XI. Cat's Out of the Bag

A/N

Hey there, lovely reader! This time, this chapter contains only a tiny bit of adult content, from the previous chapters, and some harsh language (more than before), so it's intended for readers 18 and older. If that's you, awesome! Enjoy the read. If not, or it's not your cup of tea, no worries, the K+ version is coming out.

Yours Cruelly, Alien Mex Fiend

Just then, they heard loud footsteps and yowling. Shego jumped, startled out of one of the most happy moments she had ever experienced in her strange life. Drakken scrambled to his feet and listened intently. He slowly turned around to face her, his eyes wide.

Shego grabbed her suit and hastily fixed her hair. He had to look away to ensure he wouldn't get too distracted. Drakken, somewhat disgusted and uncomfortable with himself, put back on his shirt and coat. He adjusted his ponytail, Shego brushed it for him with her hands and made sure he looked presentable. Not a word was spoken between them, but they knew each other so well that they helped each other with just silent gestures and signals. He gestured for her to fix her lipstick. She grabbed a paper towel and roughly tried to wipe the lipstick from his mouth. She found it funny. After a while he pushed her away in frustration. It did not come all the way off, but hopefully, it was not noticeable in the darkness. They both quickly put back on their clothes and sat back down on the other side of the room.

"Alright! That does it! You two better come and talk to me about this lump of a cat. Either come and get her or she gets taken to Global Justice for containment!"

Drakken seemed fatigued from everything and slumped.

"Can't I just have one moment in this dreary life?"

"Don't be so dramatic. Let's just get this over with. Drakken, I'm going to get her."

He shook his head and shrugged. "Well, it's your call. You love Jade, and I suppose I should not contend with the love you have for the cat," he said, and it seemed as though they had come to an agreement independent of each other. "I like the big girl too."

"Okay, here it goes, I guess, "she said, slightly taken aback by his understanding. He put himself aside a bit and got up to join her. This gesture was not lost on her.

Shego approached Kim from beyond Kim's view, causing her to get into a defensive position. Drakken followed, and Ron mirrored his friend, and Rufus remained in his pocket, terrified of Jade. "Ah! Kim Possible! I see you have a big someone for us. Give Jade back to Shego, it's her favorite friend. Now, keeping this furball from her mommy- it's not very heroic of you, is it?" he said frankly. Shego, beside him, looked at him flatly. "You don't need to speak for Jade, but, thanks, Doc. Kimmy, hand her over. She isn't yours to take from me." Shego outstretched her arms.

Kim thought deeply for a bit. She sighed, Jade had tired herself out and panted heavily in her arms.

"Look, I don't want to hurt you, and certainly not- Jade. I just don't know if she is safe in anyone's hands. I guess- ", she looked at Shego's saddened eyes. Shego wasn't going to take no for an answer, but somehow her feelings felt invalidated. "Then give me back my cat. We're some of the only people who have the facilities to take care of Jade. I can't imagine how cruel it would be to-"

Kim nodded in agreement but felt uneasy with how Shego just trailed off and eyed her, then Jade then her. Shego was telegraphing! Shego lunged toward Kim, trying to grab Jade, but Kim dodged her skillfully, pulling Jade away from her.

"Shego! I was going to give you Jade back! I was totally willing to give her back to you! Calm down!"

"Give me my baby, gingersnap!", Shego barked, igniting her hands, preparing to duke it out like in the old days. With it, Kim felt some slight nostalgia, which was certainly overshadowed by adrenaline and frustration.

"Gingersnap?", Drakken and Ron said simultaneously. "Ha-hah-hah-ha!". Drakken was grinning, but Ron wasn't. Ron hopped slightly and delivered a firm smack to the back of Dr. Drakken's head. Drakken growled and shoved Ron to the ground. However soon they both gave up, shrugging and standing idly. Ron turned to him very casually.

"So, how's it rollin' your Blueness?".

"Ah! A fan of the bloody Beatles I see?! Well I am a fan of the Southern Park, so- ".

"My good doctor, you don't want to make those jokes, do you?"

"Not particularly." He shrugged. "Well, to answer your question, and thank you for asking, I am in love and uh… I scored!"

Ron grinned in awe. "Yo! Dr. D! Good for you, big man!". Just then he sneered. "Which hand?".

"You little shit! Ahahahah!" he laughed, baring his teeth." You smug little bastard! I'm being serious.", he snarled, raising his fist. He then regained his composure. Talking to a stupid kid about something so personal was a dumb idea. He withheld the urge to insult him back, as he was still somewhat suspended in the after-bliss of what he had experienced just before this.

"Okay, okay. I really don't want to know more from you. Though, I always had a feeling."

"A feeling… that wat?", he asked. He looked sheepish about it, almost bashful if it wasn't for his harsh features. His eyes shifted.

"Kim used to joke about it, but I guess stranger things have happened. You know, let me tell you: if you had insulted me earlier, I would have said that Shego must have ran out of options."

"YOU STILL SAID IT!" he shouted.

"You two keep it down!", Shego snapped.

"Shego! What is going on with this poor cat? Shego, She-BIG!", Kim giggled.

"Dat's 'beeg'," Rufus chirped. He marveled at the size of this cat. His eyes, though fairly useless most of the time, made out the blurry blob of a cat that was Jade. She was truly something out of a news segment on freakish cats. Rufus wondered to himself what they must be feeding that poor cat to make her like that. Hot dogs? Pie? Burritos? All this was making him hungry…

"Don't insult our cat! It's not her fault! She was made that way!", Drakken yelled.

Shego stopped suddenly and glared at him. Kim also stopped and looked interested in what he had to say. She slowly approached him, her eyes demanding that he must be hiding something.

"She was made that way? Either you made her this fat on purpose, which, even you don't seem capable of doing to her, or my suspicions are correct,", Kim reasoned, interrogating Drakken. He crossed his arms, looking at her with half his brow raised. Shego got in Kim's face.

"Fine! Okay? Fine! I wanted a custom pet. Let's connect the dots. Kimmy, who do you know makes custom pets?"

"Drakken's creepy little friend, Amy?"

"Hardly!", he yelled, crossing his arms.

"Yes, Kim- I wanted my pet to be perfect, for Jade to be perfect. But, she is isn't even good. Amy fucked it all up!" Shego complained. She then realized instantly what she had said, and in regretful shock covered her mouth.

Jade, though limited in intelligence, felt the emotion towards her from her beloved guardian. Jade closed her eyes and her tail fell limp. "Jade bad?", she thought. Her little eyes glanced at Shego as she became still in Kim's arms. Jade knew she wasn't like the other kitties. She watched them when Shego took her for walks, in her owner's arms after a few yards, though she tried her hardest. That anyone who picked her up or let her sit on their laps was pained and annoyed. Her kneading and biscuit-making met with groans and anger. Their reactions were always negative to her little acts of love. She was unwanted by them. And it seemed she was even unwanted by Shego.

Drakken pondered philosophically. He was shocked. Being the egocentric man he was, he felt that in some way, this was targeted toward him, as Shego looked at him briefly as she said this. He knew her well. He sincerely hoped she did not regret their intimate moments together just moments ago. In vain he tried to assure himself. Drakken turned to Ron, who looked worried as well.

"Not even good? I hope you realize Jade didn't ask to be made the way she was! She just looks that way! I wish things were different, but that's how things turned out. She is trying her best, Shego! She can't help those things! It's probably hard enough that everywhere she goes, she is stared at. Not even for all the things Jade does! Just because of the way she bloody looks! She is still loveable and beautiful in her own way! Isn't she?! She's good enough, isn't she?!", he angerly despaired. His rant left him out of breath. "Don't you love Jade?".

Shego looked genuinely regretful and saddened by what he said. While she realized he believed it certainly in reference to him, she also knew that her attitude was also imparted on someone without blame, a totally innocent being, which was only capable of feeling love, admiration, and trust in her. The kitty had become totally still. She reached out toward Jade with open arms, slowly striding towards Kim again.

In a broken voice Shego softly said," Please let me just pet her. Just a little bit." Kim let up. She had never seen Shego like this, in all the years she knew her. She did not know her, however, beyond bitter contempt. Kim allowed her to pet Jade. Shego kissed Jade on the forehead, holding her chubby face in her hands. She hid her tears by wiping them on Jade. "I'm sorry Jade. I'm so sorry baby…".

Drakken's expression softened slightly. Ron felt some sympathy for Drakken. He knew what Drakken felt, at least, he hoped he did. Ron put his hand on his shoulder. He looked intently into his eyes. In his own life, he had felt inadequate, too. Especially when this insecurity was highlighted by a romantic partner…

"Jade's enough. She's just as good as all the other kitties."

"She is?" he turned to Ron thoughtfully.

"Sure. She deserves love. Everyone does."

Kim put Jade on the floor, allowing her to prance over to Shego on her own. It needed to be up to Jade. Shego slowly turned to Drakken.

"I'm sorry for saying that. I really am."

"Jade isn't really fucked up, is she?"

"You and Jade are great just the way you are. You are certainly more than good to me."

He smiled. His expression became more stoic. "I ask that you refrain from speaking this way in the future. I'm not going to speak too soon, but I really hope that you have changed."

"Old me would have never apologized."

"Old me wouldn't have either."

They held each other's hands and looked into each other's eyes. Shego's thumbs stroked his. He lifted them and smiled at them. Kim seemed surprised.

"I always joked about it, but it seems…", Kim remarked in amazement. Ron shook his head. "Stranger things have happened, my… homie..." She noted that he seemed sad about their parting still. It had been a while, and they were still friends. But she surmised that he likely longed for those golden moments they once shared when they were younger, and in love.

Drakken picked up Jade. She chirped.

"Thank you for understanding, Kim Possible. Maybe things… really have changed."

"Maybe so, maybe so. No big. Well,", she pointed at Jade, "a bit big."

Jade meowed. Her meows were almost melodical, singsong.

"Mommy has a snack for you, Jade, baby. Would you like some turkey jerky?"

A gentle, lyrical, cute, and clear meow was heard by her again.

"That's full of nitrates! Don't feed her that, darling."

Kim perked up.

"It isn't like you to say nice things, Drakken. What's going on? What is that on your mouth?", Kim teased, noticing the faded black smudges on his mouth.

"Wouldn't you like to know!", he snickered, his hands clasped, kicking one of his legs backward with a cheeky smile. Kim's mouth twisted in disturbance, her eyes open with disgust and surprise. He was certainly still Dr. Drakken. He was one odd man. Shego face palmed.

A/N

Well, this one had some emotions in it, I felt it was interesting to write about. I think it's interesting to explore the insecurities that Shego and Drakken have, and even Kim and Ron. Drakken and Shego's internal thoughts are often paralleled to Jade, the kitty. I think that Ron and Kim break up due to distance and different visions in life when she goes off to college. /3 But who knows, maybe they get back together one day, or their life-long friendship remains strong, but their romance just did not last. For those who love that pairing, it is okay, I do not dislike it or anything, I just thought It would be an interesting set up to my next Drakgo novel! Stay tuned…

Yours cruelly,

-Alien Mex Fiend