Shego was nearing the end of her pregnancy when she finally conceded to having a baby shower thrown for her.

She still felt self-conscious and uncomfortable about being pregnant. She never really wanted kids or imagined she would have kids until things got serious with Drakken. Shego felt like pregnancy wasn't in her nature, but there she was, seven and a half months pregnant with a baby girl to be named Rhea.

Just as uncomfortable as she was mentally, she was physically. Shego wasn't sure she could go through this again. Just because she didn't have a period didn't mean she didn't bleed from somewhere else! More than once she had to deal with a nose bleed and even her gums bled at one point! She was still nauseous and always hot. She felt as big as a house. She hated it! She hated being pregnant! If anyone thought she was caustic before…

Her work life may be the only thing that was faring well in her eyes. Just around her third month, Shego was granted maternity leave. Her job was too dangerous for a pregnant woman. Thus, she went back to her old stomping grounds, substitute teaching. And okay, maybe this time around she enjoyed the littler kids more than the older.

Shego often caught herself wondering about the child growing inside her when substituting for the lower grades. She liked the way one student had her hair done and would have to remember it for Rhea. She wondered if Rhea would be the bubbly little girl with bright eyes or the quiet reader with a thirst for words. Inevitably, she would run into trouble makers whose parents let them get away with far too much and say to herself Rhea will not be like that.

Jill and Savannah, her longest friends, constantly pestered Shego about letting one of them throw her a baby shower. Shego never saw the point of a shower. Rhea had everything she needed already, and everyone (that Shego wanted) would be at the hospital when she was born. A shower felt like she was showing off she was pregnant and felt greedy to her.

Then, her own mother took things into her hands. Shego literally received an invitation to her own baby shower in the mail.

It wasn't that Shego was estranged from her mother like she was her father. On the contrary, they spoke daily, and she had an amazing relationship with her mother. Her mother, Kate, simply knew her daughter well enough to know that if there was to be a shower, she'd have to take it into her own hands. With the help of Jill, Savannah and her son-in-law, the shower was planned behind Shego's back. The only thing Shego did for the shower was to make a post on the neighborhood Facebook group to warn everyone that the neighborhood may be a bit crowded car-wise but that she would make sure it wouldn't be an issue. Yeah, she may be a former villain, but she hated it when people were inconsiderate.

Shego sighed and admitted defeat. Apparently, Drew wanted to throw one and Rhea was just as much his as she was hers and Shego couldn't deny him anything.

The guest list was short. Just the parents to be, Jill, Savannah, Kate and Drakken's mother, Miriam. Shego's brothers were invited, but none wanted to risk getting their heads bitten off by their hormonal sister for not using a coaster.

Kate also knew her daughter well enough to know that Shego would be unlikely to participate in any games or activities that weren't Cards Against Humanity or something just as politically incorrect. She herself conceded, planning a simple dinner and gifts party, though she was willing to bet she could get Drew to bob for pacifiers.

Shego did allow decorations which matched the theme of Rhea's nursery; Starry Night by Van Gogh. Her room was painted deep blue with gold stars and glitter in the paint and fairy lights. The motif spread out into the living room with blue and gold crepe paper and streamers.

Kate did make her daughter wear a plastic tiara and sash for the party which Shego only put up a minor fuss about. She bribed Stephanie with the promise of a full month of early morning childcare for Rhea's first month of life in Stephanie wore them.

Just as dessert was about to be served, there was a knock at the door. Drakken and Shego stood to answer the door, with Kate behind them. Shego peaked out a nearby window and sighed.

"Who's that?" Kate asked.

Shego groaned, "Our annoying neighbor, Janice. She tries to get us to go to church with her, like, every Sunday."

"I'll take care of her," Drakken said, his napkin still tucked into his collar, before he opened the door.

"Hello, Janice. We're in the middle of our baby shower. Can we do this later?" He asked, eager to get back to the table a second helping. He noticed Jill eying the last dinner roll and she noticed that he noticed.

"Oh, it won't take long," Janice said as the party gathered behind the once evil doctor and sidekick. "I saw your post on the Facebook and thought I should bring over my homemade lemon squares!" Janice beamed. Drakken wasted no time in grabbing one for each hand and chomping down, "I make them with Youthful Essential Oil's lemon oil!"

Drakken grimaced once the taste got to him, "Tastes like perfume. Why not use the actual lemon?"

Janice's face deflated, she clearly never thought of that.

Drakken kept eating, "Yeah, these are terrible." He started smacking like a toothless duck and grimacing at the taste but continued taking bites. "They taste like my grandma's perfume."

Savannah took a tiny piece and gagged, "It tastes like literal bile!" She said with her hand over her mouth.

Mama Lipsky shoved herself between her son and Shego. "Ya gotta get lemons from the orchard off highway 51."

"Well, I don't know what is sprayed all of those lemons. Pesticides and such." Janice argued, holding her dish of perfumy lemon squares protectively.

"That's Old Man Jenkin's orchard. Everyone knows he's been using natural stuff to get rid of pests since forever." Jill said peaking from the back. "Like ladybugs and whatnot."

"Who knows what's in that bottle," Shego said, "Essential oils are not regulated by the FDA. They can put anything in there. They aren't even cleared to go on your skin, let alone in your mouth."

Shego looked to Drakken, starting on his third piece. She shrugged, he was a lost cause anyway.

"Well, I guess it's an acquired taste. Stephanie, I would love to host a pox party for your little one, my Jeremiah still needs to get the virus!" She said excitedly, "Oh I have so much to share you with you about those nasty vaccines!"

"You don't vaccinate!?" Shego yelled. In fear of catching anything that could harm Rhea, she covered her mouth and nose in precaution. She hid behind her husband as a human shield. At this point, looking idiotic in a plastic tiara and sash were the least of Shego's worries.

"I remember getting the smallpox vaccine in 1967 when I was a little girl. I still have the scar!" Mama Lipsky said proudly. "Have you ever seen someone with smallpox? It's not a pretty sight." She chided Janice.

Janice began to stumble over her words, trying to preach her message. "The science just isn't there."

"My husband is a scientist!" Shego screeched, her free fist clenched, still covering her mouth and nose.

"Yeah, vaccines have proven their merit, like, a million times over by now. Anyone who says otherwise is falling for pseudoscience and dribble." Drakken said as he began to pull apart an oily lemon square in his hand, "Can I use this as cologne?" He asked Janice seriously.

"Lady, what do you do for a living?" Jill asked, her hands on her hips, "Where's your degree?"

"Okay, that's enough of this," Kate said, wrangling everyone back inside.

Shego broke away from her mother's guiding arm, "I don't want you or any of your little toxic cretins around my family!" She hollered, "I will call the CDC to tent your ugly ass house of biological horrors!"

Drakken quickly scooped his wife up and closed the door.

"Steph, what did I tell you about antagonizing the neighbors? This was supposed to be a fresh start!" Drakken whined.

"Oh yeah, I'm antagonizing. Don't come crying to me if Rhea is born with toes on her forehead because of those idiots!"

"Well, you did say that your neighbor Michael's shoes were last season," Savannah said, deliberately riling her friend up.

"Well, they were ugly!"

"Let's have cake and ice cream!" Kate announced, trying to break up the tension.

The ruckus died down with the addition of dessert and the party resumed.

Drakken and Shego were cuddled on the couch, his arms around her as she leaned on him and her legs kicked up on the cushions. Everyone was in a deep discussion about what kind of parents they'd be as the couple laughed and enjoyed the company.

"Steph's totally gonna be one of the tiger moms, but not like the crazy strict kind." Jill said, adamantly, "the kind that goes Hulk if someone bothers their kids." Still holding her plate of cake and chocolate ice cream, she flexed her arms and frowned deeply, her voice growling, "You hurt my kids! I hurt you! Roar!"

Shego laughed and rolled her eyes, playing the ends of her hair.

"Well, my Drewbie will be an excellent father!" Mama Lipsky smiled.

Then, there was another knock at the door.

Shego's hands instantly flared green, "If that Karen Hun Bot is back you'll have to squeegee her off the sidewalk after I'm done with her!" She yelled, standing up as fast as she could (which wasn't really that fast anymore) and waddling to the door.

She threw open the door about to yell, "WHA -oh."

On the doorstep stood more neighbors, Juliet with the elderly Miss Hazel on her arm, a small quilt slung over Juliet's free arm.

"Janice get to ya first?" Juliet teased.

"You have no idea. C'mon in. Want some cake and ice cream?" Shego asked.

Of all the neighbors, Shego liked Juliet and Miss Hazel the best. Both were independent who didn't take shit from anyone. Miss Hazel was wise and friendly and Shego could bitch about others with Juliet.

"No thank you, dear." Hazel said, "We just popped over to give our congratulations and our presents."

Juliet took a cookie that Mama Lipsky made as everyone sat back down.

"I hope this works with your color scheme," Hazel said, offering the quilt to Shego.

"That's why you asked me about the colors!" Drakken said in sudden understanding, snapping his fingers.

Hazel grinned and nodded.

The quilt was the size for a baby and simple with wisteria blossoms on the corners. "Is this for us?" Shego asked, hoping she was not misunderstanding and making herself look like a greedy fool.

"Indeed, it is." Hazel answered, "I've been watching the wisteria you planted. I'm glad they've taken off so well."

"It's my favorite flower," Shego was genuinely appreciative. "You really didn't have to go through all the trouble…" She had only spoken to Hazel a few times. It was mostly Drew who knew her as he helped install her video doorbell, remote controlled and adaptive technologies that would help her remain independent. It was a win-win for him; he got to tinker and was paid in baked goods.

"It's no trouble, darling," Hazel said with a dismissive wave of her age gnarled hand. "It gave me something to do with my time. Every baby needs a handmade blanket."

Juliet herself gifted several boxes of diapers and burp rags as well as a few new toys and treats for Commodore Puddles so he wouldn't feel left out and act up.

The night ended with Shego realizing that neighborhoods and baby showers weren't that bad.