The eventual arrival of Doc Betty and Motor Ed seemed to mark an unspoken end to the curtain call; the two adventurers were briefing the older members of Team Possible with the details of what would likely become a sitch of epic proportions.
All was not mission related as Eddie held his adopted daughter tight and let the blue girl weep tears of joy into his mustache, as did Kasy when her turn came. Betty, always so militaristic when confronting a sitch, gave motherly affection and assurances to both young women and they received their fair share of love from her as well. When the initial display of emotions abated, the extended members of Team Possible settled down to hear what Doc Betty had to relate.
While Alexander, Kasy and Anna knew the true value of the information they were hearing, the future members of Team Possible just thought that it was another cool story from their Aunt and Uncle. Great-Grandpa John Possible was entertaining little Sheila while Great-Nana Anne Possible replayed a particularly embarrassing story of Kim’s own birth, to the immense delight of Bonnie and Ron.
Kim and Shego would learn as much of the about the impending mission later, once this day was over and they could concern themselves about other, less personal, matters. In the meantime, they had returned to the lounge with the intention of resuming their seats, with Kim pausing to speak a word or two with the attending nurses. Shego forged ahead to her little corner of the lounge, feeling what she suspected would be the first of many more yawns forcing past her jaw.
“Tired?” Kim had rejoined her and ran her fingers through the mass of her wife’s hair.
“Maybe a little. Mmm, that feels good.”
“Listen, one of the nurses just spoke to me, and…”
“WHAT? WHAT”S WRONG?”
“Nothing! Nothing! Geez, calm down!” Kim had to hold her mate down with all of her might to keep the larger woman in her chair. “The contractions are coming faster and they’re going to give Sheki an epidural in a few minutes. I just came to tell you this and that I was going to go in and talk with her for awhile.”
“Ok.” Her breathing was slower now. “That’s good, sure.”
“Everyone seems to have gotten some time alone with her and it’s my turn, is all.”
“Better hurry up. If he’s anything like his namesake, he’ll have his timing all fouled up.”
“Very funny.” Kim started walking towards room 302. “You’ll be Ok?”
“Yes, Possible!” Shego stuck out her tongue
“Ok, Possible!” Kim reciprocated and eventually disappeared into the hospital bedroom. Shego frowned and realized just how alone she felt when Kim was out of her sight. Without the slightest sense of irony, Shego reached into her sweater pocket and removed her nail file.
“Ms. Shego?” The shapely form of her daughter’s partner stood before her. The dark eyes and cropped black hair grazing the azure features made for an arresting visage
“Hm?” Shego hadn’t known how tired she was until she had tried to speak. “What’s up, Anna?”
“May I please sit with you?” The young woman looked so concerned that Shego nodded and motioned towards the seat next to hers.
“Something on your mind?”
“I did have a question to ask you, yes.”
Shego glanced down at herself and then around at the area near her chair; what was it that seemed to be drawing people to her when they wanted to get things off of their chests? Did they think that she looked approachable? If so, she would have to do something about that after she got back home with her angel. In the meantime…
“Spill.”
“Earlier this morning, Ms. Kim was explaining to me why she never accepted the offered position of Deputy Administrator for Global Justice.” There was a moment’s hesitation. “I admit that I did not fully understand and she suggested that I ask you.”
“Me?” Pale green brows furrowed.
“I know, it is very silly of me to obsess over the matter, but I cannot let it go.”
“Hm… it’s probably genetic.” Shego blew nail filings from her fingers.
“I beg your pardon?”
“Never mind. So, your question…”
“I thought at first that it was because you were now an administrator for Global Justice.” Dark hair was brushed away from dark eyes. “Is it because you would have been Ms. Kim’s superior?”
“No one’s her superi… No. That isn’t it.” Her initial reply, that no one was Kim’s superior, never left her throat. Why, after all these years, did she still get so overly protective of her Princess? “Technically, the Department Head of Internal Security doesn’t oversee the actions of the Independent Operatives.”
“And Ms. Kim still holds that classification?”
“Yep.” The frustration was evident in the older woman’s voice. There was no way that she was going to divulge everything that Kim had told her on the roof. Anna didn’t look any more convinced.
“You’ve never stopped being involved in her missions, have you?”
“Nope.”
“Even as a ‘desk jockey’, you are able to get away that often?”
“Who said that I was a ‘desk jockey’?”
“Mother.”
“Hmm. Well, I was always their worst security threat anyway, so keeping me on the payroll was the best way to keep me from breaking in. Plus, they really did need a major security overhaul. The work doesn’t exactly keep me chained to my office and Kim has me registered as a full-time member of Team Possible, so they don’t have much choice.”
“Global Justice has never seen fit to expand her authority or offer her a special position if she chose to become a fully bonded agent?”
“They sure did. They practically begged her join when Kasy and Sheki moved out.” She took a long pull on her water bottle. “Not that she needs any more authority or anything. She makes more money than I do with ‘GJ’ and gets more respect than their senior department heads.” She smirked. “Shit, they’ll listen to anything she says, would completely reconsider any sitch if she even looked sideways at their plans.”
“But you are telling me that while you are now the Head of Internal Security, she still holds the same unofficial position that she has held for almost thirty years?”
“Anna, what do you want me to say?” Shego turned and faced the young woman, the echo of another face staring back at her. “If I had a year in which to do it, I could barely scratch the surface of all the reasons why Kim is such a special person. There’s just no way to classify who… or even what she is. She pays income taxes like everyone else, she goes to the can like everyone else and she loves it when we drive our car through an automatic car wash like… well, maybe not so much like everyone else. And she’ll watch the same old horror movie with me again and again. Other than that, she’s off the scale.” Shego looked deeply into the uncomprehending dark eyes of this unusual young woman. She had a place in her heart for this girl, a special place, but it was so damn difficult to ignore her origins and the memory of the man who had fathered her. “She’s a force of nature and no one can pigeonhole her with a stupid title or rank!”
She was oblivious to how her voice had been steadily rising. Anna had noticed.
“Ms. Shego, I am sorry if I have offended you with my questions.” If the blue skin could have paled any more before the unconscious glare from Shego, the girl might have vanished completely; Shego realized the sitch and softened her expression immediately. She thought back to her conversation with Kim on the roof a short time ago and how the petite redhead had made her feel.
“No, Anna. You haven’t offended anyone. It’s… me that owes you an apology.” As if preparing to defuse a bomb, Shego raised her arm and draped it across the young woman’s shoulder. “You’re a part of this family and have been for years. These people seem to have the ability to judge folks on qualities deeper than what is on the surface. I’m not like that so I haven’t done my best to make you feel welcomed because I’m a simple creature, but I do feel that way. Kimmie’s not so simple… she’s welcomed us both and we’ll never truly understand why.”
She couldn’t help herself; Shego gently kissed the smooth blue cheek. “She’s my angel. She thinks the world of you. Accept it as fact and move on.”
“Thank you.”
“I didn’t really answer your question.”
“No.” Anna rested against the older woman. “But I do not think that I need to hear anything more.”
“Good. Tell Kasy that I said you could stay.”
“What is that?” Kim’s expression was that of shock, bordering on horror.
“What is what?” Sheki hurriedly moved her hand around behind her back, all in full few of her mother. “I don’t have anything.”
“You have…” Kim’s eyes were as huge as saucers. “A Smarty-Mart ™ Giganto-Licious ® double-chocolate ice cream sandwich fudge bar!”
“No, I don’t.”
“It’s all over your chin!”
“No, it’s not.” Sheki looked down at her chin as best as she was able, all the better to wrangle the schmutz into her mouth with her tongue.
“Yes, it is!” Kim smirked and took a step forward. “Is that what Alexander did to…”
The obscured hand returned, holding the snackage protectively; the free hand flared in a moderate plasma emission.
“He did, and it’s mine and you stay right where you are.”
“Sheki, come on.” Kim ignored the plasma. “You know that you really shouldn’t…”
“I said…” The green death brightened. “Keep back.”
Kim stopped ignoring the plasma. She knew what that tone sounded like and took a step back. Satisfied, Sheki smiled and nibbled a little more of the ice cream sandwich.
“Can I at least get myself a cup of water from your bathroom?” Hands on meager hips, the ‘woman who could do anything’ asked this boon of her own flesh and blood as the pale green woman defended her snackage as if it were the child in her belly.
“Oh, sure!” Amicable and accommodating, the younger woman pointed into the small chamber. “There’s even a cooler with ice chips. Help yourself.” She gave a smirk of her own and watched with glee as her mother disappeared for a few moments, eventually returning with a large Styrofoam cup of ice water. Kim frowned in frustration; she obviously wanted to be near her daughter but knew full well the risk she took at this stage. She thought a moment, regarding her child carefully.
“If I promise that I won’t tell your Momma, can I join you?”
“Nothing doing.” More nibbling.
“How about if I promise not to tell your Grandparents?” She stifled a giggle as her daughter licked some fudge from the sandwich in ecstasy, her emerald eyes rolling back in her head and her tongue lolling out.
“My precious…”
“Very funny.” Kim could feel the light bulb shining over her head. “How about if I tell you what your Momma got for me when I was in this very building, on this very floor, on the day before you and your sister were born?”
“With Grandma hanging around? No way did Momma sneak anything in here for you.”
“Did.”
“Tell me.”
“…”
“Oh… Ok.” Sheki extinguished her plasma emission and patted the side of her bed, keeping a sharp eye on her mother and keeping the ice cream sandwich held away at arm’s length while the petite redhead perched up on the edge of the plain-deal mattress. “What did Momma bring you?” Kim nestled in and brushed some loose hair from her daughter’s pale green face.
“She brought me a triple-decker hamburger with cheese, onions and barbeque sauce.”
“No way!” Incredulity ruled. “And Grandma didn’t know?”
“Way. Your Momma even stood guard while I ate it. When I was finished I thought that I would explode and had the worst case of indigestion that you can imagine! Your Momma thought that she’d killed me or harmed you two and your Grandmother gave her the evil eye for days, but she never could prove anything!” Kim grinned. “And I enjoyed every bite.”
“Hah! That’s… that’s… ow, ow, owowowowowowowOWOWOWOW!”
In less than a heartbeat Kim grabbed the confection and gently laid it down on Sheki’s nightstand within its own wrapper. Just as quickly she lifted her feet from the floor and held her daughter close while the contraction wracked the younger woman’s body. If the powerful grip around her upper arms seemed to be getting a little hot, Kim never said a word. Sweat rolled down the young woman’s face and her expression was hardly that of peaceful repose, but the event did pass soon enough and they each relaxed a little with the rock-hard mound of unborn child between them.
“… shitfire… sorry…”
“It hurts, I know. It’s Ok.”
“You’d think that… I’d be used to this… after the first two.”
“It’s not always like that, so they tell me.” Kim reached out and snagged a towel that was hanging over the headboard, using the cloth to mop her daughter’s brow. “You’ve got me beat.”
“Maybe.” The voice was much more relaxed now. “But you had two at once.”
“Yeah, but when my time came you two just shot out.”
“Eww!”
“Splat, there was one. Splat, there was the other.”
“Ok, gross!” They each started giggling at their own mental visual. “Find a happy place!” Sheki’s eyes had remained closed through the ordeal, even after her face has resumed its earlier expression of controlled anticipation. Kim let the young woman stay in whatever little world she was picturing in order to drive the remnants of pain away.
“Do you still want your…?”
“Yes, so hands off!” Finally opening her eyes, Sheki pulled herself upright in the bed and accepted the ice cream sandwich from her Mom. “Please and thank you.”
“Sweetheart, I know that your Momma can be a little overbearing at times…”
“Doy.”
“But I want to let you know one last time what a wonderful thing that we think you and Alexander are doing.”
“It’s no big.”
“Ok, this definitely constitutes as ‘big’ and there are two people out there in that hallway that would agree with me!”
“No, Mom, it doesn’t” Sheki polished off the last remaining bite and dropped the empty wrapper into her wastebasket with no small amount of regret. “Ronnie wasn’t born yet when we had that last encounter with Drakken, right?”
“Yep.” Kim hoped that she might one day erase that final image of his face from her mind. “Almost seven years ago.”
“And it wasn’t long after that when Anna found out that she couldn’t have children because of what Drakken had done to her.” The memory of that grotesque event was permanently burned into their minds. They recalled how that madman’s ‘grand design’ had been to alter the body of his only child in order to carry his insanity beyond the limits of one lifetime and into another. The exotic blue tint to the young woman’s skin was the most obvious and harmless side effect of that failed experiment. It was not the only one, however.
Anna would never bear children.
“Way back when Kasy started to tell me about their plans together, they hoped that they each might have a baby of their own. Over a few years, you know?” Sheki scratched idly at the nightgown covering her belly. “They didn’t care so much about how. Certainly nothing like what happened with you and Momma…”
“I remember. She’d spoken to me about their plans, too.” The sorrow on Kim’s face had hardly ever been seen at such intensity before.
“Can you keep a secret?”
“Well, doy!”
“Kasy told me that when Anna finally realized that she wouldn’t be able to… how had she put it… ‘not give Kasy a baby’ that she… well, things got pretty bad for her. Kasy would never have wanted to have a baby of her own if Anna wasn’t ever going to be able to carry one.”
“What?” Kim hadn’t known of this plan. “How did Anna take to that idea?”
“That’s part of the secret you have to keep.”
“Sheki…”
“I mean it Mom. For Kasy and Anna, you can never tell anyone about this. No one can know.”
“I promise that I’ll never tell.” Kim could do that. “And?”
“Kasy would die before she ever did anything that might drive Anna away.”
“But, Anna would have loved any child that…”
“Mom, believe me, any argument that you can think of, I hashed out with Kas. She was adamant that they would have each other even if they couldn’t ever have children and they were prepared to live with that decision.” Tired, Sheki paused for a moment. “Alexander and I were gifted with two wonderful babies and we share a life that holds more blessings than we deserve. For all the things that Kasy’s done for our family and me, I owe her this.” Sheki massaged the bulge on her lap. “So when you tell me that this was ‘big’, you’re wrong. There was no easier decision for me in the whole world.”
“You’re still something special, baby.” Kim mopped more sweat from the pale green face. “And you’ve married a very special man.”
“Sure. Remind me of that when he leaves me for some sweet young thing that isn’t fat.” She smirked down at her disheveled form. “I just hope that I’m able to get back in shape as quickly this time as from Ronnie and Sheila!”
“Sheki…” Kim had been thinking about this point for most of the day. “You’re sure that you want to do that?”
“Do what?”
“Return to the adventurous life? Save the world? Remain a member of Team Possible?”
“Well, to coin an oft used phrase, doy! Why wouldn’t I?”
“I can think of two reasons, both of whom you just named a moment ago. Not to mention your loving husband who would probably feel better with you out of danger.”
“What are you saying?”
“I’m just saying that… if you didn’t want to, that is…” Stumped for the right words, Kim gestured with flailing hands, and even they stuttered. “You don’t… you know… have to.”
“You’d rather I not stay on the Team?”
“Huh? No! No, no, no!” Kim suddenly realized how her words might have sounded. “Geez, no! I didn’t mean that at all!”
“Mom.” The smirk on Sheki’s face never looked more like her Momma’s.
“I mean, if you wanted to stay in, that’s fine. Geez, it’s more than fine! It’d be great!”
“Mom.” The younger woman did all that she could not to laugh. Kim’s face was beet red and the heat radiating from her skin was palpable.
“I didn’t mean it to sound that way!” The redhead covered her face in frustration and her daughter decided to let her off the hook.
“Mom… Mommy. I know you didn’t. What I’d like to hear is if you can manage to say what’s on your mind without bugging!”
Kim nodded and shook herself loose, drawing a deep breath before she made another attempt.
“I think… that I’m finally feeling a little of what your Momma used to talk about. That feeling that she always wanted to lock me away in an ivory tower to keep me safe. Her phrase for it was a ‘tender prison’.” Kim felt calmer and looked her child right in the eyes. “What I want you to know is that you have no obligation to me, to your Momma, to your family or the world to do anything from this moment on but be a mother to your children.”
“How about what I want? Does that count?”
“Always.”
“Then I’m staying. You losers wouldn’t stand a chance without me.” Taller and certainly larger for the past few months, the younger woman reversed the familiar sitch and held her mother tight to her side as if Kim were the child in need of assurance. “This is what I want and Alexander knows it. We’ll do whatever it takes to keep our family strong.”
“I understand, sweetheart. Team Possible wouldn’t be the same without you… even with the fat, and all.”
“Thank you, Mommy-Dearest.”
“Hey, I’m serious. Don’t be too quick to shed those extra pounds.” Kim arched her back and flexed her lithe body. “If it hadn’t have been for the weight I gained while I was carrying you and your sister, I’d still be wearing junior misses petite.”
“Instead of?”
“…”
“Hmm?”
“… junior misses regular…”
“That’s what I thought. Thank Heaven for Momma’s genes or Kasy and I’d have never even owned bikinis… OW!” Kim’s aim had been perfect and the pillow caught Sheki right in the face.
Wrestling was out of the question but tickling was easier for a smaller, agile attacker when the target was larger and less mobile. The least aggressive display of roughhousing in recorded history quickly ended and, emotionally spent from a few too many personal revelations in too few minutes, mother and daughter rested side by side on the narrow hospital bed with Sheki’s hand on her stomach and Kim’s hand on hers.
“Uh, Mom?” Sheki was attempting to get a little more comfortable when she noticed something uncomfortable and distressingly familiar. “I’m guessing that you didn’t just spill your water on the sheets, huh?”
“No, of course not, it’s right over… OH!” Kim launched herself from the bed as Sheki raised the hem of the sheets to confirm her suspicion. “Oh, wow!”
“Gee, Minister Disraeli, can I quote you on that?” Snarky tone aside, the moment of truth was upon them and Sheki felt a brief pang of anxiety.
“So the drama!” Kim was starting to hyperventilate. “I’d better call the nurses.” She had almost reached the door when she skidded to a halt and spun on her heel; she practically leapt the short distance back to the bed. Kim held her daughter’s face and kissed her on the cheek.
“The mission’s almost over, baby, so hang tight. You’ll be just fine.”
“I love you, Mom.”
“I love you, too, baby. I’ll be right back.”
The only force on Earth that could make Kim Possible leave her daughter’s side finally had to exert itself. Dr. Mrs. Anne Possible dragged a manic Kim from room 302 and pulled her all the way down the hall until they reached the visitors waiting lounge. Once there, the older redhead deposited her only daughter into the arms of her daughter’s spouse. Shego was prepared and she wrapped her long arms around the slender body of her mate and just let the smaller woman wear herself out with her struggles.
“Shego, let me go!”
“No can do, Princess. You know that.”
“Can’t I be in there with her?”
“No, Pumpkin.”
“But she’s my baby! She needs me!”
“She doesn’t need your help. She’s done this more than you have.”
“But…”
“We stay our here, Kimmie, them’s the rules.” Shego gently forced Kim’s head around so that she had no choice but to look at the other members of their extended family. “See Alexander sitting there? Doesn’t he look like he’d rather be with his shield maiden while she gives birth? He agreed to this like we all did… just Sheki, Kasy, Anna and the attending staff.” Shego never relaxed her grip because she knew that Kim would take advantage of any chance to slip free. When the redhead finally relented, only then did the grip loosen; Kim wouldn’t move from Shego’s lap.
“’Shield maiden’?”
“He called her that once.”
“It sounds romantic.”
“It sounds a little nerdy, to me. Romance is dead.”
“Says the woman who wants to powder my bottom.”
Time passed as time does and the gathering settled down into yet another period of waiting. They knew that this would be a much shorter stretch, however, and each did their best to stave off boredom and anticipation. The earlier reconnaissance debriefing having ended, Motor Ed and Dr. Mr. John Possible were arguing over the pros and cons of ‘souping up’ a Sloth XL. Dr. Mrs. Anne Possible and Doc Betty were apparently sharing their opinions of the latest models of motorcycle to be found on the market and which was the fastest on the highway.
The youngest members of the family were too tired to do much but sleep. Ronnie and Walter had explored every square inch of the lounge and were nestled in the fort he had built underneath a coffee table. Sheila had been braiding Kimberly’s hair until the little girl literally fell asleep on her feet and was even now snoring like a chainsaw across the knees of Dr. Mrs. P. No longer having to sit still for Sheila, Kimberly was reading her paperback with her mother, the older Stoppable holding her daughter close and both of them focusing on the simple work of fiction. The younger brunette seemed more relaxed than she had since her arrival hours before and both women appeared to be wholly comfortable with each other.
Kimberly’s brother was in far worse condition. Alexander had been relaxed enough when Sheki’s water had broken and the final stage of labor approached, but there had been one particular contraction that had caused his wife to shriek so loudly from the pain that it was clearly heard out in the lounge. The young man had bolted from his chair with wild eyes and it was all that the rest could do to keep him out of room 302. Ron had been the one to provide a distraction; even now Alexander and his father were practicing attack and defense moves in the lounge, with Ron’s Mystical Monkey Powers allowing him to keep pace with his son’s greater strength and speed. Bonnie hadn’t been too thrilled about this at first but the men were keeping out of sight from the hospital staff and besides… Alexander had let his mom wear the fedora.
Kim and Shego sat off to the side and shared Shego’s digital music player, each woman wearing one ear bud apiece, either humming or singing off key or mocking each other when one attempted to sing on key.
The long day ended at a few minutes after Nine o’clock that night. A few nurses had walked out of the room and the extended family roused themselves to hear the news from the obstetrician, but it was Kasy who walked out and joined them in the lounge. Her face was damp with tears and sweat and just a little bit of tap water; parts of her smock appeared to have been singed and hastily extinguished.
“It’s a boy!”
“Didn’t we already know that?”
“SHEGO!”
“Mmm?” Ron had been asleep and Kim’s yell woke him. “Did Sheki have the baby yet?”
“She did, Stoppable, and it’s a monkey.” Stunned from shock, Ron was the only person except for the children to not throw a magazine, paper cup or tissue box at the Department Head of Internal Security for Global Justice. Kim did absolutely nothing to protect her and Bonnie did her best to assure Ron that he had dreamed Shego’s monkey comment. Everyone started to stand and move forward but the younger redhead barred the way.
“Ok, folks, you remember the drill. One group at a time and the first group is…”
“MOMMY!”
“I’d really like to see Mommy, Dad.” The fedora almost obscured Ronnie’s eyes while Walter sat on the crown.
“Kasy.” Alexander moved to join his offspring where they had run to stand before their aunt. “My children and I would really like to see my wife now.” Controlled but resolute, there didn’t seem to be any hope in dissuading him.
“… the Rockwallers. Anna’s got the baby, guys, if you want a peek. Otherwise the lady of the hour is resting comfortably!” Kasy bent to give her nephew a hug, careful not to crush his naked mole rat friend, and also to plant a kiss atop Sheila’s red tresses. For Alexander she reserved a bone-crushing embrace before clearing the way for them to enter room 302. Peeling off her smock, she accepted the congratulations and best wishes of the rest of the gathering before making her way to the far corner of the lounge and her parents.
“Is she Ok?” Kim shifted down a seat so that their daughter could be between them.
“Ok? She’s great! I… I don’t think that I could do that!” The younger woman wiped at her face while Shego silently reached around their child and took Kim’s hand.
“Yes, you could. Our girls are tough.”
“But the way she yelled! I didn’t know that she knew those words!” Kasy pointed down at her smock. “That’s just from a pre-emission flare up. I thought that she was going to blast us all!”
“Your Mommy was the same way. All I got was splattered with yuck, but I didn’t get fried. Sorry, Pumpkin, but I was never so glad that you don’t have plasma powers as I was that day.”
“I, um, kind of pretended that it was a deathtrap or something.” Shego and Kasy turned to see the flush spreading up Kim’s neck and into her face. “Like I was being tortured and forced to divulge secret information.”
“Sick and wrong.”
“Wrongsick. I always wondered why you suddenly screamed Stoppable’s social security number when Kasy came out.”
“Well, it HURT!”
A voice from the hallway caught their attention and they looked up to Alexander Rockwaller standing at the doorway to room 302. He beckoned to Kasy and she stood from her chair.
“Will you two be Ok here for awhile? I’d better see what he wants.”
“Sure, baby. We thought that we’d stick around anyway, let the others see the baby first.”
“Pumpkin, I wanna see the baby now!”
“Please stop whining. It’s unbecoming of both a ‘GJ’ Department Head and a former super-villain. There are folks younger and older than we are and we have the time to spare.”
“Yes, Supreme One… OW!” She wasn’t fast enough to dodge one more magazine.
Alexander wanted to take his children home and put them to bed; he had wanted to inform Kasy of this plan first and assured her that he would be back in about an hour.
Babysitting duties for the younger Rockwallers would fall to their aunt Kimberly with assistance from grandparents Ron and Bonnie Stoppable. The older folks had already arranged to be with their son’s family for several days to help their daughter-in-law while she recuperated. Ron had his hands full directing Bon-Bon and Kimberly out of the room while both ladies became an emotional spectacle.
Kim and Shego confirmed that they would visit soon and Kim promised to read and review the story that Kimberly had written. The teen stopped bawling long enough to thank her.
The Drs. P were the next to say their goodnights. They never were night owls and at their age the day had been somewhat longer for them than most. Contrary to her claims that she would have been ‘one cook too many’ and that her specialization in neuropathy and brain surgery made her the least qualified, Anne had given her granddaughter and great grandson each a clean bill of health and was suspected of threatening the staff with extinction if anything went ‘south of cheese’.
Doc Betty and Motor Ed shortly followed the elder Possibles, the two adventurers expressing their sincere and heartfelt blessings to Anna and Kasy in their own way. Neither of them was much for long goodbyes but Anna insisted that her father be allowed to hold the baby. No one had cause or reason to argue so the infant was handed over.
When the sex of the child had first been announced and weeks of debate had eventually resulted in a name, Eddie was as stunned as Kim and Shego had been when it was first shared with the families. Now he held the tiny new life in his huge calloused hands.
“…”
Not even one ‘seriously’ was forthcoming. He did manage to crush the wind from both his daughter and Kasy before mumbling something to Sheki and being led away by his amused wife. Kim and Shego had been standing in the doorway to bid them goodbye and had seen most of this.
“What did he say to her?”
“I think he called her a babe.” Remembering what it was like to no longer be the center of attention once the baby is born, Kim’s first move was to her daughter. Sheki had been well looked after and she was keeping herself aloof from the rest of the action; she was adamant in her decision that she would never be more than ‘Aunt Sheki’ to the child in her sister’s arms.
“How’re you doing?”
“Is it too late to cancel my registration for that marathon?” She grinned.
“Joke all you want, but expect to be worshipped as a fertility goddess by those two for the rest of your life.”
“Nope. Aunt Sheki and Uncle Alexander is what we’ll be. That’s all and that’s enough.”
“Kimmie, you need to come see this!”
“Shego, I’m talking to our daughter, here! Maybe you’d like to speak with her?”
“Oh” The tall woman turned. “Hey, Shek.”
“Hey, Momma.” They winked at each other over Kim’s frustrated expression.
“Oh, you two!” Kim scowled but planted a smooch on her daughter’s forehead. “You’ll be Ok ‘til Alexander comes back?”
“Of course. I don’t think that anyone will be able to chase him out so they’re arranging for him to stay the night in here.”
“Good. Your Momma and I’ll give you a day or two before we stop by… that’s as long as I’ll be able to keep Gram-zilla away before she starts bugging.” Kim ruffled the long black hair. “You done good, kid.”
“Thanks. Mom. See you later.”
“Kimmie, he’s moving and stuff!”
“Ok! Geez!” She shared her own wink and a giggle with Sheki before joining the knot of people clustered against the wall. A bassinette had been brought in and the nurses, having made certain that the newborn was fully stable and healthy, vacated the room and left the family alone for a while. Kasy was holding the baby now and Anna was holding Kasy, both women looking as if they had died and gone to Heaven. The center of their universe had finally been handed to them.
Shego stepped back and let Kim take her place, her long fingers entwining with the petite redhead’s.
“Might you want to speak to your daughter, now?”
“My baby!” Shego vanished from her side.
“Ghaa! Momma, please!” Kim didn’t have to turn around to know that Shego was even now up on the narrow bed lying beside their child just as Kim had been a few hours ago.
“Mom, here. Please hold him.” The two women offered up their son to the single person who was the core of the extended family, the one whose life and actions were responsible for bringing everyone together.
“Did your Momma have him yet?”
“Yes and Ms. Shego was frightened half to death.” Anna spoke to Kim but only had eyes for her child.
“I heard that!”
“Then hand him over…” She gingerly accepted the new life. “Please and thank you.”
The baby was tiny for all of his moderate weight and length, healthy and with a strong heartbeat as would be expected of having a birth mother that had monitored her condition with the utmost care. His skin was untainted with any hues other than the wrinkled pale complexion from never having been exposed to the sun or open air, and he would likely match his genetic siblings in their lack of plasma-based powers. Hairless except for the whitish fuzz that would soon vanish, his expression varied from bemused to displeased to ‘this sitch is NOT getting any better, put me BACK’. His eyes were very dark and his limbs shifted within his wrappings and one delicate arm freed itself, Kim quickly securing the miniature hand lest the air be too cool for the baby.
Kim let the perfect little fingers wrap around her pinky and she glanced down at the name stenciled across the rail of the bassinette.
“Possible, Drew Theodore Lipsky.” Kim hadn’t realized that she had read the name aloud until Shego responded from across the room.
“That’s one Hell of a handle for any kid.” Shego stroked her daughter’s hair. Anna and Kasy moved to the bed and Shego traded places with them to join her wife and new grandson.
“He’ll make it a good name.” Kim held the baby close and caressed his tender face with a gentle finger. Shego regarded the tiny miracle with amazement and bent down to kiss the knitted cap covering his head.
“He’s got his work cut out for him, Pumpkin, but I think that you’re right… he will make it a good name.” Kasy and Anna let their mothers care for the child while they gave comfort to the woman who gave them immortality. No one wanted to leave and they easily found reasons not to.
At least until Alexander returned.
“Ok, every hot woman that is NOT my wife needs to get out of that bed NOW!”
Anna and Kasy took one look at the large man standing in the doorway and, seeing the fiercely determined expression on his face, leapt from the bed to stand beside Kim and Shego where they were cooing over the baby. The man joined his wife in their place and he was still there when the nurses returned to see that the infant was taken to another room for further attention. It wouldn’t be long before he was ready to be released into the care of his loving mothers. Shego had to eventually drag Kim out of the room with threats and promises and the two new parents bid them goodnight as they finalized their plans for bringing their son home.
Alexander remained at the side of his wife, whispering to her until she fell asleep. What he said to her is none of your business… even I don’t know what he said and I’m writing this crap. I do know that Shego manager to snag a can of talcum powder from a nearby tray on their way out of room 302 and that it was a full twenty minutes before they left the building.
“It’s dark.” Shego surveyed the barren parking lot of Middleton General.
“Yep, pretty much.” Kim buttoned up her coat as they walked towards their car. “Why’d we park so far away? This place was almost empty when we got here and it’s almost empty now. It’s not like we had trouble finding a space!”
“Hey, I wasn’t the one driving, I… oh, yeah. I was. Maybe I had the subconscious desire to see those legs moving a little more.”
“Uh, huh. Subconscious. Right.”
“How’re you feeling, Princess?”
“My bottom is very cool and dry.”
“I didn’t mean THAT, doofus!” She grinned, and then giggled. Soon her clear laughter filled the emptiness of the blacktopped void while Kim just smiled at the pleasure of hearing that laughter. It came freely these days, not like the old times when it had to be pried out of the older woman or was never to be heard in public.
“Geez… heh…” The pale green woman composed herself. “So?”
“So… what?”
“What’s the plan?”
“Well… I hadn’t thought of mentioning this to you until now, but I’ve decided to take over the world.”
“Oh, well, isn’t it a little late for… WHAT?” Shego stopped dead in her tracks.
“Yeah, I mean you once promised me that you’d have my back if I ever decided to do that.” Kim cocked an eyebrow at her mate. “You meant it, didn’t you?”
“Uh… yes.”
“Good. So here’s how we start…”
“You’ve already got something in mind?” The former villain crossed her arms.
“Yep!”
“Ok, this I have to hear. Shoot.”
“Spank’n! Ok, my plan is called ‘Operation: KFC’, right? And first we need to…”
“Wait… hold on. ‘Operation…?”
“’KFC’.”
“As in original or extra crispy?”
“Yeah!” Kim’s eyes lit up and she bounced on her heels.
“Uh, huh. Continue.”
“Ok, so the plan is to locate and obtain lots of fried chicken, which we eat until we can barely move.”
“So tell me, is this happening while we’re out or…?
“Oh, no. We must eat the chicken at home because that allows me to initiate stage two of my master plan!”
“Let me guess. Does it involve a movie?”
“Of course! Who better to assist in my plan to undermining the current world order but Hollywood?”
“But what’s the movie? We just watched my favorite last night, so… oh, no. You’re not going to make me watch THAT are you?” Shego looked stricken.
“I am and you love it!” Kim’s eyes sparkled. “Admit it! You love the scene when she’s dancing with the empty dress that represents her evil side, and the Tangerine Dream sound track!”
“… oh, ok…” Shego scuffed her shoes as she dragged her feet the rest of the way to the car. “I’ve created a monster.”
“COME, Shego!” Kim lead the way, all the while doing an eerily accurate impression of the man who was once her greatest foe. She arched her back and thrust her arms up towards the starry sky. “We must BEGIN lest the local KFC closes!”
“I should be so lucky… Hey!” Shego perked up. “As a sworn administrator of ‘GJ’ I’m obligated to apprehend and incarcerate you for this vile plan of yours!” Things were looking better.
“True.” Kim unlocked their doors and slipped into her seat, waiting until her wife had entered via the passenger side before starting the engine. “But I haven’t done anything yet.”
“Good point. So I’ll have to wait until the plan is finished to apprehend you?”
“At least until you fill me with chicken.”
“But then I can do whatever I see necessary to incapacitate you and dole out a little punishment, right?” Shego’s pout was strong. “Pweese?”
“Not until after the movie. Then it’s either that or we do the one where we’re stuck alone together in the alternate universe.”
“Ooh, please and thank you!”
And They Lived Happily Ever After.
Author’s Notes: The ‘Alone, Together’ comment references Failte’s masterpiece. Kasy and Sheki are the creation of NoDrogs, just as Anna Lipsky is the creation of Yuri18 though I’ve taken far more liberties with Anna. Just as my story ‘Parents’ was an attempt to justify my feelings behind the Kigo subject matter, this story is an elaboration that has evolved over time. It’s also the end of my ‘Who’s Writing This Crap?’ Kigo-verse. I will not write any stories that take place beyond this point. You might as well scrawl ‘And they lived happily ever after!’ on your computer screen. There’s still much more to write so don’t be alarmed, but a 25-year window of KP’s life (19-44) is a big enough stage for my needs. Heck, I’ve even made references here to stories that aren’t written as of this moment, so now you have to start reading my stuff all over again from the beginning!