—her cat.

"I've seen," said Shego. She raised a brow. "Aren't you supposed to be in prison?"

"Aren't you supposed to be in prison?" asked Camille with her own raised brow.

"Touché," said Shego with a smirk. She leaned back. "Impersonate a guard and bail?"

"No. I mean I could have. With all the chaos with them bringing in the new prisoner...I just sort of...walked out," she shrugged and rolled her eyes. "For a high security prison, it's not that hard to escape... Sad really. So, first prison break for me."

"They'll learn. The cell they had me in deflected my powers," said Shego. She looked at her hands, the manicure fixing the damage she'd done to them. "If they view you as a threat or dangerous, they'll make something more secure for you."

"Did you really blast a guy into a police cruiser?" asked Camille with a curious smirk. She looked at her hands. "I wonder if there's a way I could get that done."

"It's not something you have done by choice," said Shego. She felt her hand twitch, and she looked at the girl next to her. "Why, do you want to be a mercenary or henchwoman?"

"Oh god no," said Camille with a cringe. "It would just be useful to have in case I get caught again. I don't want to work for anyone. No offense, but I like to have things done for me not do for someone else... Besides, I want to have accessories, not be one for someone's disposal."

"Uhg, that's why I tossed Motor Dumb-ass into the cop car, he tried doing just that. That's why I'm debating going back to one job contract. No more long-term work for me. Apparently it's how gossip gains fuel," said Shego. She looked at the ceiling of the steam room, trying to push that experience behind her.

"What about Drakken?" asked Camille with a raised brow. "Aren't you partners or something?"

"No, his side-kick. It meant I did all the hard work while he tinkered around and got us caught," snapped Shego. She felt the pain of the electrical unit hit her stronger than memory. "Sometimes he wouldn't even tell me what he was doing."

"Oh, you seemed fine at the ball," said Camille. She raised a brow as she played with her necklace, then shrugged. She opened her mouth but closed it and Shego knew she'd heard the latest gossip.

"Just so we're clear, I am not a villain hopper, despite the ill-gotten and twisted gossip," said Shego with a glare.

"Hmm? Oh," said Camille. She shrugged and gave a slight smirk. "I don't think that. I was just thinking of the massage I want from Midas. Deep tissue or stone?"

"You have an appointment with Midas?" asked Shego with a raised brow. Camille smirked.

"I don't, but Shay Valentine does," said Camille. She shrugged. "I overheard the booking and after a few phone calls, she's delayed. Poor thing. Turns out she fits the description of a robbery."

"Oh, that is unfortunate for her," said Shego. She looked at Camille. She was still playing with her necklace and Shego smirked. It was the knockoff of the Obsidian Diamond necklace that Drakken made. She stared at it longer than she should have.

"Yes it is," said Camille. "So, who are you going to work for then? Professor Dementor, he's always looking for mercenaries."

"...Hmm." Shego's eyes narrowed at the slight snide tone of Camille's voice. She didn't know if she was playing around or poking the bear, but Shego got up. "Well, that's been enough steam for me."

"It was just a question," scoffed Camille. She looked around. "Do you know what time it is? I have an appointment at four."

"It's two," said Shego confidently. Camille nodded and Shego slipped out and walked to the front desk with a smirk.

"How may I help you?" the clerk greeted.

"I have an appointment at four with Midas. Shay Valentine."

"New name? Well, you're just in time," said the girl. "We were just about to call you."

"Had a little legal trouble," said Shego. She glanced at the steam room and smirked.

Shego tried to relax as Midas dug his fingers into her tense flesh. The oils and scents would have normally had her catatonic right now. She gave Midas praises every so often, as it was helping her physically, but her mind was at war with her emotions. She kept flashing back to Camille's necklace, and she replayed the heist in her head again. The dinner, the dancing, the inner turmoil she'd had after. That plan had worked flawlessly, even with all the bumps they'd run into.

So he's capable of it or it was just luck?

No, she wasn't going down that path. She needed Drakken off her mind or she would end up running and busting the idiot out of prison and wash...

...Rinse, obey.

She groaned as the stupid song played in her head. She rubbed her forehead against the table. It had taken ages to get it out of her head in the first place. She wanted to smack him just for writing it in the first place.

Stupid catchy, uhg!

"Midas, change of pace... Mind if I get the hot stones? This isn't hitting it just right yet," said Shego with a slight groan. He nodded, and she sighed with finality. "This year has been the worst and it's only June."

"While the stones heat, do you want to vent?" asked Midas. It wasn't like she hadn't in the past.

"No, I'm fine," she sighed. It was silent save for the wind chimes. Her mind began to swim again.

She was replaying everything in her head. Not just that year, but searching for where she'd lost her focus. Six months had been tossed aside like nothing for an open-ended contract even after he'd put her under mind control because she was too comfortable... So when had she let herself slip? An image of laughing as they sang in the hover car after their first failed mission played in her head. God, had she somehow conditioned herself to associate failures with that moment somehow? She rolled her eyes at herself. That didn't even make sense. She wasn't under some sort of Stockholm Syndrome.

He needs you.

She smiled. That was it. She had gotten used to being relied on. It was the reason she'd been with her brothers for so long; they were incapable without her.

One could say sticking around as long as you did was more a hindrance than a help.

She smiled a little more. Perhaps it was best for both of them to take a break.

What about you?

Her own voice made her glare. She didn't need anyone, least of all Drakken. With him came failure, disappointment, stress, and babysitting.

I could go for a wine float...

Shego let her head drop to the mat and groaned as the stones started being placed on her back.

Shego's leg shook as she thought about what Possible had said. Someone had busted Drakken out and was helping him.

Who?

Shego's mind was racing with possibilities, but she kept hitting a brick wall. Villains didn't just bust out other villains without a reason. She heard the therapist make a click noise with her tongue as she tried to exfoliate Shego's leg with the salt scrub. Shego halted it and tried to clear her mind.

Who cares who broke him out, he's not my problem anymore then.

She closed her eyes and tried to relax.

What if it was Dr. Sweets?

Shego's eyes shot open and she felt uncomfortable at the idea of that loon getting some sort of candy chaotic revenge.

What if she's making him into some sort of soup-brained zombie while you're just sitting in a spa?

She felt her knuckles tense but shook her head. Not her problem.

If he wants to blindly trust...

Shego took a deep breath again.

What if it's Amy... What if Monkey First has another chaotic plan... What if one of the people he'd stolen from was getting revenge... What if...

Shego sat up and glared. Her hands flared and she stormed past the spa workers to get dressed.

"He'd better be in distress," said Shego as she grabbed her things, "because if he's not...he's going to be."

Shego watched as Possible left, shocked she didn't try to take Drakken or her, though she had just helped her. Shego looked to find Drakken before she headed back to Greece. Her smirk fell as she didn't see him. She walked around the room for a few minutes before something clicked in her head. Warmonga had thrown something...or someone. Shego looked towards the hole in the ceiling and sprinted down the stairs to the nearest exit. The woman had literally thrown the man through the roof! Shego had an advantage in fighting, but Drakken...well... She felt a rush of panic hit her as she got to a cliffside platform and looked at the water, scanning for something.

"I swear if he drowned..." Shego caught sight of movement on shore. She watched as Drakken flopped on the beach and looked up at the sky. She felt a sigh escape in relief as she jumped the rocks to get to him.

When she made her way down and began walking along the shore, she noticed something. He was clutching his arm, his eyes were closed, and his breathing labored. She knew pained breathing when she heard it; there was even a rattle. She felt uneasy as she looked at him. She fought the urge to get closer to him.

What is wrong with you? He's probably just being a big baby like normal.

She rolled her eyes. Of course he was. She doubted he was that badly injured. He didn't move though.

"Dr. D.? You dead?" she tried to ask with a hint of humor. Normally there would be a little snark and she would be able to gauge the severity as an overreaction or not.

"Bet you'd love that." She took a step back at the venom in his voice. Her stomach felt cold as ice.

Why would I...

She shook it off and rolled her eyes.

"Whoa, bit dramatic," sighed Shego. He was such a diva sometimes. She offered her hand. "Come on, I got an appointment to get to."

"Then go." He wasn't looking at her. She let her hand slack. His voice was cold and it wasn't setting right with her. She felt her confusion fall into anger at not knowing what to do with this chill.

"Knock it off, let's move it. I'll help you back to the lair... What happened to it by the way...?" She was trying to change the subject, bring it back to normal...but he cut her off.

"I said. Go," he snapped. His anger was like a twisting knife in her gut. "I don't need you Shego!"

"Excuse me?" muttered Shego. There it was again—that ice, that yank up her spine. She glared. "Hey, I'm trying to help!"

"Help?" He looked at her with the coldest eyes she'd ever seen on him. She went to help him stand but he pushed her hands away. "Help me? Help me by what? Gloating, trashing my plans, abandoning me? Betraying me because of some weird jealousy issue you have? Yes, because that was a real help!"

"I just went on vacation," sighed Shego. Her neck felt tense again. She narrowed her eyes.

One day with him and you're back to being tense.

"You weren't going anywhere..."

"I wasn't going... You are unbelievable, Shego." Shego took a step back at Drakken's expression and she felt embarrassed now at her own words. "You got out twice and not once did you ever think to grab me on the way. Warmonga got me out and the first thing I did was go to get you... Oh, wait, you don't remember that...because you were on vacation!"

"You are blowing this all out of proportion," said Shego. Her chest pounded.

He'd gone back to get me? That's so...so sweet.

She felt guilt hit her and opened her mouth to apologize. "Drakken?"

"Go on your vacation, Shego," said Drakken. Shego raised a brow and closed her mouth. She couldn't hear annoyance or humor in his words. "Go work for whoever you want. Clearly you're not choosing to work with me."

"Knock it off," she groaned. He was taking this too far. He was acting like everything was her fault or something. "You did this whole alien thing yourself."

"You're right Shego, I did," said Drakken. He spun around and his cold glare turned into a dark, maniacal look. She felt her throat tighten.

Why?

"I had a new plan, a new side-kick, intergalactic power in the making. The world was going to be mine... And then... You came waltzing in like nothing happened...and were the one to yank it away this time. Not Possible. You. Perhaps I had it right a long time ago. I don't need anyone else... And I certainly don't need you."

"You do too," defended Shego. The first time had seemed like a dramatic reaction, but this time...it felt like he meant it. She felt like she'd been stabbed again. She glared and fought the pain she felt at those words. "You'd be lost without me stealing, and swiping, and getting you everything you need."

"You tell yourself that," said Drakken. He shot her nothing but ice. "Goodbye Shego."

He turned on his heel and began walking, staggering away. Shego stood, processing his words again... The way he walked, the coldness in his eyes... Her mind took seconds to wage war on itself and her feelings. Anger should be at the forefront; it was her defense mechanism—when things got too awkward, serious, or chaotic, it defended her. She glared after Drakken, pushing whatever this weird pain was as far back as she could. She was saying things now, things she otherwise wouldn't say. She said everything snide she could think of, anything to get his attention. Nothing. She heard her voice crack slightly as the last insult died in her throat.

"Drakken!" yelled Shego as he stumbled away. She watched him almost lose his footing. "Drew!"

Nothing. He kept walking, clutching his arm and stumbling the whole way. She felt like someone was twisting a knife in her gut. He never ignored her like this. There was always a snide remark to continue their banter, always a glare or an eye-roll. He'd never just...just ignored her. And he'd shoved her help away... Her eyes narrowed and she felt anger course through her as she growled and fired a blast near him. He didn't even flinch at it. He just stepped harder until he vanished through the hidden door at the base of the lair. She stood there, hands glowing, fuming.

"Fine!" yelled Shego, and she stomped away, the moist sand sinking with each step. "Fine! Bleed to death!"

Shego found her ride, the secondary hover car and hopped in. Her mind was racing, her emotions running rampant.

I should have just left and never looked back.

She glared at the console and her glowing hands nearly melted the controls. She took a deep breath to calm herself, her anger boiling away to the strong ache in her chest, the turning in her stomach. It was like nausea, but she couldn't place the feeling she was having.

"I don't need you!"

Her breathing shook a little, her chest panged.

He doesn't need me?

She felt the ache start to grow and she began fighting herself. She shook her head and cleared her thoughts. She started saying things on repeat in her head.

He doesn't need me? Ha, that's a riot. He can barely tie his boots.

She smiled a little.

He almost took over the planet without you. He almost did it, and you stopped it.

Her smile twitched again and she could feel a migraine start and her face felt hot.

"Warmonga is better than you!" "Jealous?" "Show her the door." "I don't need you."

Drakken's voice rang in her head, along with the cold look he'd given her when she'd tried to help him. She bit her lips and forced herself to feel the anger, to push those words away.

"You don't need me? Good... I don't need you either," said Shego with a deep gulp as she glared up at the lair and started the hover car.

Well Then →