It's been a LONG time since I've been on the Fanfiction scene, man. Anyway. . .I love D/S. OTP OF LIFE. I think I got Shego a little bit. . .I dunno. I mean I tried to analyze her very closely. How she interacts with Drakken, what necessarily charms her. . .Anyway I hope it worked!

Based on the Song "Austin" by Blake Shelton.

It did not strike him as particularly odd when he would hear blaring music from the room of his sidekick. He had grown not to mind it, and telling her to turn it off would be futile. But when he began to listen closer, Dr. Drakken had noticed the particular genre of music she decided to play was not at all what she usually listened to. He couldn't really complain about the change because who needed Hip-Hop pounding through the lair?

No, this was sad and heartbreaking. Some of it was riddled with unbridled anger (he was pretty sure he'd heard a line containing a baseball bat and the unfortunate car of an ex-boyfriend).

And it did not strike him as odd when she finally emerged after a few days, with a few of her things, saying that she needed a vacation. "Gotta rethink the priorities, Doc," that was all Shego had said.

Something did resonate with Drakken when he called her not two days later and the phone was disconnected. He tried to ignore a sinking feeling in his chest. He tried to rationalize that she only needed time. Saving the world instead of taking it over was a big 180 for them. Shego would come back. She always came back.

Shego had not seen or heard from Dr. Drakken in all the months she had been away. She had made damn sure he couldn't find her. And she did not want to find him just yet, if ever. He could not and would not exist in this world she had created for herself.

She rubbed her temples. The year had not been kind to her. Sometimes she thought she may have been better off in her cacophony of confusion in the lair.

There was too much uncertainty in the air. Absolved of all crimes? Ha! So she was supposed to keep a clean slate her entire life? Become a hero again?

That wasn't for her. Dr. D, maybe. He had a good soul deep down. Anyone could see that. He had gotten what he wanted: recognition. The kind he had been robbed of when he was younger. He wouldn't need her to be the true scientist he had always wanted to be. He didn't need a mercenary. He didn't need saving.

True, she could have taken jobs with other villains. She told herself she didn't because that would make her more conspicuous. Maybe she hadn't taken those jobs because she really did want to be good. For him. No, no! What have we learned? We don't change for anybody! It couldn't be that! She just missed being able to mock him. That was it! She only needed entertainment.

But what of the incident at the ceremony? All the times she had rushed off to save his sorry blue ass?

A coffee cup rolled between her palms and she furrowed her sleek brows in frustration. A choice had to be made.

Absentmindedly she reached for the phone. "Don't you dare," Shego scolded herself. Her other hand began to dial. You'll know what to say when you hear his voice it seemed to tell her. Cursing herself for the welling up in her chest as the phone rang, she bit her lip. Her heart immediately sank when it went to voicemail.

"If you're calling about the hovercar," Dr.D's old voice spat. "It's already been sold. Tuesday is bowling night with the old henchmen. If you're selling something just hang up now. Mother-" Shego laughed because his mother was the only other person that called. "just wait for the tone. . . And if it's Shego. . .I-uh. . .We're still an evil family and all. . .so. . .if it is you I would like it if you came home."

The phone fell to the floor. She stared at it in shock as if it had burned her. It had damn near been a year. He hadn't given up trying to hire her back? Well, maybe it wasn't about hiring her back. Get your head on straight! she told herself.

Somehow everything was even more confusing than when she had left. Or quite possibly, it wasn't as confusing as she was making it. If truth be told, she could be charmed by men. It touched her when they went out of their way to buy her hydrangeas or anything of the like. Drakken had charmed her if even in his own twisted Drakken way.

Think, she needed to think. Had he really hoped that one day she would call, hear his message, and come running? "He can just forget it!" she scoffed, flipping her raven waves over her shoulder. Arms crossed, her fingers drummed on her shoulders. "What does he need me for? An ornament? Puh-lease. . ." Who are you trying to convince? part of her asked. That isn't Dr. D and you know it!

This was true. He had sounded sincere. Her presence seemed like a necessity. And in some twisted fashion wasn't his presence just as much required to her?

Shego waited three days. Three days, three rings, and the voice mail. "If it's Friday night I'm at the Karaoke bar. I got fly verses, yo. And on Saturday I'll be visiting, Mother. I'll be gone all weekend, but I'll call you back on Sunday. And if this is Shego, I still lo—would like you to come home. . ."

She rattled off her phone number and that was it. What had to be done would be done. All she had to do was wait.

When Drakken arrived back at his lair, the message light was blinking. It must be Mother. He probably forgot his toothbrush. He pressed the button and listened. Just a number, but he thought he could place the voice. He quickly dialed. There were a couple of rings and he mistook her instant reply as a message.

"If you're calling about my hea-" No, she would not get all girly and sentimental! Pull it together! "I'm still here. I should've maybe listened to myself a little more. And it wouldn't have been so long before I figured everything out. By the way, Dr. D, this isn't a machine."

His heart leapt when she paused to laugh at him. He had missed that laugh even in mocking.

"Can't you tell? This is Shego and I still lo—want to be part of whatever schemes you have cooked up. . ."

"It'll be good to have you back," was all he said.

"Yeah, yeah. Don't get all mushy, Doc."

"I wouldn't dream of it, Shego."

"I want to add more terms to my contract."

"Come on!" he whined. "Why do you always have to make everything conditional?"

"I like Hydrangeas. . ."

"I can work that in somewhere."

"Good." She said haughtily. Yeah, Shego always came back.