David Clark Allen, Shego Rocks!

TWENTY-THREE

Three weeks elapsed since that first kiss.

Actually, not a whole lot changed between Kim and Ron; the only noticeable difference was they would often hold hands as they walked to classes, or they would duck behind a door to steal a kiss or two, before Mr. Barkin came around.

But Kim still would roll her eyes at Ron's mascot antics; he still would occasionally gripe about her bossiness. But everything always worked out; it was all part of their wonderful relationship.

Kim worked furiously to make up her incompletes, finishing them all in half the time allotted her. In the end, she maintained her perfect marks. She helped Ron along, too, as he improved his schoolwork. His was hardly perfect work, but at least he was passing, and Kim cheered him upon every new success. Their road to college together was now unobstructed.

Their mission abilities thereafter improved dramatically, as well. The next call from Wade was on a suspected heist by Señor Senior Sr. and son. It turned out Wade was right; the Seniors were in Paris, infiltrating the Louvre, looking for valuables to finance a take-over-the-world scheme. Team Possible pounced upon the pair with precision timing-one on each of the two villains; and they tied up the Seniors before they could even respond. It was thus far their easiest triumph. And they accomplished it through teamwork.

The Paris police came shortly after the duo had subdued the villains.

"Mon dieu! Thank you, Kim Possible. If it weren't for you, the Seniors would have made off with some of the world's most prized treasures!"

"What were they after?"

"Some Stephen Silver originals. Irreplaceable!"

Ron stared at the father-and-son team, appalled. "You ought to be ashamed of yourselves!"

The elder Senior looked surprisingly calm while seated with his body bound, and he turned to Junior. "Ah, here's a situation from which you can learn villainy, my son."

Junior was perplexed. "But they captured us so fast, Father!"

"You see, this is the part where the villain says, 'You haven't seen the last of me, Kim Possible!'"

Junior looked up to Kim. "You haven't seen the last of me, Kim Possible. You will always have a place in my heart."

Senior sighed. "I think we need to work on your villainy lessons some more when we get home, son."

Kim and Ron arranged for a stone monument to be built upon the spot where Shego was last seen.

They traveled out to the site as soon as they were able, bearing flowers and other mementos to adorn the monument. They saw that Shego's brothers had already left flowers at the memorial, and that many people who remembered Shego's good deeds as member of Team Go had left bouquets, too.

Everything was peaceful, and there was no sound other than the gentle breeze. Kim was greatly moved by the sight. She shook her head. "If only you were around to see this, Shego. Who said you were never loved?"

She stood with Ron, hand-in-hand, for a moment of silence. When Ron looked up, his face turned white.

"Kim," Ron squeaked. "It's-it's Drakken . . ." He stared at the mad scientist approaching them from over the hill. "He's come to fry us with a laser!"

Kim gestured to him. "Ron, wait." She looked at the approaching man closely. "It's okay. He's just here to pay his respects."

"And then fry us with a laser!"

"No, it's cool. Just trust me on this. He's alone."

Without a word, Drakken moved up next to the pair and stopped. "Yes. Well. Fine day we're having, isn't it?" He sighed, and appeared to be fighting tears. "She was so young." Drakken looked over to them. "Did you know she was the greatest bedtime story reader? I always fell asleep before she even got halfway through the first chapter."

Ron scratched his head. "Oh."

Kim eyed Drakken. "So, what are you going to do now?"

Drakken shook his head. "I really don't know."

"What about taking over the world?"

Drakken paused. "What world?" He pulled his overcoat tighter around himself, shivered slightly, and then turned to leave. He stopped momentarily to collect his thoughts one last time. "Shego was my world."

Kim and Ron watched in silence as the pitiable man walked away among the dying leaves.

As the weeks passed quietly for Kim and Ron, they made plans for holidays together, graduation together, and college together. Halloween was the first major event for them as a couple. Ron went over to Kim's place as he had every year. But unlike previous years, he cuddled with Kim on her couch.

He looked at her quizzically. "You look different this year, but I'm not exactly sure why."

"Well, what do you think? You've got your arm around me, and you're about three feet closer than last time. And what's more, I'm in love."

"Are you sure I'm not just your rebound, after Josh?"

She looked at him with mock seriousness. "Yes. Twelve years of hanging with you is so rebound." She giggled. "Ron, you were always my love, from the moment I first set eyes on you in pre-K. And I'm not complete without you-at home, at school, or on my missions. I just never admitted it until that night Shego died."

"I'm not complete without you either, K.P." Ron could tell her mind was drifting to a sadder thought, and he held her a little closer. "It's not the same without her around, is it?"

"No, it isn't," she said. "Villain or not, things will never be the same without her. I'd even be relieved to see her glowing hands and hear her insults." She sighed. "I told Hego personally about what happened to Shego. And do you know what her brothers' reaction was? They sent me a sympathy card. Can you imagine that? They wrote to me, sending me condolences for my loss!"

Kim's cell phone rang, and she answered it. Monique was on the other end, and she sounded excited. "Hey, Kim! Got the annual Halloween party action again tonight. It's going to be just super-"

"Your parties are always the most." Kim smiled. "Thanks, Monique, but I've got another party this year. Just for two."

"Ooh, you're going to spend Halloween alone with the Ronster?" Kim could hear Monique's smile in her voice.

"Oh, yeah. But save me a candy apple, won't you?"

"I'll save two. Your boyfriend's got quite an appetite. Sorry I don't have any chimiritos, but I don't think he'd mind a candy apple."

"Say, I'll see you around tomorrow, 'kay?"

"Okay, friend! And I'll completely understand if you're wiped out."

Kim grinned slyly. "Thanks, I appreciate that!" She hung up the phone and turned to Ron. "So what's our trick-or-treat costume this year, Ron? You have the unicorn outfit again?

Ron put his hands behind his head and leaned back in thought. "Uh, well, maybe I can do without the T-or-T action this year."

"That's quite a sacrifice. For you, anyway. I can't tell you how touching that is."

"Not that big a sacrifice. Seeing as your 'rents and brothers are away for the evening, and Rufus is upstairs playing in the tube maze. It'll just be you, me, and the trick-or-treaters who come to your door."

Kim looked at him slyly. "And if we take in the jack-o'-lantern and shut the door, there won't even be trick-or-treaters. It'll just be me and you in the dark."

Ron gulped.

"Ooh, that's a scary thought?" Kim teased. "Come here, you. I'll give you a Halloween treat." She put one knee on the couch next to him and, resting her wrists upon his shoulders, guided her face slowly towards his. She nibbled his lower lip gently, he wrapped his arms around her midsection, and the two of them interlocked their mouths.

They were startled by a sharp rap at the front storm door.

Kim groaned and looked up. "Trick-or-treaters, already? It's still early." She went to the door. Instead of children, a bored middle-aged deliveryman stood on her porch. He carried a tall lightweight package covered with green tissue paper.

"Is Kim Possible here?" the man asked.

"I'm Kim Possible. How may I help you?"

"Delivery, for you."

Before Kim could react, the man had unloaded the package into her arms and walked away.

"B-but what is it?" Kim stammered. She peeled away some of the tissue paper, gasped audibly, and put her hand to her cheek. "Oh, Ron," she whispered, and shook her head. "Ron."

Ron stood up. "What? What is it?"

"You are just too sweet." She skipped over to him, and with her free arm, squeezed him tightly. "You are so goofy sometimes, but every once in a while you do the sweetest, most surprising things. That's why I love you."

"Uh, I'm really flattered, K.P., and I love you too, but I have to admit . . . I have no idea what you're talking about."

She peeled away the rest of the tissue, and gave Ron a knowing look. It was a bouquet of the most beautiful flowers she had ever seen. The arrangement was composed of three dozen yellow and white roses and hyacinths.

Ron's eyes grew wide when he saw the bouquet. "I . . . I really didn't send those."

Kim looked a little bit puzzled. "If you didn't, then who did?" She rolled her eyes, and sighed. "Junior!" She groaned. "Señor Senior Junior still has animology on his brain, and he still thinks I'm his perfect mate." She looked down. "Wait-what's this?"

A tiny envelope was tucked inside the bouquet. The envelope was addressed to her, but in a hand neither of them recognized.

"What is it?" he asked.

"I don't know."

She opened the envelope. Within it was a letter and a plastic card approximately the size of a credit card. "It's a Club Banana gift card . . . my own personal account. That's so nice, whoever sent it." She then read the amount on the card, and she nearly fainted. "R-Ron . . . look how much it's made out for!" she squealed.

Ron gasped. "You could buy a house in Upperton with this amount! Are those all zeros, or did they just type, 'Oooooh?'" He looked at Kim. "Who is it from? What does the letter say?"

Kim looked at the letter and smiled broadly. "It's from Shego!"

"So Shego's okay!" His face lit up. "Which means if Wade and G.J. can't track her, she isn't using any of her evil equipment anymore!" He giggled excitedly. "Hey-read the letter!"

She opened it up, and read:

Kimmie-

Two broken ribs, a ruptured spleen, and a shattered tibia healing up fine, no thanks to you.

Lucky for me, I still had some decent Club Banana clothes on under my jumpsuit. After I ditched the jumpsuit, some local hick found me and rushed me to the hospital. Hospital cuisine for two full weeks. Yummy.

I figure you're still wearing the same old lame clothing, as always. You'd better use this card ASAP and get yourself some real clothes. Maybe you'll finally learn what the new black is before you graduate. And I'll be sure to drop you some tips from time to time. But not right away-I found Drakken and he's got big plans now, talking about running an inner-city soup kitchen and starting a dodge-ball club for kids. Hey, sounds good to me.

Oh, and I'm in contact again with my brothers. They're all idiots, but they still are, after all, my brothers.

Shego

P.S.: Loser! Next time I see you, I'm going to kick your butt again. Like I did in that helicopter.

Kim smiled and looked up from the letter. "Shego's strange way of saying she likes me."

"And she used her own money to pay for the card?"

"Naturally. It's going to be habit with her. And look, notice the flowers aren't Halloween colors? Or Shego colors, for that matter?" She gently lifted the flowers to her chest, and smiled broadly. "Yellow flowers, the color of friendship. White flowers, the color of peace. She's sincere with her gifts this time, Ron. I can sense it."

She led him to the loveseat, and they sat close together, looking out the picture window. She continued to hold the bouquet close to her as well.

Ron grinned. "Shego really does rock, doesn't she? Hey, maybe she really is turning to the good side, this time for good?"

Kim closed her eyes, tenderly kissed the side of Ron's face, and cuddled up close to him. When he rested his head upon hers, she smiled contently, and they sat quietly before the window as nightfall approached. They could see the sunset had turned the sky a rosy pink, above the fiery red of the leaves of the maple trees.

"Could be, Ron. Could be."