Chapter 8 - Ending 4 - from 4A
The problems started late in the fourth month. In the fifth month Shego went into the hospital, planning to stay until the baby was born. She lost the fetus early in the sixth.
It was quiet in the hospital room.
“We need you back. The girls are tired of Pop Tarts and cold cereal for breakfast.”
“The doctors said I can go home in two days.”
“Your body is coming home. How about your spirit?”
“I don't know, Kim. It will probably be home later.”
“The girls need you. I need you. I need the woman who uttered that famous line, 'Go ahead, plug it in. What's the worst that can happen?'”
“You're never going to let me forget that, are you?”
“I sent it in to MasterCard. I said they needed to use it in a commercial. 'Structural repairs, twelve thousand dollars. Replacing law books, four thousand dollars, New furniture, sixteen hundred dollars. Look on the green woman's face, priceless.'”
Shego almost smiled. “I think I need to rest.”
“I'll be back later,” Kim promised. “Wade is outside. He asked if he could see you.”
“I guess so,” Shego answered.
After Kim left Wade entered the hospital room, “I… I'm sorry the harness didn't work. You know I wouldn't have done anything like this to you on purpose.”
“It wasn't the harness, Wade. You and the Doc did fine. It just… It's me. I wasn't a good candidate for the procedure. I should have accepted that.”
“No. If that was what you wanted, you were right to try. I just thought that, well… After some of the things that have happened between us… I was afraid you'd think I sabotaged you.”
“We've had some bad times in our relationship, I know that. But, Wade, you would never do something like that to me.”
He reached down and took her hand. “Thanks, Shego. I'll deny this if you ever quote me. But you are one of the five most important women in my life.”
“Thanks, kid. But if you say I'm like a mother to you I'm going to hurt you when I'm feeling better.”
“How about older sister?” he asked bending over and giving her a kiss.
She gave him a small smile, “I would be flattered.”
“So, sis, can I borrow ten bucks for the movies?”
She sighed, “Thanks for trying.”
Life slowly returned to normal back at Casa Possible, although Shego became extremely upset whenever she woke up to find Smaug sleeping on her stomach.
“My mom was right,” she told Kim. “I think the love started growing in my heart as soon as we decided to have another child. I had the love all ready for her… And now I don't know what to with it. It's like there's a hole inside of me.”
The old Shego seemed to return gradually, but Kim wasn't sure if she ever fully made it. Sometimes the humor seemed forced, the wild flights of imagination never seemed to soar quite as high, or sail as far. And for years, as the anniversary of what would have been the due date drew near, Kim would sometimes awaken in the night to the sound of Shego crying. All Kim could do was pull the dark-haired woman to her and hold her tight, adding her own tears. Shego wept for the baby she would never have, Kim mourned both the lost child and what it had done to her partner.
---An End---