For the third week in a row, Kim had the nightmare.
It was raining hard, and she had drifted in and out of sleep, enough to disorient her a bit, but not enough to really get any rest. The constant pounding of the rain was just starting to lull her back to sleep when her bedroom door slammed open.
Kim didn't look, not because she was afraid, but because she knew what she would see. Instead, she tucked her head under the pillow and tried to pretend that this wasn't happening again.
But it was.
The cold, dripping wet weight of another person still straddled her waist. The pillow was still ripped out of her hands. And she was still forced to turn over and stare up into the ghastly, psychotic grin of the one person who should've frightened her the least.
Worst of all, she still heard that same voice as the person's free hand flared with neon green fire.
“Don't be afraid, Kimmie. You won't feel a thing. Probably.”
And Kim didn't feel a thing, even when that flame-coated hand was plunged directly into her face. But she had a horrifying feeling that was only because she was already dead.
Shego awoke abruptly from the same dream, only to hear a faint knocking somewhere above her. She couldn't hear it over the familiar whoosh of plasma being discharged. And then she realized that she WAS discharging, and against her will, no less.
That had never happened before.
The knocking came again, and Shego looked up to find herself encased in some kind of glass tube. And just beyond the tube was a familiar blue, concerned face.
“Ah…Shego,” Dr. Drakken said slowly, “I realize that the last time I asked about your powers, you told me to mind my own business, but…I really think it's time to share.”
“And why is that?” Shego asked irritably, feeling the start of headache coming on.
“Because… well…” Dr. Drakken wrung his gloved hands nervously. “Could you at least stop burning the lair down for ten minutes so we can talk? Really, you're just putting us more and more behind schedule!”
“Burning? What do you…” Shego's eyes went back to her hands, which were still burning against her will. And now the rest of her body was encased in green flame as well, not that she could feel it. “…oh. So that's why you put me in here.”
“Yes,” he admitted, sounding regretful. “You wouldn't respond, or…extinguish, and I had to do something before you reached the explosives.”
“Right.” Shego could remember none of that. Maybe she'd been sleepwalking during the nightmare. It was possible. Highly unlikely, but possible. She could see that parts of the lair definitely looked scorched. “So I should just turn it off now.”
“It could only help,” Dr. Drakken pointed out.
“Yeah. But I can't.” At his confused look, she sighed. “I mean I can't. It's not listening to me anymore. I can't stop it.”
“Oh. Oh, dear.” Dr. Drakken glanced around nervously. “Well…you understand that I can't let you out yet, then?”
Shego rolled her eyes. “Obviously.”
“And…uh…how long will it take you to…regain control?”
“I'm sure I don't know, Dr. D. I don't expect you to pay me while I'm in here, if that's what you're worried about.”
“Actually, I'm a bit more worried about…you, Shego.” He hesitated. “Is there anything I can do?”
Shego stared at him, not sure whether to be sarcastic or touched. “No. I'm not even sure what to do just yet.”
He nodded and slowly walked off, looking distracted.
Shego bit her lip, glaring at her traitorous hands. They'd always listened before. Her first thought had been to tell Dr. Drakken to call Kim, but she would've had trouble explaining that. And Kim couldn't do anything for her, really. This was even beyond her parents, actually. The other treatment options didn't look so good, either. DNAmy might know something, but Shego didn't want to walk away from this with fur and/or scales.
And it wasn't as if anyone could anything until she got the fire to put itself out.
The fire wouldn't go out.
Kim assumed that Shego was just really pissed, and didn't want the fire to go out.
But then she noticed that Shego was crying, albeit through blank, unseeing eyes. And Shego never cried. Never.
“They took away my eyes, Kimmie,” Shego moaned pitifully. “My beautiful eyes…so much like yours. Can we share?”
Then the flame was reaching out, and Kim couldn't avoid it. The flame surrounded her, embraced her, caressed her…and yet, it did not burn her.
“C'mere, Kimmie. Gimme a hug. I'm so cold inside…” Shego stretched out her arms, the hungry need in her face all too obvious.
“You can't be cold. You're the warmest person I know.”
Shego smirked. “So gimme a hug, anyway. Do I need a reason?”
“How do I know this isn't another dream?” Kim asked.
“Of course it's a dream, silly. But this one won't end badly. That is, if you learn someting from it…”
Kim sat up in bed, mere seconds before her Kimmunicator beeped. “Go, Wade,” she muttered, already knowing the sitch.
“Sorry to bother you so late, Kim, but we've got an emergency. Something's wrong-”
“With Shego,” Kim finished for him.
“…yeah. She's totally out of control. But how did you know?”
“Just a hunch. I'm gonna need some special gear. Anything especially plasma resistant.”
“I know what you're thinking, but there's not much that can guard against a direct touch from Shego.”
“Don't worry. I actually have a sample you can work from,” Kim replied, staring at the black glove on her nightstand.
“Bet that wasn't easy to come by.”
“It was a night I will definitely never forget…”
What remained of Dr. Drakken's latest lab was a burning heap of rubble. Shego sat on top of the smoking mound, staring into the night. At least, that was how it seemed.
In truth, Shego wasn't staring at anything at all. For just over an hour now, she hadn't been able to see a thing. It had happened while she'd been trying to turn off her plasma. And while she couldn't actually see it anymore, she was almost certain it was burning even stronger now.
She'd told Dr. Drakken to run, but she wasn't sure if he'd listened. At least, she didn't hear him anymore, but that wasn't necessarily a good sign.
Since willing the plasma out had failed, she was now hoping that it would burn itself out. If that didn't work, she could always try to inhale enough smoke in the hopes that she would at least pass out. With any luck, the plasma wasn't operating on a subconscious level.
But if it wasn't, Shego had no idea what was controlling it.
She was quickly becoming convinced that some external force was exerting its increasing control over her. And really, she could only think of one possible culprit: the very fire she'd prayed to all those years ago, the one that had gifted and cursed her with these powers. She had been young then, and willing to consider it a higher power. Now, though, as far as she was concerned, it was time the fire came through for her.
“You owe me, you emerald neon bastard!” she spat. “You've been stiffing me for years, but no more, damn you! Tonight, you finally pay up!” She threw back her head and screamed at the heavens. “YOU OWE ME A DREAMHOUSE!”
“Shego!”
“…Kimmie?” Shego asked softly, looking left and right. “What are you doing here?”
“I was going to ask you the same thing. What did you do to this place?”
“It's the fire.” Shego scowled, recalling how she'd use to call it hers. Now she doubted that had ever been the case. “I can't stop it.”
“I was afraid of that,” Kim sighed. “Don't move, okay?”
“What? Why?” Shego asked, concern in her voice. “Kimmie, what are you doing?”
“I'm trying to help you. Stop moving for a minute.”
“NO! Stay back!” Shego leaped to her feet, straining her ears for signs of Kim's approach. “Don't come any closer!”
“Shego, chill out! You're only making it worse!”
“It can't get any worse than me hurting you!” Shego cried.
“…what?” Kim asked, sounding confused.
“I can barely control my own body right now! If you get too close, I might…I mean, it could…you can't risk…”
“And when have I ever let you seriously hurt me?” Kim reminded her.
Shego tried to think back, but she realized it had been a distraction as she heard Kim's footsteps coming closer. “Kimmie, no! STOP!”
There was silence for a long moment, and then two soft impacts directly behind her.
Shego lunged forward, trying to put some distance between them, but something closed around her ankles, halting her progress and dropping her to the ground. Before she could rise, she felt the full weight of a body on her back, though it was considerably heavier than she remembered.
“Shego, hold still! It's me!” Kim shouted.
“That's why I'm fighting!” Shego shrieked. “You'll get burned!”
“How do you know? You can't even see me!”
“You have to burn! Everything else did!”
“You didn't,” Kim pointed out, pinning her flailing wrists. “Why should I?”
Shego stopped for a moment. Now that she thought about it, she'd never seen any burns on Kim, and she'd had plenty of chances to see and inflict them.
“Now just calm down,” Kim said directly into her ear. “I'm fine. We're fine.”
Suddenly realizing she was drawing in ragged breaths, Shego forced herself to relax.
“Why can't you see?” Kim asked after a moment. “Your eyes…they're blank. No pupils.”
“I don't know,” Shego muttered miserably.
“Sorry.” Kim paused. “Can I let you up now?”
“What's the point?”
“Shego, don't talk like that. We'll get you some help.”
“How? Even if your mother could help me, she can't operate on a burn victim that's still burning.”
“Well…don't just give up! We haven't even tried yet!”
“Maybe we shouldn't.” Shego pressed her face into the ground. “I'm dying. That's why these things are happening to me. My body's giving out. Just leave me here. It'll probably be over in a couple of hours.”
When there was no response, Shego thought Kim was agreeing. Then she felt a sharp, painful tug on her hair.
“You scared me stiff and made me promise, Shego. You don't get to die on me, either! I don't care if your head explodes, you're not going to die like this!”
“Gee, thanks for the happy-fun time imagery, Kimmie. Your mom didn't teach you about proper deathbed manner?”
“No, and she's never going to need to.”
Shego grunted as she was hauled roughly to her feet. “Ow.”
“Do you care about me at all, Shego? Since it's obvious you no longer care about yourself.”
“You know I do. Why else would I try to keep you from getting burned?”
“Do you care about my happiness?”
“…is this going somewhere, Kimmie?”
“Yes.” A hand grabbed Shego's chin and yanked her head down. “I would be very, VERY unhappy if you died. So don't do it.”
“Got a little dominatrix in you, I see. Or I hear and feel, anyway.”
“I figured you were the kinky type. You need to make a choice, Shego. You asked me once how much I trusted you. I'm asking you the same. Are you going to trust that I'll find a way to help you, or are you going to sit on this pile of dirt and wait to die?”
“…okay, you win.”
“Take my hand.”
“What, you don't like it anymore?”
“I'm wearing your glove,” Kim snapped.
“Oh.” Shego reached out blindly until she felt her fingers brush the offered hand. “I really hope that's flame gear you're wearing. Otherwise, you're pregnant. With twins with heads like watermelons.”
“You can't be dying if you can still run your mouth like that.” Kim tugged her hand lightly. “Come on. I know a place.”
“Is it fireproof?”
“No, but I never liked the furniture much, anyway.”