Chapter 17

The young woman scanned the darkness around her for signs of the hidden foe, the emerald blaze surrounding her fists failing to pierce more than a few feet. "I don't know who you are," she growled, "but you're going to regret it when I get my hands on you."

"To find me, you would need to know who you are," the hauntingly familiar voice laugh at her. "You have no identity to draw strength from; no wonder the Monkey won't give you his passion."

Unable to determine a direction, Shego threw a number of blasts about randomly in frustration. "What the hell are you going on about? I know exactly who I am."

"Do you?" the voice seemed to whisper across the brunette's ear. "Are you Shego or Chloe? Master thief? Warrior for your new kingdom home? Mother you can't be to a sister than isn't yours? What happened to the rage that once burned in your belly? You clamped it down and dismissed it so you wouldn't lose the Monkey and the life he has handed you so effortlessly."

"Who are you?" the former villainess quavered.

A hand suddenly gripped her throat, lifting her from the ground. "That which is the only strength you have left. And, when the time of your trial comes, I shall take even that from you."

Shego startled awake, the image of a hauntingly familiar face flashing behind her eyelids. Sighing, the young woman threw her thin covers off and headed for the kitchen. "Stupid unseasonably warm nights are probably just giving me weird dreams," the brunette muttered as she took a sip of some cool water. "And now I'm talking to myself because some childish nightmares are keeping me from going back to sleep."

As she walked back down the hallway, a small smile crept onto her face as she looked in on Katarin's room. Though the girl was away for a week, Shego could hear the child's advice. Normally, the princess would say she would come to one of the adults if she was having a bad dream. In this case, she would tell the young woman to go to her companion. With a resigned sigh, she moved on to Ron's door, listening to his light snoring. "Hey, Stoppable," she whispered. "Wake up."

Not eliciting a response, the young lady tossed a small blast at his face. "Whazza," the blond man yelled out groggily, bolting upright and showing his naked chest in the moonlight.

"I can't sleep, so I came here," she stated, stepping into the room.

Ron nodded with a deep breathe, "okay, you sleep here." He began getting up.

The brunette pushed him back. "No, you idiot. I could have slept on the couch if I wanted."

The young woman slipped under the covers with him, and he laid back down. "You're not wearing any pants," her companion stated after a few moments.

"And you're not wearing a shirt, so we're even," Shego huffed with irritation. "Just go back to sleep."

As the young man surrendered himself to sleep, the lovely brunette shifted around every few minutes trying to find a comfortable position. Without warning, a strong arm suddenly pulled her by the waist to spoon against her bed mate. Stiffening, Shego was momentarily torn between blasting him for the presumptuousness or let him keep going now that he was finally showing interest. She relaxed when his head came beside her's and mumbled, "Gotta save flamingos. Need help fight."

"Flamingos?" the lovely women asked in confusion. "Are you really asleep? Who's attacking flamingos?"

"Lawn gnomes," he growled angrily.

Shego rolled her eyes with a smirk. Only he would have elaborate dreams about lawn ornaments. "Sure, chief, I'll help you fight those despicable lawn gnomes."

"You're the best," the blond sighed contentedly, nuzzling against her hair.

"Why did I have to fall in love with someone that can be so stupid," the brunette yawned, missing his sleep addled response as she drifted into serene slumber.

The young woman sat on the couch, reading aloud from a storybook as she periodically pulled the little girl back next to her. "You are the one that wanted me to read you a story before bed, kid."

"I'm not tired," the child giggled. "I'm a monster. Rawr."

Shego rolled her eyes as the small redhead climbed all over her, growling and biting her shirt. When Katarin accidentally stepped on the older woman's bandaged hand, the brunette yelped in pain. "Oh, no."

The former villainess gingerly flexed her hand and smiled reassuringly. "It is okay. Just a sparring injury with Stoppable."

The girl tried to look under the wrapping. "Is it bad? Does it need kisses?"

The brunette caressed Katarin's cheek. "It will just take a couple days to heal, and I will be fine."

The princess frowned. "I'll tell Big Brother to stop being mean to you," promised, running off.

The pale women sighed but couldn't help to smile. "Can't say things are ever boring around that kid."

A short time later, the giggling child was returned, held under the arm of a blond man. "Think you lost something," he stated.

Shego took a moment to take on his topless form, still glistening from the shower he had just been taking. "Knew where she was the entire time," she informed him, smirking.

Ron glared suspiciously. "Time for bed, tiny tot," the young man declared, giving her peck on the top of her head before holding the small girl out towards his companion. The brunette woman pretended to grumble as she allowed herself to be kissed on the cheek before the princess was carried off to her bed.

The blond returned, no longer shirtless. "You know I got you shirts of your own so you don't have to keep taking mine, right."

The women pouted seductively as she shifted her position to allow his gaze easier access down the top and emphasizing her cleavage. "What's wrong, sweetie? Don't think it looks good on me?"

He gave a short mocking laugh. "I'm still standing by it being a ploy to make me have to walk around half naked. Or you're just not happy unless you're stealing something. Besides, you were a fashionista back in the day. I'd think they'd be too plain for you."

The pale beauty sighed. "A girl likes to be comfortable around the house. And I used to wear the latest fashion. Here I have to make them. Everything is either utilitarian or formal, even off the rack. Anything else, I have to get designed and tailored. Way too much effort." She smirked at him. "You never said if you think your shirt looks good on me."

The young man ignored her teasing and sat down and taking Shego's injured hand to gently checked it over. "Giving you any trouble?"

"I told you, it's fine," she harrumphed. "Good as new in a couple days. Not all of us can heal major injuries with a flash of light."
"You've got to slow down," the blond advised worriedly. "This is the third time this month you've gotten hurt pushing your powers so hard. You might irreparably damage something if you keep at it."

The brunette yanked back her hand. "I should be stronger than this by now," she growled. "You're still not even breaking a sweat when we spar."

Ron sighed. "Chloe, I have spent almost a decade training; and you've already improved so much in as many months. You're magnitudes more powerful, proficient with swords, and fluent in a language that I'm pretty sure has no connection to anything back home."

"I used to kick your ass," she huffed.

"Let's try meditating again," the young man suggested, turning her so he could massage her shoulders. "You're always ignoring the mental side of your training."

"Whatever, Monty," the former villainess mocked, letting her head droop forward.

"I can stop so you can try to relax solo," he replied.

"No, no. This is kind of nice. Like when you and the kid give me foot rubs."

"How does she keep conning me into that," Ron complained.

The young woman smirked behind the curtain of her hair. "You know she's got you wrapped around her little finger, and you love it. What really gets you is that she gets tired of it quickly and leaves you to do both feet while she snuggles with me."

"Now, now, let's not let silly stuff like facts get in the way of things. Just keep taking deep breaths. In and out. Imagine your power like a fire inside you; it's warmth flowing through you, pulsing with each heartbeat." After a few minutes, the young man noticed her breathing become too regular. "Chloe? Chloe?"

Ron leaned over her shoulder to see she had fallen asleep, the long sparring session finally catching up to her. With a small chuckle, he carried her to bed and tucked her in. Kissing her forehead, "I'll find a solution."

Shego lightly hummed to herself as she walked back from the castle kitchen. It had been difficult to keep her plans secret, but she wanted to make the evening special. Today, the young woman was marking the one year anniversary of her arrival by cooking dinner. The hardest parts were getting the frosted cake she now held and convincing Ron and the kid to leave the house. She had left a tray of cookies cooling while dinner was in the oven.

The brunette wasn't sure why she made cookies knowing there would be cake but chalked it up to her overexcitement. There were a lot of changes she'd noticed in herself over the year. But that was why the young lady wanted to celebrate by doing something for those that made her feel real. Though learning to survive in this new land had been difficult, the former villainess had never been more happy and content.

Stepping into the kitchen, Shego found the princess patiently waiting with a plate of cookies in front of her. "Sorry, kiddo," the young woman apologized, sliding the plate away from the girl. "Almost dinner time, and you don't want to ruin your appetite."

Katarin pouted sadly.

The brunette tapped the girl under her chin. "Not going to work this time. Besides, what do you think Stoppable would say?"

As if on cue, the young man burst into the room calling out excitedly. "I got the milk." Ron looked at the two in confusion. "Did I miss something important?"

Shego glared at the young man before sighing and tossing the cake she had been holding onto the table. Without a word, she walked out of the room. The sound of the front door soon followed.

The blond man looked down at the little girl that had taken his hand and then over at the cake, reading the frosting message. One year of a new life and more to come. "Tiny tot, I think we really messed up."

"Should I tell your it's your fault again?" Katarin whimpered.

"No, I don't think that'll work this time" he replied. "I'm pretty sure she already knows."

It was late when Shego finally returned. She was still kind of irritated, but worked off most of her frustration. The young woman quietly made her way to her room so as not to disturb anyone. Approaching her door, she slowed at the sound of light snoring. Making a small energy sphere for light, the brunette found Ron sleeping against the door frame with the little princess curled up in his arms. Smiling to herself, Shego carefully extricated the child to carry her to bed.

"Don't let Big Sister go," Katarin mumbled sleepily, latching onto the woman. "I didn't eat the cookies."

She tucked the slumbering girl in and kissed her on the forehead. "I am not going anywhere, kid." Shego left for a moment to bring a plate of cookies set like a smiley face to leave on the nightstand.

Returning to her room, she knelt down to wake the slumbering man. Before her hand reached him, Ron started muttering in his sleep. "Mmm, Chloe," he uttered with a low moan, smiling. "Taste so good. Moist."

The raven-haired beauty blushed, unsure if she wanted to wake him up or not.

"Delicious cookies," the blond man murmured, smacking his lips.

The young woman growled as she stepped over the man's sleeping form to get inside her room. Kicking him over, she slammed the door into his sleep-addled and confused face.

"Like this?" Shego asked as she attempted to repeat the formal dance the little princess was trying to show her. Music playing on what she steadfastly just referred to as a phonograph.

"No," the redhead whined. "you spun around too many times."

"Are you sure?" the young frowned dramatically, trying to hide her grin. "I was sure that was how the teacher did it. Are you sure you spin around enough?"

"Yes," the young girl drew out with the exaggerated exasperation only a child could pull off with seriousness. "It's okay if you can't get it. Big Brother can show you; he's a 'bone-diggery glasser.'"

"That's 'bon-doggity dancer'," Ron corrected as he walked in, "and word on the street was that this one had moves that would melt your eyeballs."

The princess rushed up into his arms. "Big Brother, show Big Sister how to spin right."

"You know that was because I would blast all the skeazy guys," Shego stated as the young man stepped into position, Katarin clutched to his chest.

The blond shrugged as he moved in time with the music, both moving lightly as he twirled and spun his lovely partner. The little girl squealing with laughter until the young man dipped the two ladies together. "Again, do it again," the child giggled.

"Not this time," he replied, righting them. "I've got the horses packed with supplies; just need your stuff so we can go."

Shego looked at him skeptically. "Hold on, chief. What are you talking about?"

The blond looked confused. "Didn't I say I was taking you two out for something special tonight?"

"Maybe I do not want to go," she replied, fanning herself with her hand. "I feel a little under the weather."

"But, I already packed for us to camp out for a couple nights," Ron begged. "It's supposed to be fun."

"Big Sister," the young girl tugged at the older woman's shirt. "What's camping?"

"It's when you go out into the wilderness for fun, sleep under the stars and enjoy nature," Shego replied. "Get away from technology, but that is daily life here."

"We can walk on some trails, swim in a lake, all kinds of things," the young man added.

Katarin hugged the brunette's leg. "Will you carry me?"

The former villainess sighed. "You have to walk some," she said, rubbing the girl's head. "But when you are done walking, I will carry you."

The young princess smiled excitedly, "We're going camping?"

The older woman sighed. "Yeah, we are going camping. Grab your gear."
"Camping," Katrina cried excitedly, trundling off.

The brunette followed, repeating it with mock enthusiasm to get the little girl more riled up.

Ron blankly watched them leave. "I'm sure this is a punishment of some kind."

Ron finished setting up their shelter, a nearby boulder would be used to deflect the heat from the camp fire to keep them warm through the night. "It's going to be a tight fit with everyone together. I can't believe you guys didn't think to bring your own tents."

Shego sent another small blast under the logs set up in the fire pit building up the flames. "Well, someone said he had packed up all the camping gear. I figured we'd just need clothes." The dark-haired beauty called out to the little girl as she gleefully chased insects around the meadow. "Don't play too far, kid."

The child called out her confirmation without breaking stride, earning a smile from the older woman as she returned to playfully bickering with her companion. Wandering towards the tree line, Katarin came across a small rodent and chased it to a stump where it stopped to look at her curiously. "Hi, Mr. Fuzzy Face," she whispered loudly. As the girl leaned in closer, the small animal scampered off. "Where'd you go?" she asked the air, looking all over the stump.Unable to find the creature, she turned to find herself nose to nose with a large beast. Frozen with fear, Katarin whimpered as her eyes darted to find her older companions that weren't near.

The canine sat back on its haunches, whining at the tiny girl. Sensing her fear, he licked her face and waited a moment for her to reciprocate. With the child still frozen, the beast roughly rubbed his head into her chest until she fell over and causing her to start crying. Startled, the animal raced off.

In moments, Katarin was latched onto her adoptive brother, wailing about how a monster tried to eat her. The two adults checked her for injuries while trying to calm her down. "I thought you said it was safe her," the brunette hissed.

"I said I didn't sense anything," Ron whispered with a glare. "Besides you were supposed to be keeping an eye on her."

"Oh, so this is my fault?!", Shego snarled.

"Now isn't the time. We need to make sure it's not coming back," the young man stated.

"Don't let it get me," the child whimpered, squeezing tightly.

The former villainess rubbed the child's cheek. "We will not let anything hurt you."

As the two adults consoled the girl, the brunette beauty felt a familiar warmth tentatively nuzzling into her free hand and absently scratched under the animal's jaw. With a squeak, Katarin cried out, "Big Sister, it's trying to eat you."

Confused, the woman looked down at the large ball of fur now hiding behind her leg. "That is the monster?" she laughed.

The girl nodded vigorously.

Shego knelt down and pulled the canine's head up, squeezing his cheeks in her hands. "Aw, is the big bad monster afraid of the little girl," the brunette cooed. A pitiful whine her only reply.

"No, beat him up," the princess cried. "Big Brother!"

"This is the varuflur we told you about," the older female assured the child. "He just really likes attention."

"He wants to gobble me up," she mumbled. "Like in the stories."

Shego rested the beast's head on her shoulder, reaching around under his head to scratch his ears as he leaned against her back. "Is this really the face of something that gobbles up little girls?"

"Is he going to nibble off my toes, Big Brother?" Katarin asked, burying her face in his neck.

"Well, he is a wild animal," Ron started.

"Seriously, dude," the former villainess hissed.

The blond sighed. "No, Katarin. He probably won't eat you. He likes being petted by Chloe, but he isn't too fond when I do it."

"That's mean," the girl said, swatting at the canine. "Don't be mean to Big Brother."

The animal looked chastised and utter a low mournful howl.

Shego brightened a moment later, pushing the wolf off herself. "Hey, kid,watch this."

Kneeling in front of the beast, the young woman held her arms out. The canine hesitantly sniffed at her face and licked her chin. She gently shoved him away. "No, show Katarin how friendly you are."

The child watched as the wolf stepped into the woman's arms, resting his head and a paw on each of her shoulders and the other paw on her hip. "No," she whined as the brunette returned the embrace. "I get Big Sister's hugs."

"If you let him show you how sorry he is, you can get hugs as well," Ron told her.

"But he wants to eat me up, only you and Big Sister can do that."

Shego sighed. "I will hold on to him so he won't eat you. Will you let him say sorry?"

The princess mumbled her agreement, so the former villainess put her arm around the animal to keep hold while Ron knelt down. Katarin slowly leaned towards the beast as it whined and strained against the young woman's grip. As soon as the girl was close enough, the canine excitedly lapped at her face. Accepting the apology, she kissed him on the nose.

The child giggled as the wolf shook head to tail and then licked her face again before presenting his nose. "He likes it. What's his name?"

Shego shrugged. "We never gave him a name. Stoppable said that is how attachments are formed."

Katarin dropped down and hugged the beast around his neck. "I'm going to call you Balto."

"Great, now you'll want to feed him, too," the blond grumbled.

The girl brightened, pulling at her new friend. "Come on, Big Brother has the best food."

Shego laughed at his suffering look.

The young woman gently tucked a blanket around the sleeping child, keeping her against the wolf. It had taken some time to work off the death hug Katarin had on her new friend. Lying back down, the brunette pulled up the blankets she was sharing with her companion and settled against him so they could quietly talk again. The remnants of the meteor shower could be seen streaking across the sky through the opening of their shelter.

"Sorry it's so cramped in here," Ron whispered, their faces barely inches apart.

"Eh, reminds me of prison," the former villainess replied. "But I was usually big spoon."

"We'd have more room if it weren't for the mutt," he muttered.

"The kid is happy," she tried to placate the blond. "And you were his hero earlier."

"He got the meat bag stuck on his head. I just pulled it off."

"But the kid was so sad when he just laid down and cried," the brunette pouted. "You were the hero even if it was your fault."

"How was it my fault?" Ron whispered incredulously.

"Balto went for the bag because you put sauce from it on the kid's nose. And then my nose."

"Fine," Ron grumbled. "It's my fault. But you guys could have sent him back to his pack."

"Yeah, I didn't see you trying very hard to tell her she'd given him enough hugs to make him happy again."

The young man opted not to answer, lying back to watch the night sky again. After a few moments, Shego settled back as well.

"Do you think one of those could be the meteor that gave me my powers?" she mused. "Maybe it wouldn't have even landed here."

"Hard to say," Ron answered. "Depends on how it ended up getting to Earth. I don't even have a way of knowing if it would already have crashed or could be crashing in the future...are you happy here?"

The young woman sighed. "You know, I actually am. I have a big, dumb galoot to keep me warm at night, and a little girl that adores me. Never been camping before; it's pretty fun."

"What about when you would escape from prison?"

"Hard to enjoy getting away from everyone when you have police and search dogs after you."

"But you're happy?"

"You'll find out I'm not if you keep asking," she lilted as she gently poked the canine in the nose with her toe. Balto's eyes snapped open as he looked around before lifting his head to search more. Shego laughed to herself as the beast nuzzled the girl sleeping against him before resting his head back down.

"And you say I'm immature," the young man sighed.

Shego grinned, sticking her tongue out. "You know you like it."

He grunted noncommittally as the villainess shifted with her back resting against him.

"You have a new life here, and I want to do what I can to make it a happy one," Ron continued. "Like, you'd obviously be a great mom if that's something."

The young woman stayed quiet for a few minutes. "We should get some sleep. The kid'll be up and bouncing around in no time."

The blond dropped the subject and listened to the crackling of the fire and regular night sounds. Still restless after he had heard Shego's breathing even out a while ago, Ron gently climbed out and checked on their horses and equipment before taking a walk around the area. Returning back to the campsite, he placed a couple more logs on the fire.

Sitting at the shelter opening to pull off his boots, the young man saw that Shego had rolled partly into his spot. Squeezing in on his side, he could make out the grumpy look that she sometimes got in her sleep. He began lightly caressing her cheek and running a finger along the edge of her ear, something he'd found eased her dreams. Slowly, her features softened with an occasional sigh. Ron continued his ministrations as he was reminded how beautiful she could be when she wasn't irritated.

"Sorry," he whispered when the woman's green eyes peaked out from hooded lids. "Didn't mean to wake you."

The corners of Shego's mouth turned up in a small smile, and Ron became suddenly aware of how close their faces where when the brunette gave him a long, soft kiss that she wouldn't remember in the morning. With a content sigh, she buried her face in his chest and wrapped her legs with his before slipping back into slumber.

The man groaned to himself, knowing he was going to be racking his brain to figure out who she had been cellmates with. DNAmy was an early elimination.

The next few days were filled with swimming in the nearby lake and some hiking. Shego teased him about dreaming that she kissed him, and Ron wisely stopped arguing before it soured her mood. Only one day was rained out, and the two adults entertained the girl and wolf with stories amidst the pattering on their shelter.