6:00 am
By six Ron, Ed, and Matt were all asleep at, respectively, Henry's apartment, his parents' home, and his own house.
Ilene had awakened when Matt came in. She looked like she wanted to say something, but he staged a pre-emptive strike. “I think I may have made a million dollar product contact.” She kissed him tenderly and promised to let him sleep as he long as he wanted. She'd call his office in two hours to say he was recovering in bed.
Two small girls would soon be waking up and a happy, doting grandmother would be there to wait on their every whim.
Just after six Kim pulled into the St. Eligius parking lot. After stopping the car she came around and helped Shego get out. “Maybe we should try and check you in.”
“I'm fine, Possible,” Shego tried to growl, but she was so weak it was almost a whimper. “Just let me see my brothers and take me home so I can sleep.”
Mego had called with the number of the brothers' hospital room. Kim and Shego could not have asked at the desk since it was still hours until visitors were allowed to see patients.
“Walk in confidently,” Shego instructed Kim. “People don't question you if you look like you know what you're doing.”
“And the way you look I'm going to say we got lost looking for the emergency room entrance if anyone asks.”
They made it to the room without being challenged, and closed the door for a little privacy. Oddly enough Hego was awake when they got there and grinned at the two of them.
“It wasn't my idea to come,” Shego told him. “Ron and Kim felt like they wanted to help you. I'm feeling too sick to do anything. I, I guess I'm glad you're okay. I'd hate for anything bad to happen, even to a jerk like you.”
“Sorry you missed the fight,” Hego said. “I'll bet it wouldn't have been so difficult with you helping.”
“You're a big guy. You can take care of yourself. I just stayed with mom and dad.”
“Yeah, well. I just feel bad you weren't willing to help me out. Say, do you want to hear about the early birthday gift Mego gave me?”
Shego gave him an odd look, wondering if Hego had been left brain damaged by his ordeal and wondering how she would be able to tell.
“Did you know Obtinus had video system in his lab?” he asked.
“Video system?”
“Yeah, apparently for making security tapes. Someone must have turned one of them on just before the fight.” Hego continued, “Mego gave me the tape of the rescue. Yep, looks like it was quite a fight that you missed.”
Shego counted slowly to ten. You should never kill a brother while you are angry. She would get her temper under control before she went looking for Matt. No, first ten hours of sleep, then Matt… No, sleep, get her strength back, then Matt… No, sleep, strength, fight with Kim, then Matt… No, pass out first…
Kim caught Shego before she hit the floor.
“Is she okay?” Hego asked.
“Mostly exhaustion with violent nausea. I think all she needs is sleep. I wanted to leave her here, but she insisted I take her back to your folks' place. The problem is that I don't know the way.”
“I'll ask a Will to navigate for you.”
“Uh, can I ask a question first?”
“I guess so.”
“Are you feeling any better about Shego and me?”
It took Hego a minute to respond. “No. No I'm not. I like you Kim. I love my sister. But the two of you are just wrong.”
“It took my parents a couple years to accept it.”
“Maybe I can too, eventually. But that's how I feel.”
“How's the rest of the family doing?”
“Well, I'm out of the house, but from what I can see I'm surprised by how well mom is taking it. The Wegos are probably taking it better than I am--”
“Do you notice they're the three who've seen us the most?”
“Anyway… Dad seems to be taking it the worst.”
“Really? He seems so nice.”
“He is nice. He's a great dad. But you're got to realize she was always his little girl. He's grateful to you, but I think it's even harder on him than me. I'll bet it's hard for your dad too.”
“My dad is trying to accept us. He just wants me to be happy.”
“I think that's all we want for Sis. We just can't believe that being with you is what would make her happy.”
“I think she's wondering about that too. We're having a fight at the moment.”
“I hope you're not just saying that to make me feel better.”
Kim laughed. “I'm almost as tired as she is. We just need to get back to your parent's place.”
Hego threw a pillow at his brother, “Will! Wake up. One of you needs to navigate for Kim.”
“What?” Will asked in a sleepy voice.
“You need to stay awake long enough to guide Kim home. Then you can collapse back here.”
“Is that safe?” Kim asked.
“Should be. The pain medicine won't keep me from giving directions.” Will told her. “And splitting can help the healing process.”
“How is that?”
“The healing is cumulative. If there are twenty of me around for one hour I get the effect of twenty hours of healing.”
“We'll have to sneak out down the stairs,” Kim told Will. “I'll carry Shego.”
“Um, Kim? After this morning and the way I pinched you… You need to lead the way. I don't want you walking behind me while I'm wearing this hospital dressing gown.”
“Trust me, Will. Your posterior holds no attractions for me and is perfectly safe. I just want to get back and go to sleep. It's been a very long day.”
--- The End ---
Epilogue: The trio spent two days resting before returning to Middleton. After her first day back at Global Justice Kim returned home to discover that Shego had moved out. Justine and Bonnie had been asked to forward any mail or calls to Shego's place in what had formerly been Drakken's Lair, now known to the Middleton Chamber of Commerce as Lipsky & Load: Applied Research.
And a special thanks to A Markov for posting several early morning chapters for me.