Chapter 23:

Possible Residence:

Kim sat on the bed in the guest room, mulling over Shego's words.

"What did she mean when she said I already knew the answer to my question?"

Kim wondered. After a few moments of pondering, it dawned on Kim what Shego had meant.

"Since she's in love with me, she doesn't want to take another shot at Ayumi. That's gotta be it, right? But, I love Ron, and I'm sure she knows that."

Meanwhile downstairs, Shego was in the kitchen sipping coffee, and wondering who the mysterious number that texted her belonged to.

"I guess there's only one way to find out."

Shego thought, replying to the text. A few seconds later her phone buzzed, and she nearly spat out her coffee.

"What, no way. It can't be."

"What can't be?"

Kim's sudden appearance caused Shego to nearly scream, and she quickly turned around to face the redhead.

"Jesus pumpkin, don't sneak up on me like that."

"Sorry. Anyways, what can't be?"

"Nothing, don't worry about it."

Kim just shook her head and took a seat in the chair next to Shego.

"So you'll tell me your life story, but you're still gonna keep secrets for me?"

"Mmhm."

Shego said, taking a sip of her coffee.

"Besides. Do you have to know everything I do?"

"Well you are staying in my home, so yeah I kinda do. Besides, I have to make sure you aren't up to any evil schemes."

"And if I am?"

"Then I'll give GJ a call."

"You wouldn't dare."

"I've got their number, and I'm not afraid to use it."

Kim said, the tone in her voice giving way to just how serious she was.

"I'm not doing anything evil, I promise."

"How can I be sure of that?"

Shego shrugged her shoulders, then got up from the table.

"Where are you going?"

"For a walk, I need to get some air."

Shego then left the kitchen, without another word.

"I guess she'll always have her secrets."

Kim then decided to give Ron a call, to see if he wanted to hangout today.

At the park:

Shego had decided to take a trip down to the park, to clear her head. Getting a text from her ex-girlfriend was not something she had been expecting.

"Why is she contacting me now after all this time?"

Shego wondered, taking a seat on a nearby bench. As she sat there lost in thought, she was unaware of the figure approaching.

"I see your skin's no longer green."

Said the mystery person, causing Shego to jump.

"I see I can still scare the crap out of you though."

After composing herself, Shego turned her head in the direction of whom had spoken.

"A-Ayumi?"

Shego couldn't believe her eyes. Her ex-girlfriend was standing right in front of her.

"Been awhile, hasn't it? Mind if I sit?"

Shego was still too stunned to speak, so Ayumi took it upon herself to take a seat.

"So, how have you been?"

Shego just continued to stare at Ayumi. Having her suddenly appear out of nowhere had rendered the poor girl speechless.

After what seemed like an eternity of silence, Shego managed to find her voice.

"Good. I've been good."

"So you can talk."

Once again Shego fell silent, causing Ayumi to shake her head.

"And we're back to the silence. Well you must be wondering what I'm doing here."

Shego gave a nod.

"I came to see you."

Shego's eyes widened in shock, Ayumi's answer having stunned her.

"Me? Why?"

"Duh, because I missed you that's why."

"How did you even manage to find me though? And how did you get my number?"

"Well, I've been following you on the news ever since you started working for that blue guy. Drakken, was it? Anyway, I know you frequent Middleton a lot, so I figured it was only a matter of time before I ran into you. As far as how I got your number goes. Well, that's my little secret."

Shego just shook her head, finding it difficult to process what Ayumi had just told her.

"Why?"

"Hmm?"

"Why after all this time, why did you suddenly decide you wanted to see me?"

"Well like I said before, I missed you. Also I know we had our disagreements in the past, and for that I'm truly sorry. I never meant to hurt you."

"Well, you did."

Shego's voice held a tone of bitterness.

"I know. I'm sorry."

"I mean, how could you do something like that to me? I did nothing but love you, and you threw it in my face!"

Shego said, beginning to raise her voice.

"Let's see, well you got my siblings thrown in prison. And what's worse, you wouldn't even tell me what the hell they did!"

Ayumi yelled back, earning some stares from people passing by. She just ignored them though and turned her attention back to the pale skinned woman next to her.

"Look, I don't wanna fight with you. But, you took my family from me. Do you have any idea how much that hurts?"

"I guess not, but what's done is done. I don't regret my decision, not for a second."

"I see. So that's it then? You take my family from me, and you don't even care."

Shego didn't say anything, and just looked down at the ground.

"What did they even do? What was so horrible that you had to go and rat them out? Surely it couldn't have been any worse than kidnapping you, and all the stuff that went down with that."

Shego remained silent, but Ayumi didn't miss the slight shake in her shoulders.

"Is she crying?"

Ayumi wondered, taking a closer look at Shego. Once she saw the tears running down her cheeks, she immediately felt bad for how she had spoken to her earlier.

"Hey, hey. Shh, it's okay."

Ayumi then pulled Shego into a warm embrace, and began rubbing her back soothingly.

Shego wanted to scream at Ayumi. To hit her, and tell her how much she hated her. However, at the moment she couldn't bring herself to do it. She hated Ayumi for all the pain she had caused her, but after all she had been through these past few weeks, this hug was exactly what she needed.

"I'm actually kinda surprised you're allowing me to hold you. I was certain you would have shoved me away by now."

Ayumi said, beginning to gently run her fingers through Shego's hair.

"Oh believe me, I really want to punt you across this park."

"So why haven't you yet?"

Shego shrugged her shoulders.

"I don't know, I guess I just needed this."

"Things have been rough?"

Shego nodded her head.

"I'm sorry, Ciel."

A small smile graced Shego's lips.

"You know, it's been awhile since anyone's called me by my real name."

"Well you should go by it more often, it's beautiful. Just like you."

A blush spread across Shego's cheeks, and this did not go unnoticed by Ayumi.

"I see I can still make you blush."

"Oh shush you."

Shego said, wiping her eyes and finally pulling herself from Ayumi's embrace.

"I really have missed you."

Ayumi said, gently cupping Shego's cheek. She then leaned in closer to Shego.

"What do you say we give us another shot?"

"Ayumi I...I can't."

Shego said, pulling away from Ayumi.

"Why not?"

"Well for starters you hurt me a lot in the past. What you did to me is not something that I can just forgive and forget. Also, I'm in love with someone else."

"Really? Who?"

"Kim Possible."

"Wait just a darn minute. You fell in love with a goody two shoes?"

"Kinda hard to believe, huh?"

"Yeah. I mean, I didn't even know she swung that way."

"She doesn't, and she has a boyfriend."

"So if you know she's straight and taken, why are you even bothering?"

Shego shrugged her shoulders.

"Come on, Ciel. You don't have a chance in hell with her, so why waste your time waiting around?"

"I'd rather waste my time waiting for her, than get back together with you."

"Why?"

"Because unlike you she actually gives a shit about me."

Shego then got up and began to walk away.

"You think I don't give a shit?!"

Ayumi called out, causing Shego to stop in her tracks.

"You know she only gives a shit because that's what everyone expects from her, right? She doesn't really care about you."

"You're wrong."

Shego then turned around to face Ayumi.

"She does care about me, more than you ever will."

With that said, Shego turned around and left the park without another word.

End of chapter 23: