I do NOT own Kim Possible

I plan for this to be a RONGO story. However, given the way my tales usually twist around on themselves who knows where it will lead. While there will be a lot of interaction between Ron and Shego right from the start don't expect there to be anything of a romantic nature until much later. In my opinion the two aren't just going to jump into a bed together. That would be unrealistic. Instead there will be a long period of time where they begin to build respect for each other, then trust, then ... Well, who knows.

The day begins

Soft moans came from the figure on the bed. Moans that chilled the blood and spoke of a nightmare that would have waken most people to a bed soaked in the cold sweat of terror. However the figure on the bed doesn't wake up, she remains deep within the nightmare. Such a nightmare would have caused most people to twist and turn as in the nightmare they ran from the terror. The figure is unmoving. She neither twists nor turns as the nightmare plays out in her sleep. Finally a clock buzzes and her eyes open. For a moment her emerald green eyes are filled with a deep despair, then, as she fully wakes, they clear. "Morning Shego." The figure speaks to herself. "Happy Birthday."

Not too far away, just a few kilometers north of her, another figure is deep within his own nightmare. The blonde hair of the figure is drenched in sweat as he violently struggles, twisting and turning to escape the source of the nightmare. Then he is still, deathly still. Not even a pulse exists to show he is still alive. For sixty-three seconds he remains in this state. Then the twisting and turning comes again, a desperate and doomed attempt to escape some dreadful fate. Then the stillness again. Eventually his eyes open, brown eyes that show a weariness he is used to. "Morning Rufus." The figure speaks to the naked mole rat in a cage just a few feet away. He stands, stretches a few times and looks in a mirror. All signs of weariness have vanished.

Ron Stoppable dropped to the floor and began a vigorous set of exercises. Not that it does much good to try and step up now, he admitted to himself. But I guess it's gotten to be an habit.

Shego sighed as she entered the main room of the lair. Another day, another plot, she thought as she saw Dr. D working on a new invention. Rinse and repeat, she added to herself. "Morning Dr. D. What's up?" She asked.

"Morning Shego. It's my greatest idea yet. With this I ..."

"Where's the coffee." The bored villainess asked.

"There isn't any. Now listen to the rest of my idea without interrupting ..."

"No coffee?"

"No Shego. I needed the parts for my new invention. The world will be ... Ouch! Shego! What are you doing?"

"No coffee?" The now annoyed villainess repeated?

"No coffee." The blue figure of the mad genius wheezed out, held in the air by Shego's right hand.

"No coffee?" She repeated.

"No Shego, no coffee, now ..." His eyes widen as she lit her left hand.

"No coffee?" She asked again.

"Ahem. You know I'm pretty sure there's some around somewhere Shego. Just let me go and find it."

She dropped him and the plasma around her left hand disappeared. Throwing herself into a chair she simply repeated. "Coffee."

Drakken, deciding his life was more important than his latest invention, started ripping it apart to find the pieces of the coffee maker. Sometimes I wonder just who's the sidekick here, he thought to himself, not daring to say a word.

Ron walked to school alone, trailing the light of his life, Kim Possible, by fifty feet or so. He sighed as he considered the guy she was walking with. Mark Chaosson. He was, Ron knew, everything a girl like Kim Possible could want. Around six foot tall, well built, and with a knowledge of the martial arts that was exceeded only by her own. He was smart, kind, handsome, and ... Reluctantly the word 'perfect' came his mind. He's the sort of guy she deserves, he admitted to himself.

When Mark had first arrived on the scene, having transferred to Middleton High, things had gotten bad for a while. Kim had fallen for Mark right away and he for her. Within a week they had been a couple. Ron had flipped out. Him and Kim had ended up arguing every time they met. Eventually he had even been kicked off the missions for a while. Things had been really bad. Not like it's all Kim's fault, he told himself. I was really making things bad for her. Every time we saw each other there was a fight because I flipped out. However Kim had suddenly calmed down and just started ignoring his flipping out. She had greeted him normally, spent time with him, talked with him. Wonder what caused her to do that, he wondered. There had been no one to fight with then. He flipped out and she had just looked at him with those eyes of hers filled not with the usual anger, no, rather they had been filled with pity, sadness. That had been when he stopped flipping out.

He noticed her looking back at him and he knew she was feeling sad for him. That hurt. He knew he was welcomed to walk beside her on the way to school. They had mended the fence, so to speak. He was still jealous but had learned to control it. He was back on the missions. Over that she had had no choice. He knew her mother had ordered her to. Wonder if she's figured it out yet, he wondered. He recalled when she had first started going on the missions. Afraid she would get hurt he had went to her parents with a plan. It didn't eliminate the danger but it did reduce it. Her mother had helped with the psychology needed to implement the plan while her father had built the hardware. They were, he recalled, surprised at how much of it he had implemented on his own. He sighed. At least first period is Home Ec. That will distract me. Wonder what I should make.

The redhead looked back at her friend of so many years. The fury she had felt at his jealousy was long since gone. Now she understood just what he was feeling. When the fighting had gone past a certain point her mother had sat her down and talked about Josh. About how strong Kim's crush had been for a boy she barely knew. So strong she had nearly lost her life over it. Had lied over it. Then she had asked Kim just how she thought Ron felt now. If Kim's crush over a boy she barely knew had been that bad then how bad must Ron's crush be over a girl he had known for over a decade. A girl he had spent so much time with. Who he cared so much about that he would risk his life for her time and time again. It had given Kim a lot to think about. She had stopped getting angry over his antics and for some reason she didn't understand those antics had stopped.

Then there were the mission. That puzzled her. She had went on so many mission and for the most part they were no big deal. But then, when the situation with Ron had got bad she had removed him from the missions. Mark, she had noted was a lot stronger than Ron and a lot better in a fight. So why did the missions get tougher with him there to replace Ron. At times a lot tougher. Something she couldn't figure out was going on there and even Wade had been puzzled by it. When she had spoke to her mother about it she had simply stated, 'put Ron back on the missions or no missions.' Her mother obviously knew something she didn't. The missions were now a cakewalk. With both her and Mark to fight, and Ron to act as the distraction, she barely had to break a sweat.

She wondered who she could match him up with. She figured if he had a girlfriend he wouldn't feel so down around her. At least she hoped that was the case. But Tara was dating someone. Same with Hope. Bonnie was obviously out of the question. Kim shuddered. Monique came to mind. But she wondered just how good of a match they would be. Besides, for some reason, Monique had sworn off boyfriends for a while. All Kim knew is it was due to some incident before she had moved to Middleton. Looking back again her heart ached, the expression on his face was so sad.

Home Ec. had come and gone. It had been the highlight of the day so far for Ron Stoppable. Using his genius in the kitchen he had made a variety of cakes. One he had even tucked inside a large plastic container to take home with him. A Devil's food cake, with a few twists of his own thrown in. He added in a thermos bottle of coffee. Something he had started drinking lately. A few forks and a knife followed the coffee.

It was last period and he was now in history class. History was something he couldn't understand. It was alien to him. Sure it would be nice if people could learn from their mistakes, but they didn't. So what was the point? The whole point of history, or so it seemed to him, was to look back at the same mistakes repeated over and over, with no one having learned anything. It was a mystery.

Kim was seated in front of him, Mark was in the seat across from her. He wondered if he should start sitting elsewhere. Sitting here, seeing her, seeing them, made him feel so low. It hurt. Maybe across the room, back in the corner. Just not here.

BEEP! BEEP! BEEP!

The noise caused the whole class to turn around and stare at Kim. He watched her talk to Wade, knowing a mission was about to start. Hope it's close, he thought. Sitting on a long ride, watching those two, hurts. He sighed, trying not to be obvious about it. Listening in he heard it was Drakken again. Big surprise there. And that the lair was only twenty kilometers south of Middleton. That's lucky. Be there and done in no time.

These vents are big, he was thinking just thirty minutes later. Why don't they just put doors on them and call them hallways. At least then the villains could lock the doors and try to make things a bit harder for us. This time, he noted, the vent even had artificial lighting. Presumably to help with maintenance. He sighed.

"Anything wrong." Kim called back to him.

"Nay, KP. Just wondering what Drakken has in store for us this time."

"We will soon find out. Think this is the main room of the lair." She dropped out of the vent to the floor. Mark followed her, dropping gracefully. Ron followed him. Backpack heavy, he took it off and tossed it to one side, into a storage room, where it would be safe. Now why did I bring that with me, he wondered.

"Kim Possible!" Drakken uttered. Surprised.

"Oh good grief. Why do you ..." Ron and Shego muttered together. They turned and looked at each other.

The Buffoon, Shego noted, looked tired. Shego, the Buffoon noted, looked a bit more pissed than usual.

"Oh screw it." Shego said, she lit her hands and tossed plasma at the Buffoon. The fight was on before Drakken could finish his speech.

Ron dodged the green fire. He looked around for something that might need destroying. Shego, he figured, would already be busy with Kim and Mark. He saw a device in the center of the room and ran for it. Shego noticed him and tried to stop him but was kept busy.

Drakken stood in front of the machine and ordered, "Stop right there Buffoon."

Ron just ran over him, sending him flying. Working out might not have drawn Kim's attention like he had hoped but it did help in such situations. Drakken out of the way for a few seconds he studied the machine. From the shape he figured it projected a ray of some sort. He shrugged. Didn't really matter. He dropped to the floor as Shego tried to take a second to toss more plasma his way.

Drakken having got up advanced on him. "I've got you now Buffoon."

Ron tripped him and Drakken started to fall over him. Using both feet, still on his back, Ron caught the falling villain and using all the force he could sent the villain flying. He lifted nine feet into the air and fell on top of Shego.

Shego was busy with Kim, trying to keep Mark in view. He was no Kim but ould still cause trouble. Then the sky fell on her. Looking she saw it was Drakken. He looked a bit shaken. Kim approaching on her Shego threw the shaken mad scientist at her and tossed some plasma at Mark. It gave her a chance to get up.

Ron studied the machine some more. He reached out to pull what appeared to be a crystal of some sort from the machine.

Having gotten to her feet, forced the Princess to retreat a little, and having sent Mark into hiding with plasma, Shego had a chance to take in the situation. The Buffoon, she noted, was about to do something to the machine. She sent plasma his way. Damn that Buffoon, she thought. How can I focus on the fight when I got to keep and eye on him too? Just what is Drakken doing?

Ron ducked, with the crystal in his hand. Above him green plasma bathed the machine.

"Shego. Not the Gaminator." Came Drakken voice.

What the heck is a Gaminator, Shego and the Buffoon both thought at the same time. Shego had ignored the ranting of the mad scientist as he had explained earlier. She had no more clue than Ron did about the machine.

"Get that crystal. Shego." Came the order.

Oh, and just what do I do about Kimmie and her new play toy while I do that. Moron. Shego thought. She chased after the Buffoon who took off running.

Ron ran into the room where he had tossed his back pack earlier. He hit the button to close the door a second too late. Shego was in the room a split second before they could close. Foot out, he tripped her.

Shego saw the foot and knew she was going to be tripped if she didn't jump. But if she was to get into the room before the door closed she couldn't take the time to jump. She made it in time and fell over the Buffoon's foot. She rolled and was back on her feet in a second, throwing plasma at the Buffon. It hit the door. The Buffoon had wisely moved out the way during her roll she noted. Turning she aimed again. He ducked. She aimed again. He ran pass the door to the other corner of the room. The plasma hit the door again. This was repeated three times, the Buffoon running, her plasma hitting the door.

"Stand still you rodent." Shego screamed.

Ron froze. "Rodent?" He asked. "Not Buffoon? Cool! Me and Rufus are on the same level now."

"Crystal." She ordered.

"What crystal?" Ron asked.

"The one you ..." She looked at him. He wasn't holding anything. She looked around. She looked back at him. "Where is it?" Her hands were glowing.

"Oh that thing. It's out there." He pointed at the door.

She sighed. "I saw you take it. Where is it now?" And where is the Princess, Shego thought, she should have been in here by now.

The Buffoon shrugged. "Yeah, I took it. But you were chasing me. I tossed it away so I could run faster. I mean come on now Shego. With a plasma powered super villainess after me do you think I would do anything to slow myself down?" He looked at her as thought she had two heads.

Shego sighed, thinking. This is not a good day. First of all it was nightmare number eight, the worst of the bunch. The one where ... And then there was no freaking coffee and now she had to deal with three bloody members of team possible. Not one, not two, but THREE! She sighed again.

"Out of the way." She ordered. For some reason the Buffoon obeyed her. She doubted it was the plasma in her hands. He wasn't that reasonable. She approached the door and hit the open button all the time wondering where the Princess was. The door didn't move. She hit the open button again. Cursing she sent more plasma into it.

"That will just make it worse Shego."

The Buffoon was standing close to her, looking at the door. Too close. She lit her hands to send plasma his way.

The Buffoon sighed. "Now Shego, I'm no threat to you. And since we're stuck here together can't we get along?"

"Stuck?" She queried. He pointed at the door and she looked.

"Fuck!" Was all she said before she sat down on the floor. This was a really bad day. Her plasma had fused the door shut. "Fuck!" She repeated. She noticed the Buffoon sit down on the floor on the far side of the room.

They ignored each other for a few minutes. Shego knew how it would play out. The machine wouldn't operate with the crystal gone. Goodness only knew where the Buffoon had put it. Besides Princess and her new boy toy was out there. Drakken was way outclassed. That meant Global Justice would arrive. They would cut open the door. She and Drakken would end up arrested again until she could bust them out. Rinse and repeat. She thought.

"Hey Shego." The Buffoon was speaking and she looked at him. She lit her hands.

"Happy birthday." He continued. "It is your birthday right? Saw your GJ file once. Hope Drakken at least got you a gift. Bonus pay or something."

Shego was shocked. Too shocked to think to throw plasma. "He usually forgets but remembers a few days later. He usually gives me some vacation time." She was too shocked to do anything but answer normally. No one had ever wished her happy birthday on her birthday. Never. Not ever. Well it seems there is a first time for everything, she thought, stunned.

"What? Not even a birthday cake?" She could tell the boy was shocked.

"Not all of us are as lucky as some." She growled.

The Buffoon shrugged. "Actually I rarely get a cake on my birthday but Kim's birthday is almost the same time as mine and Mrs. Dr. P always bakes two when it's Kim's birthday. It's a few days late but still nice."

"Your parents?" Shego asked.

"When they're home they remember, but they're gone most of the time. With their work they don't really need to remain home much. So they travel a lot." The Buffoon spoke as if he didn't really mind.

Ron got an idea. "Hey Shego. Close your eyes."

She looked back in disbelief. As if she would trust him. She lit her hands.

"Hey. It's not as though I can do much against you. Even if I hit you you would just hit me back harder." Ron got an evil glint in his eye. "I dare you, or are you afraid."

"Hrmph." Shego closed her eyes.

Less than a minute later the Buffoon spoke. "Open them."

She did so. She blinked. Impossible. She looked around. This was lair. It was machine parts and not much more. Not even any coffee. Bread and peanut butter was about all there was in the kitchen and this was no kitchen. It was a storage room. She had made Dr. D. pay when he failed to get the coffee maker working. There was no coffee in the lair! Yet, in front of her was a cake with 'Happy Birthday Shego' neatly lettered on it along with a cup of coffee. It had to be a dream. She looked up. This was impossible! Sort of out of place was an empty match box beside the cake.

The Buffoon shrugged. We're going to be here a while. I mean Will Du will probably lead the mission here and well ... it's going to take some time." He sighed. "I'm not going to get much Zombie Mayhem in tonight. Probably none knowing him." He sighed again.

Shego looked at the cake. It had twenty matches stuck in it. For candles, she thought. But if he can make a cake appear why not candles? She blinked. And the coffee! I can smell it! She blinked again. She looked up. "You really think I would trust this?" She was still in shock.

Ron shrugged. Frankly he was surprised Shego hadn't just blasted the whole thing with plasma. But he was bored and he liked feeding people. It was his one good skill, cooking, and using that skill made him happy. He figured he had nothing to lose. It had been a matter of seconds to take the cake he had stashed in his back pack out and rearrange the icing some to spell the happy birthday message. He took the thermos and poured out a cup of coffee. The thermos had two cups. One that screwed on the bottom and one on the top. Before Mark had come along it had been perfect for him and Kim to store something to drink in. He took a sip and sighed. It was a good thermos and the coffee was still a little hot. Not as hot as it should be, but hot enough to be good.

Shego just stared. If it's poisoned my metabolism could probably handle it, she figured. I really REALLY need coffee. She slowly took the cup. It was good. Just where the heck did it come from? She thought. This is crazy. She focused her eyes on the cake. The one other thing her metabolism needed was calories. Throwing plasma took a lot of energy. "Twenty matches?" She finally asked.

Ron shrugged again. "Well, candles are sort of hard to come by in this place." He looked around. " As for the twenty, I'm guessing that's around the age you are. That GJ document I mentioned earlier. It wasn't something I was supposed to be looking at so Will Du tried to shock me with that watch of his when he saw me with it. Didn't have much time to really read it."

"Why were you reading it?" Shego was curious.

"You're Kim's number one archenemy. I wanted to see what it said." He admitted, honestly.

Shego took the fork and took a bite. She blinked again. No ordinary cake, she realized. This was five star quality! This is insane, she thought. How the frig did this happen?

Ron watched her take a bit and knew she liked it. No, loved it. A sense of satisfaction filled him. Someone was enjoying something he had made.

"Didn't your brothers celebrate your birthday?" He asked. Wondering.

Shego froze. Plasma vaporized the fork in her hand. "No!" She growled. She took the remaining fork.

Ron swallowed. Obviously not a good subject to talk about, he thought.

Shego continued to eat. He half watched, sipping the coffee. He offered a refill from the thermos when her cup was empty and she took it without a word.

"Hey Shego."

Shego looked up.

"Just don't tell Kim about this okay. She would freak out if she knew I made you a cake." He shuddered in fake terror.

Shego felt herself trying to laugh. She suppressed the need. To her the whole situation was surreal. She wondered if it was surreal to the Buffoon. She thought not. He was definitely ... unusual. She thought of the cake and the coffee in a lair devoid of such things. Maybe magician would be a better name for him, she thought. Besides the way he can make things blow up is like magic too.

"Anyway, before you finish remember to light the candles and make a wish." Ron sipped his coffee.

Shego paused. Then she did just that. It was something she had never done before.

The rest of the night passed as she figured it would. GJ arrived, lead by Will Du as the Buffoon had predicted. They cut open the door and lead her away in handcuffs designed to dampen her power. Princess was obviously glad to see that the Buffoon was all right.

Two days later a figure entered the lair. Global Justice had taken the machine along with most of the other items Drakken had had lying around. In the storage room she gathered the stubs of the twenty matches and the empty match box. Just for a momento, the figure thought. Just because for once in my life someone remembered. No big deal.

End of Chapter.

Note: At this point the cake and coffee are not done because Ron has a crush on Shego. He's just bored and there is cake to eat and coffee to drink, so he's thinking, why not. He's just being Ron. Kim is the one he loves. At this point he has eyes for no one else. Shego is just a coffee addict and very hungry. She is a bit emotional though that for once in her life someone remembered her birthday actually on the day of her birthday.