Shego smirked, confident that this time, she'd gain the upper hand. Kim would acquiesce.
She leapt forward, her fist raised and ready to fire for Kim's exposed neck.
Suddenly, through the still air of the underground lair, a chilling cry that she'd hoped never to hear again trilled, making her drop her guard. Kim's hand snaked through her defenses and landed a solid thump against her ribs.
“She-GO!”
“Oh, God.” She ducked and rolled, pulling Kim with her behind a spare box. “Play along.”
Kim frowned at the woman she had just been exchanging blows with, confused by the sudden cowering fear in her opponent. “What?”
“She-GO!” Abrasively loud and terrifyingly close, the voice she'd had nightmares of for months was once again sounding in her ears. Knowing that hiding was futile, she leapt back to her feet, tugging Kim up with her.
“Auntie! Such a surprise…we were just…practicing. Exercising. You know those new things that are all the rage. Not fighting. No fighting.” Shego swallowed nervously, hoping that Auntie bought it. Those fighting exercises were really popular, weren't they?
“And this…bruiser…is?” Auntie looked Kim up and down, sniffing disdainfully at the dirt that stained the woman's pants. Kim stiffened at the insult, ready to leap forward, when Shego's arm snaked around Kim's waist, drawing their sides flush.
“Kim Possible, meet Aunt Gertie. Auntie, meet Kim Possible…my wife.”
“I always knew being raised with those boys would affect you, Shego. Kim Possible, was it? Hmm…good childbearing hips. Pity you're not a boy like you've always acted, Shego. I always knew you'd settle down some day.” Auntie eyed Kim up and down once more, taking in the slender line of her body. “I suppose you're no longer gallivanting about like a hooligan, then? Making sure to take care of her properly? I see you're feeding her well.”
Kim's hand gripped the arm that held her waist, hard enough to bruise. “Would you excuse us for a moment, please, Aunt Gertie? Shego? Dear? A word.” Kim pulled Shego along until they were a few yards away. If they hadn't been fighting together so long, she wouldn't have recognized Kim's angry stance.
The redhead stopped and turned, facing Auntie. A grimace passing as a smile was frozen on her face. “Your WIFE?” Kim's angry hiss almost made Shego wince. “Are you nuts?”
“You don't understand! It's Auntie! Do you have any idea what she'll do to us if she finds out what we're really like?” Shego paled and shot a fearful glance at the quietly smiling figure of her aunt. “Death is too good.”
Kim reached up, cupping Shego's cheek. Shego leaned into it. “What, finishing school?”
“Worse. Incessant chaperoned blind dates with anyone that has a Y chromosome. ANYONE.”
Kim's eyes narrowed at Shego as she made her decision, dropping her hand with a final caress. “…After this, you're retiring.”
“What?”
“I do this, you retire.”
Shego looked like she was going to protest, but a genteel throat clearing from behind her stilled her words.
“I'll do it. Anything to stop Auntie.”
“Oh, Shego, dear, what happened to that nice man with the feathers?”
“Aviarius? He's a villain, Auntie.”
“Oh, I'm sure he's not all that bad.”
“He's in prison, Auntie.”
“Ah. I see. And that nice young man with the striped shirt?”
“…He was an escaped prisoner I captured once eight years ago when he hitched a ride on the laundry truck.”
“Pity.” Auntie turned her cool gaze back on Kim. “What is it that you do, dear?”
Shego broke in before Kim could retort. “Kim stays at home.” The sudden digging of nails into her arm told her how much Kim /loved/ that idea.
“Oh, yes, I make sure everything's all wonderful for my little Pookiebear.”
Shego winced internally. Pookiebear? Aw, man…maybe the blind dates wouldn't be so bad.
She glanced over at Kim, distantly noting the light dancing in the depths of her fiery hair, offsetting the rich deep green of her eyes and the creamy paleness of her skin. The feel of her lithe body was more than a little distracting, demanding she pay attention to it.
Maybe…maybe this wouldn't be so bad.