Like most people, Kim Possible didn't like to admit that she made mistakes.
In all fairness, though, considering the early hour, and the fact that she was still half-asleep, one could hardly blame her for making such a mistake.
She had gone into the kitchen, recognized the figure at the stove as a tall female, and had instantly assumed that it was her mother. As such, she'd muttered a somewhat cheerful “Morning, Mom,” and kept going.
“Wanna try that again, Kimmie?”
Kim came to a complete stop, blinked, and slowly turned around.
Shego grinned at her. “Don't look so surprised. You've seen me in disguises before.”
This was true, but Shego had never tried to pass herself off as a housewife. As such, Kim was a little taken aback to see the woman wearing an apron, even if it was tied over a green jogging suit. She was even more surprised to see that Shego was actually cooking something.
“I didn't know you could cook?”
Shego shrugged as she turned back to the pan. “Can't, really. Pancakes, I can do. Anything else is pretty much…well, rocket science. Mom promised to show me some recipes later.”
Kim smirked. “Did you just call my mother ‘Mom,’ Shego? Because that's a bit premature.”
“Is it?” Shego countered. “I'm not going anywhere, and you're crazy if you think I'm gonna let you go. I figure she might as well get used to it.”
“This wouldn't be yet another way of you pressuring me into telling my parents about us, would it?”
“Nope. Just getting them used to family life with me in it. Hence the pancakes. Want some?”
“Sure, I'll take a stack,” Kim replied with a smile. Shego certainly had the right idea about easing her parents into the whole confession, but she herself remained less than confident about it, probably since it would be her doing the confessing. Shego had assured Kim that if the Doctors Possible didn't approve of their relationship, she wasn't above ‘kidnapping’ their daughter to some remote island where even Wade would be hard pressed to find them. The idea held some appeal for Kim, but in the end, she would just miss her family far too much.
But it was the fear of severing that strong connection that kept her from telling her parents the truth. Every time she tried, Kim ended up imagining the worst and chickening out at the last minute. She hadn't even worked up enough nerve to tell Ron and Monique, though she had a feeling that Monique had already pieced it together on her own and was just waiting for Kim to fess up.
On the other hand, it was entirely possible that her parents had also figured it out, and were just waiting for Kim to come to them. Shego had been entirely true to her word about not taking the relationship any further until Kim was ready, and she'd surprised herself by becoming more ready than she'd known. In fact, in their last few make out sessions, Shego had been the one to put a stop to things. The walls weren't paper-thin, but Kim had proven to be a rather vocal partner, just as Shego had proven to be a rather talented one. It was simply a bad combination for two people doing their best to get away with anything.
Shego brought all her thoughts to an abrupt end by waving a fragrant plate of pancakes under Kim's nose.
“Having a flashback?” Shego asked with a wicked grin.
Kim blushed and snatched the plate from her. “No, I wasn't!”
“Funny. That's exact same way your face looked when I licked-”
“Okay, I was!” Kim snapped, turning dark red. “Happy?”
“Not until I can make you relive those flashbacks, no.” Shego returned to the stove, swaying her hips a bit more than was necessary.
Kim practically drowned her pancakes in syrup and studiously began shoveling them into her mouth. Shego had never been an easy person to ignore, and now that they'd become intimate, it was near impossible to do so. Kim often managed it, though, with varying degrees of success.
It was at this point that the twins wandered in, obviously drawn by the smell of pancakes. They were a bit more awake than Kim, though, and instantly noticed that it wasn't their mother doing the cooking. It didn't seem to bother them in the least, though, as they both grabbed plates and cornered Shego with cheerful demands for pancakes.
A few months ago, Shego might have just silenced them both with plasma blasts. Today, however, she simply loaded up their plates and sent them to the table with only somewhat awkward pats on their heads. Lately, she had taken to calling them everything from “brats” to “sneaky little smartasses” (only when their parents weren't around, of course), because she still couldn't distinguish one from the other to save her life. The twins didn't seem to mind that, either, because they kept begging Shego to try out their inventions. The last few had been plasma manipulators, so she hadn't minded much when they blew up. Kim hadn't dared to thank the tweebs for accepting Shego so quickly, out of fear that they'd change their minds just to spite her.
Kim was nearly done with her stack by the time her parents came down. Both of them looked surprised to see Shego cooking, but only Mrs. Possible seemed pleased. As understanding as her father was, he was obviously concerned that Shego might return to her old ways, and hadn't really been able to relax around her just yet. She had, however, improved his opinion greatly by taking a job with the security team at the Space Center. Kim had hoped it would force them to spend more time together, but Shego only worked the graveyard shift on weekdays, so they rarely even saw each other outside of the house.
Shego hadn't really expressed much concern over the matter, either. She'd won Mrs. Possible's favor, and that was enough for her. Kim had suggested that maybe calling her father “Pops” wasn't helping, but Shego seemed determined to do so, anyway. Still, it was an odd situation, and Kim figured every additional day Shego was allowed to stay in the Possible home was a small victory for them.
Once done with her breakfast, Kim kissed her parents’ cheeks and rushed back upstairs for her bookbag. Had her parents and the tweebs not been there, she would have also given Shego a kiss, but it wouldn't have been on the cheek. She'd slipped up more than once, but Shego had so far managed to mask all those near-kisses with one-armed hugs. Kim couldn't help it, the desire to show Shego affection was nearly instinctive by now, and the thought of not doing so was unnatural. Anyone who watched them for more than a day almost had to know they were close.
As she passed through the kitchen again on her way out, Kim once again had to suppress the urge to kiss Shego goodbye. She was reflecting on how unfair it was when Shego's voice broke into her thoughts.
“If you don't mind waiting a minute, Kimmie, I could give you a ride to school.”
Kim stopped short. “A ride? Since when do you have a car?”
“I didn't say I had a car,” Shego replied with a secretive grin, “just that I'd give you a ride.”
Kim very nearly turned red, until she realized that Shego would never make a joke about sex in front of her parents. “Okay,” she agreed after a second's thought.
Mr. Possible looked up from his morning paper. “This won't make you late for that job interview, will it, Shego?”
Shego smiled patiently as she took off her apron. “Don't worry, Pops. I've got it under control. Kimmie won't be late, and neither will I.”
Kim waited until they were outside before turning on Shego. “I thought you already had a job? You didn't say anything about an interview!”
Shego shrugged. “Didn't want to get your hopes up, in case it didn't pan out. Besides, the Space Center gig is only late night. What am I supposed to do while you're at school all day? Babysit an empty house?”
“So what's this new job, huh?”
“Don't you worry your pretty red head about it. If I get it, you'll know.”
“Shego…this isn't anything you could get in trouble for, is it?”
“It's totally legit, Kimmie,” Shego assured her. “I promise you'll know all about it as soon as I know something for sure.”
“Well…okay. So where's this non-car we're riding in?”
“Right this way.” Shego made a small gesture with her hand, and a large hovercraft instantly became visible in the backyard.
“Tell me you didn't steal this from Drakken.”
“Nope, a mere parting gift. He insisted, in fact. It's got stealth options, so you don't have to worry about anyone seeing us.”
Kim paused. “You say that like we'll be doing something we wouldn't want others to see inside it.”
Shego grinned. “Well, aside from flying a hovercraft, maybe we could. But I thought you'd want to pick up your little fanclub, too.”
“Oh. Right.” It would be totally mean to fly to school and leave Ron and Monique to walk, Kim realized. “Maybe after school, then.”
Shego's grin widened. “But you've got cheer squad practice today. I don't think you'll be in any mood to kiss me then.”
Kim frowned. “Why wouldn't I?”
But Shego would say no more.
“I never thought I'd say this, but I could kiss Drakken for giving you this,” Monique said as the hovercraft touched down about a block from the school.
“He couldn't appreciate it, anyway,” Shego laughed. “Dr. D is allergic to affection, to hear him tell it.”
“You mean you tried to show him some?” Ron asked in shock.
“Only when I was really bored,” Shego said with a straight face. “Or when I wanted to see him squirm.”
“You shouldn't be telling him this before class. PDA is frowned on at school, and so is being late,” Monique pointed out, checking her watch. “Let's book, boyfriend.”
“Right behind you, sweet thang!” Ron answered, following her down the ramp.
Shego made a face as she turned to Kim. “They're not really dating, are they?”
Kim shrugged. “I really don't know. I've been…distracted lately. I could ask again, I guess.” She began to follow Ron out.
“Hold up, Kimmie. Aren’t we forgetting something?”
Blushing, Kim hurried back and gave Shego a big kiss. “Good luck with the interview,” she said breathlessly, rushing right back out.
Shego leaned back in her chair and checked her watch. Her interview was twenty minutes away. And if she actually had to go back home and change, she might have been worried. But she'd brought a change of clothes with her, and as for the job…well, it was practically right in front of her.
“See you soon, Kimmie,” Shego whispered. “Sooner than you think.”
All of the cheerleaders were surprised to find Steve Barkin waiting for them in the gym before practice.
“Afternoon, ladies. It has come to my attention that Possible and Rockwaller have been carrying the considerable responsibility of leading this squad for some time. While they've been doing an outstanding job, I think it's time we had some new blood take up the task.”
Bonnie was just shy of indignant. “You're demoting us?”
“Hardly, Rockwaller. I'm simply making someone else responsible for the whole squad. They still answer to you and Possible, but you both have to answer to someone else now.”
At that moment, the gym doors slammed open.
Mr. Barkin grinned. “I present your new coach, Miss Sheila Gonzalez.”
A pale woman clad in a white top, denim cut-off shorts, and black combat boots strode in. She had a full head of black hair, which stretched down her back in a long, braided ponytail that nearly reached her feet.
Kim only barely suppressed the coughing fit that suddenly rose in her throat, making her eyes water. As it was, her heart was pounding like crazy, and she was almost sure everyone else in the room could hear it.
“I leave them in your capable hands,” Mr. Barkin said, nodding at the new coach. With that, he walked out of the gym.
For a few long moments, the new coach said nothing. She glared at each of the girls in turn, holding eye contact for at least five seconds. Most of them looked away, Kim especially.
“King!” she barked suddenly, and Tara jumped accordingly.
“Yes, coach?” Tara asked in a quivering voice.
She nodded approvingly. “Bring me a trash can.”
Tara ran to comply, placing the trash can at the coach's feet before falling back in line.
“I have some rules. Simple ones, and not many, but rules that will get you kicked off this squad if they're not obeyed.” Her steely gaze flicked to and from various girls before stopping on Bonnie. “Rockwaller! Front and center.”
Bonnie didn't scramble like Tara had, but she didn't take her time, either.
“How are you at handstands?”
Bonnie almost looked insulted. But before she could answer, the coach's hands flew out, and Bonnie screeched as she suddenly found herself upside down, suspended by her ankles.
The coach shook her a few times, and a cell phone bounced onto the floor.
“Rule number one: I hate anything that beeps. So if you have anything with a ringtone, turn it off now. If I hear or see it during practice, it will go in this trash can, and after practice, I will take it outside and burn it.”
Hands quickly flew to pockets, but no one disposed of their beloved cell phones. Kim even found her fingers switching the Kimmunicator to the rarely used OFF position.
The coach waited until everyone was done before setting Bonnie back on her feet.
Bonnie stumbled back to the line, breathing hard and red in the face. She'd forgotten all about her cell phone, which the coach quickly pocketed.
“Rule number two: I am a perfectionist. Naturally, this doesn't mean I expect you to be.”
There were some relieved faces, until the coach continued.
“If you're not, however, then you'll wish you were. Because no one EVER leaves this gym until they've gotten the routines right. I don't care if we're here until the bell rings for school to start again, you WILL stay here until you know the moves.”
Nobody looked happy about that rule, but no one commented, either.
“Rule number three: this is a team and you will act like it at all times. I catch any of you badmouthing another member of this squad, you're off the team, no questions asked.”
Kim didn't dare look, but she knew Bonnie had to be hating that one.
“Now that we've gotten the talking out of the way, time for a little warm-up.” The coach's cold, green eyes flicked over Kim's face briefly as she strode through the girls and headed for the top of the bleachers. “Possible! Let's go.”
Having no idea what was expected of her, Kim obediently followed. Based on what she'd seen so far, she didn't dare expect any special treatment. If anything, that would only make the team question if the coach was playing favorites.
Kim tried not to show any sort of fear or discomfort as she joined the coach at the wall, but it was hard not to.
The coach lowered her voice slightly, so that only they could hear. “I want you to give me a Colorado Catwalk.”
Kim blinked slowly and turned to look at her. “I don't know that one.”
“The hell you don't,” the coach spat, glaring at her. “Colorado Catwalk. All the way across, until you reach the other wall. Then you do it all the way back.”
Kim was about to say again that she didn't know any such routine. But as she looked into the coach's eyes, something hit a tripwire in her brain, and a memory came rushing back to her.
She'd followed Drakken's trail to an abandoned factory in Colorado, and had been chasing him across a rusty catwalk that was on it's last leg. Just as Drakken reached the other end, Shego had come out of nowhere, forcing Kim back onto the catwalk with a few close range plasma blasts. Without really thinking about it, Kim had done a series of backflips to keep herself just out of Shego's reach, occasionally using her famous vertical leap to avoid a section that didn't look sturdy enough. It was something she'd barely pulled off the one time, and certainly nothing she wanted to attempt again.
Any yet it was being demanded of her, not once, but twice, and in front of the whole squad, no less. The very thought made Kim want to quit cheerleading forever, or at least be conveniently and violently sick for the rest of the day.
She decided to try and get out of it one last time. “Even if I could do it again, they'd never be able to do it. They're not me.”
“No,” the coach agreed. “But they will be. Now MOVE IT, POSSIBLE!”
The look on the coach's face was so close to what it had been that day on the catwalk, Kim moved back before she knew what she was doing, and by then, it was too late to stop. She let gravity pull her back, throwing back her hands and hoping they found the bleacher she needed to keep going. Amazingly enough, they did just that, and soon she was tumbling backwards, not able to think about what she was doing or where she was going, just doing it so the coach could yell at someone else.
The next thing Kim knew, her back hit the wall harder than she would've like, driving the breath out of her. She was going to stop and catch her breath, but the coach was staring at her expectantly, so she made the return trip, again without being able to focus on what she was doing. Instead of the wall, this time she nearly slammed into the coach, who she suspected had moved into her path while the girls were watching her instead.
“Not bad…for a first try,” the coach commented.
Kim felt incredibly insulted, but of course, she couldn't say anything. She could barely catch her breath as it was.
But after what followed, Kim was feeling a bit better about her own attempt. The coach made all of the girls do the same thing, and everyone messed up on the first tries. Several girls ended up whacking their heads on the bleachers before they ever even reached the floor. Bonnie was the first to make it to the floor without mishap, but then she slipped and landed hard on her back, somehow managing to avoid cracking her skull open. Despite their injuries, though, the coach had no mercy for anyone. Anyone who was still conscious after messing up got an earful of shouting. Tara actually burst into tears at one point, but Kim suspected that might've had more to do with how she'd tripped in the bleachers and fallen on her arm, which she was still forced to use in later attempts.
The practice went on for three long hours, and Kim was the only one allowed to leave on time, since she alone had finished the routine. Fortunately, that seemed to inspire the other girls, because minutes after Kim returned to the locker room, Tara appeared, favoring her arm more than ever now, but smiling triumphantly. Bonnie was next, but she mumbled something about the coach saying she had to stay after practice for some reason.
Kim made a point of congratulating all the girls, even Bonnie. Only half of them genuinely appreciated it. The other half seemed to think that the Catwalk had been her idea and wouldn't even look at her. Kim was just glad that it was all over…for now.
Sheila Gonzalez was definitely starting to amend her initial impression of Bonnie Rockwaller. She wasn't going to apologize for turning the brat upside down or pocketing her cell phone, but she was willing to admit (to herself) that she'd been wrong about Bonnie. Maybe Kim had been, too.
Bonnie showed up seconds after the last girl left, just like Sheila had known she would. Maybe she was only doing it in an attempt to get away faster, but at least neither of them would be wasting any time.
“I hear you and Possible don't get along so well,” Sheila remarked casually.
Bonnie's eyes narrowed at once, but she managed to keep the edge out of her voice. “You heard right.”
“She worth getting kicked off the team for?”
Bonnie opened her mouth, and Sheila could tell she almost said yes. But then the girl's lips thinned into a line, and she looked away.
“No.”
“I don't much like you, Rockwaller. But I see how the other girls look at you. They respect you, and I respect that. So I'll tell you what I'm gonna do.”
Bonnie tensed up at once, as if she could sense this was something she wouldn't like.
“I'll make you a deal,” Sheila said. “Your friend, Tara. She's got potential…but she won't make it. Not the way I'm going to drive this team, not with that arm, and not by herself. So when she falls behind…and trust me, she will…her fate falls to you.”
“What do you mean?” Bonnie asked.
“If she stays on this team, it'll only be because you worked with her, you made sure she knew her stuff, you kept her from quitting or being thrown out. If she gets left out, it'll be because she wasn't worth your time. So you've got a choice to make, Rockwaller. How good a friend is she? How good a friend are you?”
Bonnie bit her lip, staring at the floor.
“I'll make it even easier for you. You work with Tara, and I'll give you a free pass. So long as you don't do it in my face, anything you say to or about Possible, I'll let it slide.”
Bonnie's head snapped up in surprise. “But why?”
“I like manipulating people. It's a hobby. So what's it gonna be, Rockwaller? You in or out? Or should I say, is Tara in or out?”
“In,” Bonnie said quietly.
“Then you do what you have to. The Catwalk is going to be our warm-up every practice. Make sure Tara knows it. Keep in mind you're training for two now. Because I'm not wasting any extra time on either of you. Got it?”
“Yes, coach.”
“Good. Get some sleep, Rockwaller. You're gonna need it.”
Shego paused in front of Kim's door, knowing full well exactly the kind of reception she'd get. She'd been mentally preparing herself ever since leaving the school, and was determined that neither of them would go to bed angry.
Feeling somewhat prepared, she opened the door.
“We need to talk,” Kim said before she even got one foot in the door.
“I'm aware,” Shego replied calmly.
“I'm glad. About that, and that only.” Kim fixed her with a glare. “I don't know what bugs me more. That you didn't warn me about this, or that you could be so cruel.”
“Sorry, Kimmie, but I don't let business and pleasure mix. If you thought I would take it easy on you-”
“That's not why I'm angry!” Kim shouted. “Shego, don't you get it? You can't treat those girls that way! You can't…can't…”
“Say it, Kimmie,” Shego said quietly.
“You can't expect them to be me,” Kim sighed, lowering her head.
“You're right. They're not you.” Shego came closer and lifted Kim's chin. “But they will be, when I'm done. And there's no reason they shouldn't be.”
Kim laughed bitterly. “So you're bored with me already?”
“You know that's not it, Kimmie. I could never be bored with you. That's why I'm doing this, in fact. Because I'm selfish and I want you all to myself. I'm doing this for us.”
“You're going to have to explain that one, Shego.”
“I intend to.” Shego sat on the bed, pulling Kim into her lap. “I know you can do anything. But let's pretend, for a moment, that you're not invincible, that your bones break like everyone else's, that you are, in fact, only human. And let's say that one day, some loser gets tired of hearing your name. Sick of it, in fact. So he waits until you're walking home from school one day, and hits you with his truck.” Shego felt Kim's body stiffen in her arms, but she kept going. “That means I have to sit in some seedy waiting room with the rest of the fam while Mom tries to put her baby girl back together. And you know how I hate feeling useless. Then I have to stay by your side while you slowly start to heal, but it'll never be the same. You might never walk, or you might not know me half the time, or you'd blame me for not being there to save you, and the more we loved each other, the more we'd yell at each other, and one day we'd figure out that it just won't work anymore, and then I'd have to kill you, Kimmie, because I won't let you walk out on me, ever.”
“That won't happen,” Kim said after a moment.
“I know it won't. I won't let it. That's why I'm training all those replacements.”
“Shego, the world needs me.”
“No, the world needs a hero. You just happen to be it right now. You break your back, and it'll still need a hero. Difference is, I'll make sure there is one. And I'll make sure you don't have to break your back for someone to step up, too. The only health concerns you should ever have is how exhausted you're going to be every time I get done with you.”
Kim shook her head and pulled away. “Shego, I'm not going to retire while I can still do some good.”
“The hell you aren't,” Shego growled. “If you didn't do it for me, which would REALLY piss me off, by the way, you'd do it for your family, or Stoppable.”
“Look, just because I'm with you doesn't mean I belong to you.”
“That's EXACTLY what it means,” Shego snapped. “As far as I'm concerned, half of this body is mine, and it isn't going anywhere I don't want it to.”
Kim shook her head. “That isn't how love works, Shego.”
“That's how MY love works, Kimmie. It's my job to keep you out of that truck's path, and I take it seriously. If you can't handle that, too bad. All I have to do is let your parents know exactly how close you come to buying the farm on a regular basis, and you're out whether you like it or not.”
“You wouldn't dare!” Kim cried. “You like missions just as much as I do!”
“You're right, I do. But you're forgetting something, Kimmie. I gave up my missions to be with you. You saying you can't do the same for me?”
Kim opened her mouth, and then shut it, doubt and guilt seeping into her expression. “Shego…it's not…I mean, you…you were working for Drakken!”
“So because my missions were ‘bad’ and yours are ‘good,’ you shouldn't have to give them up? Even though I gave mine up for you? Is that what you're saying?”
“No! But…”
Shego sighed. “I never thought I'd say this, Kimmie, but you're not being fair, to me or you. I overhauled my whole life for you. I think the least you could do is seriously consider doing this for me.”
Kim looked utterly defeated for the first time that Shego could recall.
“I'm not doing this to punish you, Kimmie. I can do that at school. I want to take care of you, but I don't want to end up doing it because you're in a wheelchair for life, or because you broke every bone in your body. I just want to take care of you. It just happens to be a lot more convenient for both of us if you're right here with me.”
“…do I have to stop right away?” Kim finally asked.
“No, I wouldn't do that to you. I didn't actually have a particular date set in stone. I was thinking maybe after you're 21. Or in college. Something like that. I just wanted you to know what I expected.” Shego paused. “But when I put my foot down, you won't put up a fuss?”
Kim hesitated. “Not if I feel it's justified. I mean, if I came back from a mission with a chunk blown out of my arm, I could see that.”
“I'm trying to prevent that, actually,” Shego reminded her with a tight smile.
“I know, I know.” Kim sat down beside her on the bed. “There is one good thing that will come out of this.”
“You mean being forced to spend the rest of your natural life with me?” Shego asked sweetly.
Kim smiled. “No. My parents are going to love you for this, if nothing else. But let's get one thing straight. Babysitting the tweebs is now a two-person task.”
Shego shuddered. “To think I used to like it when you were devious.”
“Never had to use it against you. Since we got together, I mean.”
“Stoppable might be onto something. Maybe I am corrupting you.”
“Let's just hope Mom and Dad don't see it that way.”
“They won't. Mom won't, at least. Her, I can handle. But you have to deal with Pops.”
Kim smirked. “Funny. I usually only hear that from boys.”
“We mature faster,” Shego said simply. “You've got better taste now.”
“Oh, I do? Because Sheila Gonzalez makes me wonder what I've gotten myself into.”
“Someone's got to keep you in line.”
“Seriously, Shego. Promise me you'll never wear that braid anywhere else. I want to at least pretend you're two different people so I can hate her without feeling bad.”
Shego chuckled. “Sure. But if she knew how you felt, she might just have to be extra rough on you tomorrow…”
“No fair! At home you can't be her!” Kim insisted.
“I don't recall agreeing to that, Kimmie.”
“Shegooo!” Kim whined. “You can't do this to me!”
“Technically, she can. But she won't. THIS time. You'll have it rough enough without her leaning on you.”
Kim's eyes narrowed. “Why?”
But Shego only grinned as she brushed her lips against Kim's. “Night, Kimmie.”
“Shego, what did you mean?” Kim demanded as Shego slipped into bed and began to snore loudly. “Shego!”
Next Chapter: Shego stumbles upon a BIG secret that's being kept from Kim, and has to decide where her loyalties lie.