The return drive to the Possible residence wasn’t plagued by déjà vu since the night had changed everything. This time Shego was in the car, at first quiet and introspective but eventually laughing and joking along with Kim.
Lights from the street and buildings where shrouded in a light haze a sure sign of fog later that night. There were no harsh glares; the haze gave everything a halo of color.
Even the Possible house appeared to have been retouched in watercolors, every light on the ground floor making the home glow.
Making their way up the drive, they noticed that the door was already being opened and someone was standing before it, a very formal cut to their profile.
When they got out of Kim’s car and walked the last few yards to the door, they saw Ron Stoppable awaiting them at the door. He was wearing a light blue tuxedo, horribly out of date and oversized on his lanky frame, with a matching shirt that sported ruffles at the collar. He was also wearing a tall silk top hat.
Shego was the first to comment on Ron’s outfit.
“Stoppable, that tux is pure corn, but the chapeau is classy. What gives? Did you just graduate with a degree in mortuary science?”
Ron ignored the remark, instead putting on a sophisticated air.
“Welcome, Madame and… Madame. Welcome to zee Château de Possible. I am Ronauld and I will be zee dezignated drivar zis evening. May I be to having your keys?”
Ron extended his hand, leaning back against the door as he did so. This motion caused his top hat, which had been pulled severely down over his brow, to lift up sharply in the front as if were hinged.
Underneath the hat, perched on the unruly crown of Ron’s head, stood Rufus. The naked mole rat was decked out in an identical costume.
“I ztrongly recommend ze sparkling Muscatel, one of ze finest wines of Idaho.”
“booze!” agreed Rufus, nodding vigorously.
Kim was amused and giggled at her friend, but Shego failed to appreciate the humor.
“Nothing doing; don’t waste your time Kim. You know I’m a better driver even if totally wasted and half asleep than ‘Doofable’ would be stone cold sober.”
Kim made a show of handing her keys to Ron, who moved away from the door, lowering the hat over his tiny, waving friend once more.
“Not with our children in the car, you won’t.” This stopped any other arguments that Shego might have made. Leaving Ron at the door, the two entered into light and noise.
Monique and the Tweebs were in the living room, apparently saving the world from mutant, kung-fu zombies. The video game may have been Monique’s way of unwinding from having watched the babies all day, because video games weren’t normally her thing.
The dining room table was laid out with such food that Shego found herself looking for the Ghost of Christmas Past. True, one could have found some ‘brain loaf’ if you looked hard enough, but it was more for jest that it was on the menu.
Kim and Shego made their way to the kitchen, sensing that what they both sought was there. They were correct.
“Hi, Mom, Dad. We’re here.”
Kim’s parents were both working with food; Anne was adding a few finishing touches to what looked like a fondue and John was feeding the twin girls something that smelled of apples.
Shego walked straight to the tandem high chairs and started talking to John. While they were fawning over the children, Kim and her mother carried some final items to the table.
“Mom, this is great, really. You’ve overdone it, I think.”
“Oh don’t this that this is all for you, sweetheart. It’s for you and Shego and all of us… I felt like having a feast.” The older woman looked wistful.
Kim watched her mother closely; the woman was a great cook and wonderful homemaker, but she rarely set out a spread such as this.
“Mom, is everything Ok?”
“Yes, and no. Seeing you in action today, well you know how your Father and I always think of you as still being our little Kimmie-cub. We just realized just how wrong we were.”
“Oh, Mom! What are you talking about?”
Anne turned and placed he hand on Kim’s shoulder.
“We are still your parents, but you’ve outgrown your old life. We thought that the turning point was when you gave birth to those gorgeous grand-daughters you’ve given us, but no. That seemed to bring us closer together than ever.”
Anne looked at the table. It was groaning with food. In truth, she had kept herself working in preparation for tonight as a way to stave off the event itself.
“Somehow this feels like a goodbye party. You have your own family, children and…” Anne glanced back towards the kitchen, “and Shego. I feel that something is ending.” The taller redhead brushed aside a tear.
Kim approached her and Anne pulled her close. Kim hurt to see her Mother feeling this way, especially since she didn’t feel as if anything was different, as if anything were drawing to a close.
Ron had walked into the house and had removed his top hat and suit jacket. He stood away from his best friend and her mother, not knowing exactly what was up, but respecting them enough to give them privacy. As usual, Ron made himself available if Kim needed him, and would always be there for her.
Anne pulled away after a few seconds, forcing a smile and dabbing at her face.
“Your Father will demand an explanation if he sees that I’ve smudged my mascara. Oh, Kim, just ignore this old woman. Go see your children and I’ll call Monique and the boys to the table.”
“No, Mom. I’ve seen them more in the past two days then Shego has. I’ll get the others and you can say go say hello to her.” Kim was afraid that her mother might have been distancing herself from the former villain.
“Please, she won’t say it; she can’t say it. Not yet. She wants so much to be welcomed, but it’s not her way to open up, not easily and not right away.”
Anne gave her daughter a gentle shove.
“Oh, I know all that! Goodness, Kimmie, your Father and I are already doing all we can to let her know she’s a member of this family. I just, well, I suppose your Father and I would feel like his about any boy, excuse me, any man that had entered your life.”
Anne was more herself now, more at ease with the situation and feeling self-conscious. Kim kissed her mother on the head and they walked into the kitchen together.
They were treated with a rare sight. John was holding Kasy on his knee, gently bouncing the tiny girl. Kasy was holding her outstretched hands to Shego, who was standing in the middle of the room. Shego was holding little Sheki and turning around and around n a pirouette, lifting the baby girl and cooing as they turned.
While Kasy was usually the more reactive of the two, her black haired sister was enjoying the activity with every muscle in her body. She was kicking and waving her arms and a tiny smile was on her perfect face.
Kim wondered who this tall woman was: villain, thief, lover, wife, or mother? Shego refused to submit to the same forces that could break your spirit. Kim could see the same refined grace from when they would fight in the way that Shego played with their daughters. The only thing that Shego had stolen in the past few years had been Kim’s heart.
Anne suggested that they move to the dining room and, as they approached the table, saw that Ron had already corralled the boys. Monique was with them, and everybody was seated.
There was plenty of room for all and no ‘kid’s table’, which would always be a tender subject for Ron. The infants were spaced between their two mothers, each woman wanting nothing more than to soak up as much time with their daughters as possible.
There was much laughter and light conversation; this was a family that reveled in the ‘small stuff’, just like Kim had been when speaking with Monique that afternoon, because far too many events of huge import occurred in their life to be all that healthy.
While Dr. Mrs. Possible was too house proud to let it be known that she would eve let a rodent on her dinner table, she gladly let Rufus assist in the feeding of the twin girls. They were displaying their usual compliance with being fed, or rather their lack thereof, but they would happily accept anything offered to them by this tiny, pink creature.
The meal was long and there was entirely too much food eaten. Eventually the gathering drew to a close and they vacated the dining room; Kim and her brothers demanded that everyone else leave the three of them to clear away the used flatware and utensils.
Ron caught Kim in the kitchen.
“Say there, KP. I, uh, thought I’d go on home, if that’s Ok.”
“Well, Ok, but we were going to move to the patio after we put the girls down.”
“Oh? Um, that’s Ok. It’s pretty late and besides,” Ron glanced back over his shoulder towards the foyer. “Monique asked me to drive her home. She’s the only one to take me up on the designated driver thing.”
Thinking back to their earlier conversation, Kim wondered if Monique had different intensions. Surely nothing this soon, but maybe this was the start of a ‘master plan’.
“That’s alright, Ron. I’ll call you after my meeting with Global Justice tomorrow; you know, see if they have a mission for ‘Team Possible’!”
Kim gave Ron a big hug and they met Monique at the door. Kim failed to get Monique to make full eye contact with her, although Kim’s mischievous side caused her to make a big game of it. After a few seconds, a very confused Ron watched Monique start giggling as she and Kim squared off in some sort of ‘no contact’ eye avoidance battle.
Monique lost and the two girls quickly embraced. No matter what the other girl truly had planned, Kim felt that Monique was in control of whatever situation occurred. Kim also felt that she knew exactly what she deserved to know: nothing that wasn’t any of her business.
As the closest of Kim’s friends walked out together, Kim remembered something.
“Wait, Ron. I’ll need my keys!”
Ron turned back to her with a sheepish grin on his freckled face.
“Sorry, KP. Before dessert, Shego told me that if I didn’t give her your keys she was going to tell me a story.” A blush turned the fair boy’s complexion rosy.
“Huh? About what?”
A tiny head poked out of Ron’s pants pocket.
“man name jed?”
“No, buddy, go back to sleep.”
Nodding to signify that this seemed a capital idea, Rufus lowered himself back down.
“Something about lemon curd, she said. I don’t really know what that is, but I didn’t like how she said it.”
It was Kim’s turn to blush, but this time for two reasons. The first was that Ron noticed her reaction and apparently saw that he had good cause to feel uneasy. The second was how Monique seemed to be making mental notes.
Watching them depart, Kim returned to the house only to see Shego standing in the foyer, waiting for her. The tall woman had a wicked grin on her face.
“You have just got to stop tormenting him!”
“Stoppable tell you about my threat of story time?”
“Ghaa! Do NOT tell anybody about that! Not my friends, not my folks, NO ONE!”
A mock expression of sadness draped Shego’s face.
“But I thought you liked it.” Shego’s version of the ‘puppy dog pout’ was more comical because her eyes still gleamed as brightly as ever.
“I… well, yes, it was great. Doy! Just quit telling everyone!”
Kim sighed and looked around. The house was quiet now. Several of the lights had been turned off and the food was put away. There was still a lot of washing up to be done, but the only sounds to be heard were those of voices coming from the patio in the back of the house.
“Where are the girls?”
“Out on the porch. They’re asleep, but it was your father’s idea.”
“And the Tweebs?”
“Upstairs. Your mom told them that they could stay up for awhile and they went up to their room.”
The two women walked to the patio; it was mostly dark and the Drs. Possible were talking and holding the sleeping babies. John had Sheki this time, and his wife held Kasy.
“Mom, Dad, why don’t you let me put them in my… the upstairs room.”
“Kimmie-cub,” John spoke up, “let’s keep them out here, with us. I’ve always been a firm believer that children who hear a lot of conversational speech develop their own speaking skills that much faster.”
Kim looked to Shego, who shrugged. They seated themselves and were each handed a cold glass of something from Anne.
“It’s been a long day, so I decided that coffee wasn’t the best idea. This is some light tea, so no one should have any trouble sleeping tonight.”
The Possible residence was close to a copse of trees near the outer edge of town, so there was no light or noise pollution to spoil the excellent view of the stars, or the ambient chorus of crickets and night birds.
“And, Kimberly Ann Possible, if you ever make one more comment about that upstairs room not being yours anymore, I will tell Shego about a certain little girl who decided to take off her dress and pour maple syrup all over herself. Do I make myself clear?”
“Uh, Yes, Mom.”
“Very good.”
Again, Kim was embarrassed for two reasons. One was the childhood event itself, the other was that she just knew that Shego was making her own mental notes.
“Kim, what are your plans now? Do you intend to resume your heroic activities?”
Her father’s question wasn’t totally unexpected, because she had been wondering about that herself.
“Well, I don’t really know. Today I finally got the answer to a question that’s been bothering me for a long time: can I still perform? The answer is yes.”
Kim felt a long, tapering hand find hers in the darkness, and grip it tightly. She continued.
“But since my becoming a world-saver was due to happenstance, I wonder if I should continue. I mean, what about my children? My education? Should I get a job in the ‘civilian’ world or apply to Global Justice for something that’s not dangerous?”
Kim paused. All these questions and no answers; it was daunting.
“I’m at a crossroads. I don’t know what I want to do.”
“Well, your mother and I could keep you up all night while we espoused the benefits of a good education, but we’re not going to do that. In fact, I’m not so sure that returning to school would be the best thing for you right now.”
“John!” This was apparently not something that Mrs. Dr. Possible wanted to hear.
“Now, Anne, let me explain. Kim, I’m not suggesting that you never consider a college degree, but also consider this: with the exception of a specific field of study, what would you learn at college?”
Knowing that her father was one of the most literal men in the world, Kim thought for a moment and then gave him a straight answer.
“Confidence, discipline, social interaction with peers and superiors, independence.”
“Right. Now, examine that list. Which of those are you lacking?”
Again, Kim thought. She knew that her parents would never deliberately play mind games with he; they hated that. So she gave him another straight answer.
“Well, I’m not perfect, and can stand to improve myself, but otherwise none.”
“I agree on all points. So, if you’ll let your old man offer some advice, consider Global Justice. If you decide to complete your education, let them teach you. And you can make excellent use of your crime fighting experience, but at a level of safety that you can control. You could train to be an agent, or something else; you saw this morning how many different ways there are to support Global Justice.”
“Plus you’d want me to be protected, is that it?” Kim had been prepared to be defensive about her father’s proposal, but how could she? What he was saying made perfect sense.
“My answer to that will always be ‘yes’. I also want you to be happy.”
“Well, your father and I don’t fully agree about sloughing off your plans to go to college, but I cannot argue that ‘GJ’ doesn’t have a full curriculum of studies to take advantage of. That nice Betty Director gave us an overview of the college- and advanced-level courses available…” Anne glared mildly at he husband. “If you opted to join them, that is.”
Now Kim started to feel justified in becoming defensive.
“It sounds as if you have my life all planned out.”
“Ok, Princess, since you’re going to get all P-I-S-S-E-D about it, here’s my two cents worth.” Shego’s concession to her in-laws disapproval of blue language impressed Kim enough to cool her down… slightly.
“Alright, tell me what I should do with my life.”
“Be a mother to our children.”
This caught Kim off guard and took the rest of the wind from her sails. Seeing that Kim had no retort, Shego continued.
“Look, I don’t have a college degree, so I’m not the best source of advice about completing your education. I do know that you’re the best there is at what you do. It would be a sin to waste your natural talents. But I agree with your dad on one thing.”
Shego took a deep breath.
“I want you safe. I want you to be a mother to our girls and never have to face another demented villain or terrorist again. I never want to see you raise your hand in attack or defense and just be safe and well.”
Seated in the darkness with only starlight to see by, Kim could not see the wetness of Shego’s eyes, but she could hear the different timbre of her voice.
“But I also agree that you should be happy. You couldn’t live like that, locked away in an ivory tower for the rest of your life. I think that both of your parents are right; join with ‘GJ’, continue your education, and take a position that keeps you out of harms way.”
Kim mulled this over. It didn’t sound too bad, albeit maybe a little too overprotective for her. She wasn’t naturally rebellious, but she was sensitive to being manipulated and she didn’t react to it well. However, nothing had been said that wasn’t in the form of a suggestion and there had been no ‘guilt trips’.
“Ok, here’s what I’ll do right now: I’ll keep tomorrow’s appointment with Dr. Director and see what she wants to discuss. Then I’ll talk to her about a future with ‘GJ’, as well as educational opportunities, and listen to what she has to say. How does that sound?”
“That sounds absolutely fine, dear. I won’t coin the over-used cliché that ‘we only want what’s best for you’, but we do want you to have a life that’s both long and happy.”
Shego was starting to wish she’d brought along some insulin. She squeezed Kim’s hand again.
“’Fat, drunk and stupid is no way to go through life, son.’”
Kim choked on her tea. Anne started laughing so hard that John moved to take little Kasy from her, otherwise he had no idea what Shego was talking about.
“So let me get this straight, your evil scheme to rid the world of me forever also involves my folks?”
In the darkness, Kim heard Shego activate her cell phone.
“Doc, yeah it’s me again. Hate to say this, but ‘Plan-B’ is a wash, too. She’s on to us. Sorry, Doc, but ‘Operation: Long-Happy-Life-With-Wife-And-Family’ has failed. Don’t take it so hard; she’s just that good, is all. ‘Night.”
Now both Kim and Anne Possible were laughing so hard that they were gasping for air. Shego just smiled at John, who wasn’t any closer to understanding what had just happened.
“Shego, what was ‘Plan-A’?
“I’ll tell you later.” She pounded Kim on the back to facilitate breathing.
“You’ll tell them never.” Finally croaked Kim.
John Possible looked down at his granddaughters.
“You’d explain it to old Grand Pa if you could, right?”
The conversation shifted to other things. When it became late enough for everyone, the remnants of the party broke up and Kim and Shego collected their daughters. The little girls had roused themselves for the ride home, and Kim let Shego drive.
The apartment was cool and inviting It was now late and both women were running on fumes; the events of that morning seemed weeks ago, and not just hours.
Kim and Shego laid the tiny girls down on their own bed while they changed into nightclothes. Kim sat on the edge of the bed, stalled in the act of removing her clothes while she coddled her daughters. She could not stand to distance herself from these little miracles, not now and not ever.
“Kim, leave them be, you’ll give them a complex. Get changed.” Shego was already changed, the garment hardly substantial enough to earn the seven-letter word.
“Shego, thank you.”
“For what?”
“Just thank you, for everything.”
Shego just looked at her wife for a moment, then smiled slightly and nodded. She let Kim pass by her into the bathroom and started putting away their clothes from that day.
Kim’s voice floated out from the bathroom.
“Can I ask you a personal question?”
Shego glanced down at their children, sleeping restfully in the apartment that they shared as spouses, married in spirit if not by law. It was amusing that Kim would ask permission first, considering their relationship and all that they’d been through.
“Sure, I don’t see why not.”
“If you were attracted to men, would you find Ron attractive?”
“Nope.”
Kim left the bathroom.
“As simple as that? ‘Nope’?”
“Yup.”
“Why not?
“Why are you asking? Ready to dump me already and want the Ron-Monster to catch me on the rebound?” Shego stood there, hands on hips, starring at Kim wearing the smirk that irritated Kim so much.
“Well, Monique mentioned that she was thinking about having a baby, but she was upset because she didn’t have a man in her life. I was wondering if that had anything to do with why she asked Ron to take her home tonight.”
“Since you’ve never told me about how big of a slut she is, wouldn’t that be moving a little too fast for her?”
Kim sat at the vanity table. “You’re right, of course. Monique still had too many things to consider. Maybe she was just considering Ron?”
“Nah, sorry; I thought I’d give a damn.”
Shego giggled as Kim threw the box of tissues at her.
“You can be such a pain!”
“Ok, maybe this will help; any man who has the traits and skills that you have would eventually get my attention. We fought for years before my… opinion of you changed. It was because of who and what you are.”
“Really?” Kim had heard this before, in bits and pieces, but she loved when Shego said it.
“So, if you met someone else, a man that was like me, you’d be attracted to him?”
“Pumpkin, before I answer that, I can tell where you’re going with this and I need to point out a flaw in your original question. You used the word ‘attractive’. That implies traits and characteristics that go far beneath the skin.”
For someone without a college degree, Shego was a bright and sharp person. Kim loved it when Shego began to lecture her on anything; Kim loved listening to someone with a good vocabulary and command of the English language.
“Using your example of Ron, he’s handsome enough for a boy, and will probably be even more handsome when he’s a man. But, not in this life or in any other, I will never be attracted to him. Other than his care and respect for you, I can take him or leave him.”
“He tries his best you know.”
“Ok, where exactly did this conversation take a wrong turn into ‘The Twilight Zone’?”
“Sorry, I got way off track. I just got a little defensive about Ron.” Even Kim didn’t know how they got so deep into this subject.
“Look, I’m not trying to cripple or maim him anymore. Does that count?”
Kim smiled, grateful that Shego wasn’t hurting anyone these days.
“It does. I’m just hope that if Monique is considering a relationship… of any kind… with Ron, that it’s a good thing for them both.”
Shego was getting bored with this discussion. She could count the people that she truly cared about on the fingers of one hand, so anyone not on the short list couldn’t retain her interest.
“This is sweet and all, but may I please use the can?” Kim winced at this and Shego loved doing that.
“Can I ask one more question?”
“Yeah, but make it quick, because I really need to use the can.”
“Since we’ve been together, has there been anyone that came close to meeting your standards?”
“Yes, but you’re not going to like it.”
“Who?”
“Your dad.”
Kim looked stricken.
“Ewww! Shego, that’s sick and wrong!”
“Ok, how about your mom?”
“Ewww! Wrong-sick!”
“Hey, what are you talking about; your mom is a cutie. I’ve been thinking of asking her to model some of your clothes for me, you know, just to see what I can expect a couple of years down the road.”
“Ghaa!”
“Hey, if something ever happens to you, don’t be too surprised if I don’t show up at their house.”
Kim started to throw herself back onto the bed in a dramatic display of horror, remembered the sleeping babies, and decided to just fall to the floor instead. Shego grinned at Kim’s disgust. She still loved to poke a few barbs under that smooth, perfect hide when she could.
A few minutes later, when Shego left the bathroom, the bedroom lights were out and Kim was on the top of the bedclothes, only partially changed out of her evening wear, fast asleep. She was curled around the sleeping forms of their daughters.
Shego leaned down and kissed each of them in turn, lingering over Kim, as the kiss became a caress. Then Shego lay down on the bed on the opposite side of the bed, their bodies forming a protective shield around the children.
They didn’t move from that position until they awoke the next morning.
After her first good night’s sleep in several days, Kim greeted the morning with a new perspective. Her subconscious mind had been replaying the late night conversation between her parents and Shego, and she was comfortable with what they had suggested.
While Kim would have preferred to have Shego with her at the appointment that day, Shego pointed out that ‘GJ’ was still very uncomfortable with their relationship. Shego didn’t want to leave Kim’s side either, but they agreed hat this would be a wonderful chance for Shego to have some Mom-time with her daughters.
And besides, Shego had already taken a small action to help the meeting go smoothly.
After a light breakfast and shared preparation of the children, Kim was on her way. When she returned to the ‘hardware store façade’ ingress, Kim wondered if her mother hadn’t been right; maybe something had ended. Kim certainly felt different as she made her way in, walking through the various security checkpoints while her identification was confirmed.
She felt taller, more confidant, and ready to take on the world.
There was a waiting room within the executive office level of Global Justice. It was to here that Kim was escorted and advised that Dr. Director might be delayed several minutes before they could speak. It was to the profound amazement of many of the passing ‘GJ’ agents and officers that Kim invested the time in sewing. Babies grew fast and infant clothes were expensive. Eventually, a junior agent was sent to collect Kim.
“Kimberly, welcome back. Please, have a seat.”
Dr. Betty Director was cordial and polite, as always. She greeted Kim with a firm handshake and showed her to a chair. The older woman had been the face of Global Justice from Kim’s perspective ever since she was first informed of their existence.
Stoic and disciplined, the woman’s commanding presence was enhanced by her eye patch; the patch was a warning to others that a hard lesson had been taught and learned in the distant past, so any one wanting to make an enemy of her had best be prepared for a battle.
“Apologies for making you wait; pressing business, you know”
“I understand; you don’t have to apologize. I just appreciate that I can meet with you at all. I can only guess at how busy your day is.”
“Quite so, but you are a special case, and I owe you my full attention.” Dr. Director gestured at the heaps of files and dispatches on her desk. “Such as it is.
“Now, I know why I’d hoped to speak with you today. Can you tell me what your expectations of this meeting might be?”
Kim carefully explained the discussion that had taken place at the Possible home on the night before. She outlined her own plan for continuing her education through ‘GJ’ and then hopefully becoming an agent, possibly non-hazardous duty while her children were young, but with the hopes of expanding those duties after some time had elapsed.
Dr. Director listened and asked very few questions; she nodded and let Kim hold the floor. Finally, Kim finished and waited pensively while the older women ruminated, apparently lost in thought.
“Kimberly, how well have you thought this through?”
“My family and I discussed the finer details just last night, but it’s been on my mind for weeks.” Kim didn’t elaborate that by ‘family’, she was including Shego. Kim knew that ‘GJ’ was aware of their relationship and was scrutinizing it very closely.
“Would it be too much to ask that you don’t always exceed my expectations?”
Kim was crestfallen; this wasn’t going well at all. Then the words sunk in.
“Excuse me?”
Dr. Director reached down and selected a pink folder from the stack before her.
“Please pardon the color. I dare say that this is someone’s idea of a joke. Please take a moment and read this, Kimberly.”
Opening the folder, the documents inside outlined, in brief, recommended options for courses of study offered by the Global Justice network, some available online, and then a list of positions within ‘GJ’ that ranged from inter-departmental support to agents and field operatives with varying levels of security.
“As soon as you called me to schedule the little exhibition we conducted yesterday, I had a panel of our top analysts review our file on you and come up with that.” She gestured at the pink folder. “I was praying that you would be considering something like this.”
Kim was thunderstruck. She hadn’t guessed that ‘GJ’ would have been so eager to hear her plans, let alone be thinking along similar paths, or the same path.
“Wow!” Kim spoke before she realized that this might not have been the best reaction for a prospective and hopeful agent of Global Justice. She raised her hand to her mouth, but she couldn’t keep the grin from her face.
Dr. Director, although in a controlled manner, shared that grin.
“Kimberly,” Dr. Director paused, then continued, “I want you to know that there is no pressure on you to become a part of Global Justice, but we very much want you to join us. You’ve been very fortunate up to now; you have bounced back from just about everything that the world has thrown at you.”
The woman stood, tall and rigid behind her desk. She regarded Kim closely with her good eye.
“But while good fortune favors the well prepared, time catches up with us all sooner or later. Don’t be caught alone in the darkness one day. Be a part of a larger team.”
“What about Team Possible?” Kim could not envision her future without Ron and Wade, and she definitely hoped that one day Shego could be enticed to be a hero again.
“While receiving tutelage and training from ‘GJ’… I mean Global Justice… you would be considered a probationary operative and no missions would be permitted for the duration of your studies with us.”
Kim’s reaction was automatic and potentially devastating. To her credit, the older woman did not waiver.
“Pouting aside, once an agent has graduated from his or her probationary status, they are able to assemble their own network of contacts. Rest assured, we’ve already run security checks on Mr. Stoppable and Mr. Load and each would pass muster.”
Kim breathed a heavy sigh of relief. She had another question, however but wasn’t sure how to pose it. As usual, Dr. Director seemed to anticipate her concerns.
“There is one potential challenge. Kimberly, I know of your relationship with Shego. We had suspected as much within a few weeks of your pregnancy. The life that you are sharing with this person seems to be changing her for the better, but I won’t deny that we are skeptical.”
“We… love each other very much. Is that going to be a problem?”
“No. Your life together has been a testament to your love and your desires to keep this new life intact are obvious. But Shego has committed criminal acts that cannot be forgotten so easily. She will have to take some immense strides before she earns the full trust of Global Justice.” One clear eye stared piercingly at Kim. “Or mine.”
Dr. Director reached behind her and took a small envelope from her desk.
“This was on my desk when I returned here after the training evaluation yesterday.” The cream-colored envelope was of heavy stock and the card inside was made of the same high quality paper. Simply, it read:
‘Do treat her like an adult.’
‘Do listen to what she says.’
‘Do answer her questions truthfully.’
‘Do not lie to her.’
‘Do not screw with her head.’
‘Do not make her cry.’
‘Hugs and kisses – S’
“Shego had to bypass several checkpoints in order to infiltrate the executive level offices and deliver this. And there are reports that she has used the phrase ‘hugs and kisses’ to make an overt threat to throttle and bite someone.”
Kim kept her eyes downcast and nodded. Her better half wasn’t making this easy.
“I’ll talk to her. She’s just looking out for me. It won’t happen again.”
“Yes, well, please see that it does not. Her protective nature is commendable, but thumbing her nose at our security protocols is not the way to ensure that greater trust we spoke of.”
Having agreed on a plan for Kim’s future, Dr. Director and Kim saw fit to end their meeting. Dr. Director walked Kim back through the security checkpoints.
“Kimberly, this offer will remain open to you indefinitely, and the hand of Global Justice will always be extended to you in friendship. Please consider this offer carefully and get back to me in your own time.” They had reached the last corridor of the actual ‘GJ’ facility.
“There is one thing, however.” Dr. Director stopped, looking more than slightly uncomfortable. “I also have something of a personal concern, if you will permit me to be so presumptuous.”
The women stood in the hallway, one listening and one looking as if she were waiting to be shot.
“I have always thought very well of you, and if I were ever to be so blessed with a daughter, I would have her be like you. So, while I strongly suggest that you consider our offer, I would not want you to make a decision based purely on emotion.”
“I’m not sure I follow.”
“You are a good girl, a very good girl and you listen to your friends and family closely. The only thing that you could ever do to disappoint me would be to allow yourself to be pressured into something you are not comfortable with.
“Do what you feel is right and what you can live with. Don’t let anyone pressure you into making a choice you will be sorry about, not even me.”
“I understand. Don’t worry about me, this feels right.” Kim smiled ruefully. “We, uh, all talked about it last night; my parents and Shego and I. No pressure, right?”
“As you say, no pressure.” Betty Director shook Kim’s hand firmly. “Be well. Call us when you’ve reached a decision.”
“I will.” Kim suddenly felt a strong gratitude to this woman. She moved closer and embraced her briefly, not wanting a display of affection to be noticed by the rank and file of ‘GJ’. That would certainly look damn peculiar.
“Thanks for everything. And never be afraid to stop by the house… our apartment, I mean.”
Kim left with a wave.
“Take care of yourself.” Dr. Director spoke to an empty corridor.
Kim returned to the apartment in record time. Shego was there, as were their children, each of them proving that strained yams were not a fashion accessory.
Shego stood and wiped their daughter’s lunch out of her eyes.
“Well?”
Kim had adopted a hangdog expression just before she had entered. There was no reply as she walked past the kitchen to the living room.
“What did she want? Huh? What did you two talk about?” Shego followed Kim and then stopped. “Didn’t she get my message? I swear that if she messed with you…”
Kim mumbled as she lowered herself onto the sofa.
“What was that, baby?”
“Custodial technician for Global Justice, junior grade. That’s what she wanted to talk to me about. Dr. Director felt that’s all I was good for.” Kim sniffled.
“You are kidding me, right? Tell me that you’re kidding me!”
“Especially since I cleaned the floor with you.” Kim waited for this to sink in.
“Ghaa!”
Shego reached down and grabbed Kim by the ankles, hauling her into the air, and let her hang upside down. Kim was laughing by now. Shego held Kim at arms length, still upside down, the light summer dress bunching around Kim’s waist, and Shego walked back into the kitchen.
“Look who’s home! Mommy’s home, girls! She’s going to show us how NOT to eat strained yams.” The tiny girls had begun clamoring for their ‘Mommy’ as soon as they had noticed Kim walk past the kitchen.
Kim was ’Mommy’ and Shego was ‘Mom’ and both children were able to tell the difference. So could Shego, but she’d learned not to let Kim know she felt inadequate as a parent.
Shego flipped Kim over and then sat back down on her chair. She placed Kim, who was still giggling uncontrollably, on her knee like a large ventriloquist’s dummy.
“Now this is the right way.” Shego, in turn, fed a heaping spoon of yellow muck to each girl. While they had previously been fighting off the distasteful ‘airplane’ or ‘choo-choo’, they sensed that something was about to happen and accepted the mouthfuls willingly.
Shego pulled the single bowl of yam paste towards her. All three females looked at her expectantly.
“But this is the wrong way.” Shego used her hand to scoop the remaining yams from the bowl and gently smeared the entire gloppy mess on Kim’s face. The eyes of Sheki and Kasy grew as big as saucers. Then they began to scream.
“I blame you for this,” said Shego. “I will not be held accountable for my actions.”
“Yuck. Why do we feed this stuff to them?”
“Go away. I’m not talking to you… at least not until you clean that stuff from your face. It smells.”
Kim was back a few moments later, having changed into something more casual for home life. It was just as well, because until her daughters saw her cleaned face again, they wouldn’t stop screaming and had begun smearing strained yams into their hair. It was the better part of an hour before the girls were clean enough to play.
There was a small park across the street from the apartment building and it made for a quiet spot where Kim could tell Shego the full details of her meeting. The infants crawled or rolled around, each under the watchful eye or hand of their mothers.
“And that’s how it went down, for real?” Shego asked when Kim finished.
“Yep. And she gave me plenty of time to be sure about it.”
“It’s been way too serious around here for weeks, Princess. I think we both need to lighten up a little. Maybe get away for a while.”
“Not without the girls, thought?” Kim was fixing the barrette in Sheki’s hair while the tiny girl examined a butterfly on a nearby flower. “I really don’t feel like leaving them right now.”
“Oh, no, definitely with the girls.” Shego had forced Kasy back into her clothing, again, and also was of a mind to keep their children close. Though Shego had her doubts, she was just as good a parent to these children as Kim was.
Shego sat on the dry grass, part of her mind silently considering what Kim had told her about the meeting at Global Justice. Kim waited for her to say something more about it, but there weren’t any words yet.
Kasy was making a break for it and Shego lay back on the grass so that she could snag the errant child with her outstretched hand. Shego pulled the squirming child close and hugged her to her chest. Still she did not reply to Kim, so Kim decided to make a move.
“I just want you to be happy for me.”
Shego rolled over so that each woman, each holding one of their daughters to their chests, was viewing the other at a 90-degree slant.
“You know that I want to. You do know that, right?”
“Ok, sure. But?”
“But it was easier when I didn’t love you. Now I can barely stand the thought of you being in danger.”
“Well, does it help that my worst enemy has resorted to using baby food as her primary weapon?”
“This is serious, Kimmie. And besides, now that we’re together, you are your own worst enemy. In a way, you always have been.”
“How so?”
“You won’t quit, you never stop and you can ‘do anything’. Those folks around you see you as more a force of nature than human. No one can keep up with you.”
Kim was puzzled, but not hurt. She knew that Shego needed a little more time when making a deeply personal point.
“What exactly are you telling me?”
“That if I could lock you away in the proverbial ‘ivory tower’, I just might do it.”
“Is that what you really want?”
Shego said nothing; Kasy’s hair was ruffled and the pale green cheeks were stroked by slightly darker green fingers. Shego had her eyes closed tight.
“You are my friend and lover and partner. You have got to share your thoughts with me. Now tell me, is that what you really want? To lock me away?”
“…”
“Hmm?”
“No.” Shego’s eyes were still closed.
“Then who am I?”
“My partner.”
“And?”
“My lover.” The eyes were open now.
“What else?”
“You are my friend.” There was a smirk and the eyes rolled slightly.
“And if we’re together, nothing can stand in our way, right? We’re invincible!”
“You sound like you’re itching for a fight.” Shego smirked again, wondering what Kim was thinking.
“I agree that we’ve been too serious for too long. I’m thinking that it’s time for the world to see the unbeatable team of ‘Kim and Shego’…”
“’Shego and Kim’…”
“Whatever. Please say my name.”
“What?”
“Say my name.”
“Aw, do I have to?” Shego glanced around to see if anyone else was within earshot.
“Yes, and say it the way I like you to when we’re… you know.”
“Nuts,” Shego sighed. “You’re… Kim Pos-si-ble!” It had a weird singsong intonation and Shego had no idea why Kim liked to hear it said like that, especially when they were in the throes of passion.
Immediately following, and startling both women, was the musical chirping of the Kimmunicator.
Kim reached for it without conscious thought, which she had done a thousand times, but then she stopped. The device chirped again.
“Do I answer this, or do I put it away forever and stay locked in the kitchen, barefoot and pregnant?” Grinning, Kim clarified, “Well, barefoot anyway.”
“Oh, no. You do what you want. Don’t lay this on me.”
“I wouldn’t dream of it. But do I answer this or not?” Again, the device chirped insistently
“You answer it and save the world, again.”
Kim smiled and activated the Kimmunicator.
“What’s the sitch, Wade?”
The small boy was bereft of his humorous attire from the previous day; he was wearing the blue T-shirt and jeans combination that Kim had seen for years. His tone was also all business this time.
“Kim? Is everything alright?”
“Sure, Wade. Sorry for the delay. What’s up?”
“As usual, Dr. Drakken is up to his old tricks. There is a report on your website that he’s stolen a truck load of old wrist watches… why is Kasy naked in public?”
Both Kim and Shego turned to see that little Kasy had removed her clothes yet again and was sitting on them. She hadn’t moved so no one had noticed how she’d done it.
“I’ve got her.” Shego held the child and dressed her. She was getting so good at this that she felt like a soldier doing a field assembly of a rifle. She could probably do this blindfolded.
“Oh, hi, Shego.”
“ Meh.” Wade was not on the short list and apparently he knew it.
“Any-hoo, he might be hoping to use the radium from the watch faces to power something, like another death ray or weather machine.”
Shego watched Kim’s face, rapt over the tiny screen as she absorbed the details of Drakken’s latest scheme. She wondered if this was the same look that Kim had when learning of an impending battle with her. Did her face light up or did she scowl? Right now, Kim looked just so damn good.
Kim switched off the device, apparently having received the location of Drakken’s current lair and any remaining details.
“Want to go with me?”
“I’m going to be on you like white on rice. Is Stoppable going?”
“Wade is calling him now. Problem?”
“No, but he’d better not get in our way.”
They collected the girls and walked back across the street. Shego waited until they didn’t have to watch for traffic before speaking again.
“Pumpkin, you aren’t going to try to get me to be a hero again, are you? I’ve already told you that I’m not a part of that world anymore.” The elevator had reached their floor.
“I’ll always hope that one day you’ll be a hero again,” said Kim. She reached over and stroked Shego’s arm. “In the meantime, you can be my hero.”
“Sheesh!”
“Let me call that girl downstairs and see if she can watch the girls.”
Shego went straight to the bedroom and pulled their ‘action clothes’ from the wardrobe. Every stitch was removed so that she could luxuriate in slipping into the form-fitting material of her green and black outfit. She turned around to see Kim watching her from the doorway.
“You now, I used to wonder, before we would fight, what you might be thinking when you suited up.”
“And I used to wonder what you were thinking when you’d get a call about me on the Kimmunicator.”
“At first it was fear, then frustration and anger.”
“You were afraid of me?” Shego moved closer, her form and movements much like that of a stalking predator.
“I was.” The smaller girl looked up into the other’s face without fear. “But not for a long, long time. The frustration was because I couldn’t say anything to you about how I felt... later.”
“And the anger?”
“Thinking that I’d never be able to do anything about how I felt, and that I had to just keep fighting with you in the meantime.”
Shego planted a quick kiss on the brow of her lover. Then she started to hand over Kim’s own mission clothes.
“And what did you think about while waiting for me to show up?”
“Well, I was constantly working out a plan to incorporate this move into my fighting style.” Shego slipped Kim’s black crop-top over her own head, leaving it covered.
“What kind of a move is that? You can’t see and you would be vulnerable.”
“You have absolutely no idea what I’d be doing in here, do you?”
“Oh…OH!” Kim ripped the shirt from Shego’s head, exposing her leering expression and shark-like grin. That grin widened when Shego saw just how red Kim’s blush was.
Kim hurried into her own outfit.
“I also wondered how you looked getting dressed, you know.”
“And?” Shego moved closer before answering.
“I like.”
“Well, we will discuss your new fighting moves when the mission is over.” Kim grabbed Shego by the upper arms and propelled her towards the door.
“I also have a few new moves that I’d like to show you.”
“New moves? You haven’t been sparing with anyone else behind my back, have you? Like Monique?”
“Ghaa!”
To Be Continued…
Author’s Note: Ok, the stage has been set and most of the main characters introduced. It was important to me to make all of the personal relationships clear before continuing, because things are about to change. I hope that these early chapters didn’t feel too rushed, and that no one got too bored or developed any cavities. Now my fun begins.
Also, if you’re a fan of ‘Doctor Who’, you’ll know whom I’m referring to when I mention the Brigadier. My interpretation of Dr. Betty Director is modeled largely on that character. If you’ve ever watched the Jon Pertwee episode ‘Inferno’, they even gave him an eye patch for a while. In fact, I’ve always seen ‘GJ’ as being something very much like U.N.I.T.