January 1st
The clock read 9:00 am when the shrilling of the phone woke Shego from her dreamless sleep. Too tired to mumble the adequate curse for the interruption, she cradled the phone to her ear and grunted into the receiver. The light chuckling that flowed through the ear piece elected a growl, as the pale woman rolled over and covered her face with a pillow.
“Good morning, Sleepyhead.” Sumire greeted cheerfully. Ignoring the ritual ‘what the hell is wrong with you?’ her granddaughter always said, Sumire continued happily. “I was wondering what happened to you this morning. I do believe a certain someone, promised me an ‘American New Year’s Breakfast’?”
The other line was silent for a few moments as the business woman smiled knowingly. She didn’t have to wait too long. Casually pulling the cell phone away from her ear in time as her granddaughter yelled various expletives at the top of her lungs. “Good. You’ve remembered. Now I wonder if you remember which restaurant we were supposed to meet at?”
A string of incoherent mumbles and grunts were the only answer before the younger female barked out clearly, “Don’t go anywhere.” The line went dead shortly after.
One hour and forty-five minutes later, Shego stormed into the American restaurant and glared at her relative. Breaking several speed limits, and nearly avoiding an accident, the younger crumpled into the plush two-toned booth opposite her Nana.
Looking at the mature woman dressed in a casual business suit, the seething intensified as she noticed only a single cup of tea in front of her grandmother. Knowing the older female, she must have waited for Shego the entire time.
“I’m glad you could make it, Shiina.” hazel eyes lingered on her warmly. “I would have hated to eat my New Year’s Breakfast alone. Well now, shall we order?”
“Technically, it would be ‘New Year’s Lunch,’ since it is closer to noon.” Shego grumbled as she took the menu. Nana didn’t complain that they were supposed to meet at 8 o’clock, so Shego didn’t correct her grandmother calling her ’Shiina.’
“Nonsense. The first meal of the day is always ‘breakfast.’”
Forrest eyes stared at the woman across the table intently as the older female examined the menu. She had been cursing herself all morning for forgetting breakfast. Annoyed at herself for not arriving earlier, and irritated that her Nana was so stubborn and waited for her, Shego struggled not to light up. Why did that old bat have to be so stubborn? She could have just eaten before her, she reasoned, and only the tea cup remained. At least she hoped.
However all hopes that her grandmother had eaten prior to her arrival were shattered as a low grumble echoed from across the table.
“Well I think I know what I wish to order.” Sumire merrily said as she closed the menu and rested a hand on her rumbling stomach. “Have you decided Shiina?”
Shego scowled. Great, now she felt guilty too. Nodding curtly to the relative across from her, emerald orbs scanned the dinner for a waitress. Spotting one, she called out. The young girl was at their side in moments. Quickly taking their order, the girl hurried into the kitchen to escape Shego’s death-glare. Sumire sighed and shook her head, but otherwise didn’t say a word. They waited for a few minutes before their food was brought to them.
Half way into the meal Shego finally snapped. “Stop playing with the food.” she chided her Nana.
Hazel eyes looked up at her granddaughter, and pushed the plate away. Suddenly chasing the strawberry around the porcelain plate was no longer amusing. “I miss the rice.”
The younger snorted. “You’re showing your age, Nana. They don’t serve rice in America with breakfast. But I hardly think you care about rice. What’s really on your mind?” If she was going to be lectured about being late, Shego thought, she might as well get it over with. Watching her grandmother fiddle was endearing and all, but god was it annoying. Especially since she knew her grandmother only did such things when trying to approach her with something.
Sumire sighed. She might as well get this over with, she thought. Either Shiina did, or did not. She had to find out. She took the plunge. “What did you seek to gain by breaking into the Upperton building, Shiina? I hardly think the addresses of several employees are worth more than sleep.” Hazel eyes were contemplating the rapidly cooling tea in her cup, and didn’t meet the emerald gaze she felt on her until she finished speaking.
The report she received this morning from Kiyomi, was startling, and she didn’t want to believe it. However with the lapsing silence between them, and her granddaughter failing to meet her eyes, she knew it to be true. Her heart sank.
Shiina had broke into the building last night and viewed private data regarding her employees.
“Its personal.” Shego growled. A death grip on the fork that held a piece of pancake smothered in syrup. “I would never willingly ruin your empire, Mimi.” she whispered.
Cupping a pale green hand with her own tanned one, Sumire exhaled. So it is true. “I know, Shiina. But what I need to know is, why did you do so? I cannot just leave it at ‘personal matters.’ As the CEO, it is my duty to ensure the safety of all my employees’ personal information. I need to know what you sought, and why.”
Abandoning the fork and finding the objects beyond the window fascinating, Shego said nothing.
Pulling her hand back, and felling all the more disappointed, Sumire sat up straighter. It seemed she had to take matters into her own hands. She just could not allow her beloved granddaughter to spiral down any further. Not taking action lead to her daughter’s wayward affair with Go City’s governor, pregnancy, and untimely death. She would not allow the same to happen to the only remnant she had left of her beloved Aiko.
Preparing to leave the booth and pay for their meal, the business woman was halted as Shego spoke up. “I had to get my iPod back.” Sure it sounded childish, but it was true. Just as Shego was about to fall asleep, she remembered the tanned Rockwaller never returning the mp3 player. The anger she felt at that time prodded her to take action, immediately.
Cinnamon eyes stared at the younger woman in confusion, before she remembered the events of yesterday. Hazel orbs widened as she realized what her granddaughter was talking about. “I see.” was all the mature woman was able to say as she resettled in the two tone-booth.
“I needed to know where she lived. I didn’t know the guard, so I had to sneak in. It was your building, so I didn’t damage the cameras. I suppose I was captured on video, since you know about it.” The raven haired woman sounded deflated. She prided herself on being the best. To think she was out done by the building’s security made her cringe. Hadn’t she been extra cautious, because it was Mimi’s building, she wondered.
Sumire let out a sigh of relief. “Actually, it was Kiyomi that believed it was you. There were no signs that you were even there. Kiyomi only assumed it was you because the ’Fuku (1)’ kanji was upside down again, and the mouse was slightly turned in the wrong angle.”
Shego’s eyes went wide as her Nana began to chuckle. “That’s insane! You mean to tell me I was caught because of that! That thing was upside down to begin with!” This was incredulous. Had she just incriminated herself? An eye twitched as the woman opposite her broke into a smile.
“My dear, if you are too caught up with the way a kanji is read, you will miss the meaning behind the kanji itself. You always turn that kanji right-side up anyways; Kiyomi just knew it had to be you.”
Shego huffed and stood up. Mouthing a whatever and rolling forest-green eyes heavenward, the pale woman went to the front to pay for the meal. At least the tension was no longer between them, she mentally smiled.
Sumire watched her little Firefly walk to the front to pay, before she followed suit. Shiina was right, it was personal, so she would drop it. It wasn’t as if her granddaughter was going to sell the information. Besides only two other people, besides herself, knew Shiina had even entered the Upperton building last night. Kiyomi and Harada would never betray her, so she could easily overlook last night’s break-in.
“So did you retrieve your iPod?” Sumire asked as she slid into her pale granddaughter’s British-green Lotus. A grunt was her answer.
What Shego conveniently left out was driving all the way to Middleton and sneaking up to the brunette’s house.
(Flashback)
It had taken Shego over an hour to drive to Middleton, and then another half an hour to find the Rockwaller residence. Parking three blocks away, the pale woman stuck to the shadows as the moon was ascending into the sky. The cool breeze carried the scent of gun powder from the fireworks, as she carefully made her way up the street.
When she finally reached her destination, she crouched behind the hedges in front of the house. Peering into the large living room window, she was surprised to see her target and two other girls verbally fighting. Well, more like the target was seething silently as the two older girls were berating her. Why they were even up, was beyond her, it was well past midnight, and there was no car in the driveway either. The shouts were so loud Shego could hear them as if they were standing right in front of her, and not behind the brick and glass of the structure.
“--haven’t you ever wondered why there is a four year difference?”
“Dad wanted a son, but mom miscarried three times. For her own health, she had to stop.”
“You were their last hope at a son. Too bad you’ve disappointed dad since birth by being a girl.”
“And a preemie at that--”
Shego had to leave then. She couldn’t stand to listen anymore than she had. If she stayed any longer, the world would be two less Rockwallers. Not counting the youngest she was going to kill for stealing her iPod.
(end flash back)
“No.” Shego grumbled as she pulled out of the parking space. Just thinking about the failed attempt to recover her iPod made her blood boil.
Seeing the faint glow of her granddaughter’s hands, Sumire sighed. “Its alright, Shiina. We can just buy you another one. Didn’t a new one come out? One that can play movies, or something like that?”
Shego smiled warily at her grandmother‘s attempts to calm her. It seemed her Nana would always call her ‘Shiina,’ no matter the countless times she tried to correct her. Well as long as it was only her Mimi that called her that, she would be fine. But only if they were alone, she mentally corrected herself. Slowly releasing the steering wheel, she relaxed. “Yeah. Something like that.”
March 2nd
Forest-green orbs opened, but everything was still a bit blurry. The room was small and dim. Save for the constant beeping of the pulse monitor, and the hum of the machines attached to her, everything was silent. Sending a thought down to her arm to rub tired eyes, she found both limbs immobile. Growling she tried again to move and only managed to wiggle a toe. Or so she thought. Shego couldn’t feel anything, but a dull pain in her chest.
It hurt to breath. The respirator attached to her mouth, filling her lungs with air cause some irritation and pain, but it was nothing compared to the constant beeping of the heart monitor. At least the 'flopping' sound when she inhaled was gone. It was sickening to hear when she was drifting in and out of consciousness.
The earlier struggles had exhausted her more than she realized. Unwanted thoughts rushed back to her as she felt herself being pulled back to sleep. Memories she struggled to keep locked away, dug into her like the piercing bullet from so many nights ago. If she wasn’t so tired, she would have scoffed at that analogy.
She didn’t want to sleep. She had to get out. But the bed was warm, and her limbs were heavy. Finally giving in, Shego just wished she could unplug that infernal machine, anything to stop the siren call of the heart monitor.
(Flashback)
“Happy birthday, sweetie!” a young woman sang out as she opened the door to the small hospital room. She was no older than 25, with long black hair that fell behind her back unrestricted. Chocolate eyes danced with delight as she brought the balloons into the room.
“Mommy!” the pale child cried. Scooting up on the firm bed to sit up, the little girl embraced her mother. The balloons proudly proclaiming she was 5, was tied at the end of the bed.
“And how’s my little Firefly?” a slightly older woman asked as she placed a bouquet of orange roses on the nearby table. Not even 40 and she was a grandmother, she sighed, but smiled all the same. She found it hard to be depressed by being a grandmother at a young age, when a cute bundle of energy was practically jumping out of bed to hug her.
“Mimi!” the girl called out to her grandmother. Her mother’s firm hold on her arm the only thing stopping her from leaping to her Nana. After they hugged, the wooden door opened again, and an older doctor stepped in.
“Ms. Aiko, Mrs. Sumire? I‘m sorry to interrupt, but about the x-rays…” The old man had been Shiina’s doctor since she could remember. He smelled of corn; but he was nice. As the doctor approached the bed, the young girl clung to her grandmother’s arm. Despite the irrational mind of a five-year old, and the many times she reminded herself that he was a nice doctor--much nicer than all the others--she still hated it when he touched her. The fear of smelling of corn too, was too great to a five-year old.
“Yes, of course.” Aiko stood up and faced the doctor. She didn’t see Shiina frown with her back to her mother and daughter.
Unable to move with her granddaughter’s grip on her arm, Sumire nodded to the doctor to continue.
Pulling out a few x-rays, and giving them to the young mother, he spoke in a grave voice. “Shiina’s last attack was minor. However judging from last year’s x-ray, the one from a month ago, and the one taken this morning, it looks like it is getting worse. The left ventricle is enlarging. The muscles are not functioning properly (2). With the many heart attacks she has suffered, it’s a miracle she’s still alive.”
Aiko glared at the man in front of her. “Shiina was born six weeks premature. She’s a fighter. She will get through this.”
“Please calm down, Ms. Aiko. I know all this. That is precisely why I suggest a transplant. If only to help her fight longer.”
Sumire sighed from her perch on the bed by Shiina. They have been through this all before. “And what is our place on the waiting list?”
“Well…actually, I suggest an artificial heart. If only until we can find a donor--”
“Unacceptable! The longest a person survived was 17 months. I will not allow my granddaughter to take the risk of foreign-body rejection either. Is there no other way?” Surgery in general was always a big risk. One that Sumire and Aiko were very hesitant to take.
“Other than implanting a pacemaker? No. Either way surgery must be performed. And soon. Shiina’s heart is too weak.” glancing at the young girl still attached to her grandmother arms, he sighed. She was too young to have to go through this, in his opinion. This was one of the few moments he hated being a doctor. At least she was too young to understand her situation. “I highly doubt she’ll survive till her next birthday without one.”
Aiko crumpled to the floor. Staring wide-eyed at the doctor before her. The desperate calls from her beloved child were drowned out, by the panic and sorrow she felt. Looking into the sad blue eyes of the doctor before her, she broke down in tears. Her baby was going to die. If not in surgery, then before then. Either way, all prospects looked grim.
Sumire tried to calm her granddaughter, but all attempts were failing, as the child tried relentlessly to go to her mother’s side. Then suddenly, all attempts to break free stopped, as Shiina began gasping in her arms, a pained expression on her face.
“SHIINA!”
AN: I really couldn’t think of a better way to explain Shego’s past besides using ‘flashback.’ (sweat drop) This chapter was a bit annoying because of the flashback scenes, since I was still debating how to interject them. I hope it is not too choppy because of it. :b
Although this chapter continues right after chapter three, the other half was after chapter four. In my haste, I posted chapter four, thus confusing/annoying myself and anyone else(?) with the jumping timeline. However I felt like posting Sumire’s side and what caused Shego to end up in the hospital first. That, and last chapter was actually typed up before this one haha…;.
1. Fuku: is the common kanji for fortune. Often seen in gold stokes on a red background, or as tattoos, on clothes, etc,. It is believed that when placed upside down, it signifies ‘fortune to come.’ It is an old Asian superstition, one my grandmother tells me about all the time. Go to: http/ to view kanji. ;)
2. Shiina’s heart disease is Dilated cardiomyopathy. It is the most common cardiomyopathy, and can be fatal. All information for this has been found at these links. http/www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/000168.htm (dilated cardiomyopathy), http/www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/001105.htm (cardiomyopathy in general), http/en. (artificial heart), and http/ (another dilated cardiomyopathy site ;).