Author's Note:

Woo! Sorry for the extreme lateness of the final stave. All in all, life had sucked much lately and other things needed to be attended to (or stressed about, haha). But thank my good friend, Charlene, for this stave now being up, for she dutifully kicked my rear in gear over the phone to-day. (I guess we'll be watching Mulan next time you come over, huh? WE ALREADY SAW IT WTH ;0;.)

I'd really love to thank everyone who has took the time to read my story, even you lurkers, yea, know you're out there! You guys really make me happy. Another note is that I have a new (original) Kim Possible fanfiction coming up, so if you add me/leave me on your watch list, you can be alerted for that when it's up

Well, I hope you all enjoy the ending of this story! Thanks again for all the wonderfully reviews adios!

- A. King (SE)

Stave 5

The End of It

Shego shot up with a jolt. Breathing most heavily, her heart was in her throat and she was gasping for breath. With a lift of her arm she clutched her own neck while her other hand groped the bed sheet, sweat already soaking the blanket. Her mouth wide open and panting, her eyes perfect circles, she sat up, thinking of nothing but on breathing. Only when did she calm down and was able to look about herself, she came to realise that she was in her own bed once more and not only that, but sunbeams were streaking through her window, flooding the entire room.

She sat there for moments more, recollecting and forming thoughts. She had just been in the Middleton graveyard, she knew that for certain. Even when reflecting back, it had to have been reality, it was no dream. Three Spirits had visited her that night and they had given her one last chance to redeem herself. And to-day was her chance. Would she take this chance? Shego of all people?

Why, yes! Yes, she would!

Bounding from her bed, legs high in the air, she flung herself to the floor, and leapt in leaps across the room with a bright smile across her usually sinister face. O! if you could have seen that smile! There was but only a handful people on this planet that could have told you they've seen that smile across her face before!

But what to do?! Her mind raced frantically, what should she do first? With no notion of what she was doing, she flew to the window and tore it open. Her bedroom window directly looked over the snow-covered streets far, far below. Was that a person walking through the snow, distances away? Twas!

"You there!" Shego cried out, leaning dangerously as far out as she could have dared. Waving her wand through the brisk air, her breath forming at her mouth, she called out again, "You there, down on the street, look up!"

A tall young man reckoned he heard someone speak from above. But who could be calling him? When the building he was passing was Go Headquarters, INC. and the only thing above the tower itself was Shego's own penthouse? Nevertheless, he raised his head and shielded his eyes. Was that… indeed so!

"Yes?" Josh Mankey called. Nothing good could come from Shego when she yelled at you. How did she know he was walking by her tower? Was he progressing down the streets too loudly and woke her? Forbid! He'd be put out of home if so!

"What day is it to-day?!" Shego's voice carried down the great distance between them not so clearly.

"SORRY?"

"WHAT DAY?"

Was she mad? He thought. "It's Christmas day!" He hollered back, cupping his mouth so she would be able to hear him from above.

"WHAT? SPEAK LOUDER!" Was the reply from above.

"I said, CHRISTMAS DAY!"

"Christmas day!" Was that euphoria in her voice? True euphoria? No malice masked behind it? It must be he who was delirious! "So I haven't missed anything! The Spirits really have given be another chance to change the future! Hey, boy, yea, you! Do you know the poulterer's shop downtown?"

I think someone's taken one too many pills…Josh couldn't help but think darkly. But to answer her question promptly, he replied, "Sure, do!"

A plan formulated in Shego's mind swiftly. "Wicked! Now do you know if they've sold the large turkey in the window, boy?"

What a laugh! No-one in Middleton could afford such a turkey, the poulter must have been kidding himself when he slaughtered that bird. Or perhaps Shego had placed that turkey there herself to remind and tempt the people mockingly what they could not have.

"Yes, I do," Josh said, "It's still there, I believe." He had no idea where this conversation was going.

"Excellent! Pure dead excellence! Now go and buy it!"

"…" Alright, Josh thought, now I know the witch has fallen off her rocker. "SORRY, DIDN'T QUITE CATCH THAT. WHAT DID YOU SAY?"

"BUY. THE. TURKEY!"

Buy the turkey?! "Shego, I have no money to afford a turkey as such!" He had half a mind to shout right then, 'Are you mad!?', but held his tongue, that would have been signing his own death certificate, it would.

"Aha! True!" Shego laughed, not in cruelty, but rather if Josh had spoken a particularly enjoyable joke. "Stay right there, don't you move!" She wagged a finger at him, disappearing from the window. Josh shook his head, had Shego hit her head on her bedpost in the night? Or yet, did he hit his head walking down the sidewalk? She returned to the window hastily, something in her hand, "Here, boy! Take this and buy the turkey! Have the courier deliver it to the Possible residence! Mind not to say who it is from! And keep whatever change is left!"

Before Josh could even splutter a sound, something fell and he had not a time to move when it bounced off his head and onto the snow. Bending down to pick up what fell, he stood up and brushed the snow off it with his mitten. Lo! It was a wallet, and inside was…

"Whoah! Bless you, Shego!"

"I DIDN'T SNEEZE!"

"And a MERRY CHRISTMAS TO YOU!"

"Merry Christmas to you and all your family!" Shego returned, gazing out the window merrily as she watched Josh Mankey run down the street, spraying snow in his wake as he went.

Pulling her head back in the window and closing it tight, she ran to her closet to change into clothes. They'll never know what hit them, I'm sure! Shego thought gleefully while tugging her black-and-green jump suit on. They won't know where it has come from, sent from God perhaps! I wish I would be able to see their faces when such a grand turkey arrives at their door unexpectedly! And she laughed delightfully to herself at her own attempt to picture their reaction.

Once she left her closet she was fully dressed minus her gloves which were residing in her drawer, running to get those, she said aloud: "I won't fail you, Spirits! I'm going to live in the Past, the Present and the Future!" And she continued to jabber aloud like a mad-woman while she made her way to the door and down the stairs, skipping every second step, "I've never felt this good before! O! how I've never! I feel overwhelmed with good feelings and how wonderful it feels! No-more will I go out of my way to make others miserable; it's so much easier to just smile and be kind!"

Before she left her penthouse, she grabbed her green leather Club Banana jacket and scarf as she scampered out of the door. Jogging to the tower elevator, she rode it down to the bottom floor, skipping onto the streets.

How the people turned to stare to watch their once cruel world leader skip down the streets like a high-spirited little school girl! No-one could believe their eyes. They almost went into shock for it became too much when Shego said to them all, "Merry Christmas and God Bless!" Without the slight hint of a sneer!

Shego was headed somewhere specifically and after she finished some expeditious Christmas shopping, she reached her destination. Knocking on the door, waiting for a reply; she had been to this house only once before, just last night, truth be told, when a Spirit had guided her here. The door opened and it was Hego who answered, "Hullo?" He inquired and his eyes flew open as wide as any eyes could open when he found it was Shego. Not only just Shego but she had brought a sack on her shoulder and good measure to boot!

"Shego!" Hego stuttered at a loss for words, "I-I..." Then a smile spread across his face and he opened the door wide for her to step inside, "Come in; come in!"

Mego and the Wegos were there and so was mostly everybody that had been there last night at the get-together. And all of them flabbergasted to see Shego in their midst and what more, that she was smiling benignly towards them all. (Mego flabbergasted the most; and from the corner of her eye, Shego thought she caught her purple-haired brother handing some money with a most sour look to a delightful Hego).

Together, her and her family with friends embraced their first Christmas together since Shego had left them so many years ago. What had overcome their dear sister and why she had changed so suddenly, so abruptly, they did not know. Nor did they particularly care to know, all they knew was that Shego was here and warm-heartened once again, and that was good enough for them.

In her sack were wrapped Christmas gifts she purchased that morning before arriving at her brother's house. She had gifts for all and handed them out genially which they excepted with bright smiles. After some drink and talk was exchanged, Shego looked to the clock and realised that she could stay no longer.

"But where are you going?" Hego inquired of her, "It's Christmas day, you're more than welcome to stay here!"

"Thank-you, I know. But I have to go for now, I can't be late. But I'll see you soon, drop by my place any time you like." And she winked mischievously at her brother, turning to leave, she gave them all one last wave of her hand and out the door she went.

Shego was back in her office in no-time; she was pacing up and down in the waiting room. The clock spoke the time to be a minute past the hour, before Shego and known it, it was five, nay, ten! Seventeen minutes past the hour and Kim Possible was late. Shego had moved from the reception room to her office and overlooked the street below from her picture window.

There she saw streaking through the snow, struggling to hang onto her folder, was Kim. Turning the corner, she made her way running straight out to Go Headquarters. Tsk, tsk, Shego shook her head, You shouldn't be running. And she allowed herself a chuckle, but not in callous, rather, how Kim would react when Shego sprung her surprise upon her!

With her hands behind her back and still facing the window, Shego heard Kim race through the reception room in a clutter and into her office all a flutter and out of breath.

Gasping, her hair unkempt from running down the windy streets, a mess of papers splattered in her hands, Kim neared Shego's desk. Gasping for words, Kim tried to form the following while her large belly heaved with each breath: "I'm sorry, Shego! I'm late, I'm sorry! I-"

"How long have you been with us, Ms Possible?"

"…" Kim knew what often came after a sentence like that. No…despair fell across Kim's face, all the years of maltreatment shoved that spark inside her that normally would have been outraged and kept her standing until she had the last word down and out of sight. But still, apart of her would not give in yet, "I'm sorry! I-I… it's Christmas and there was this turkey and…"

"You dare come to my office twenty minutes late and bring me fabrications of turkeys?!"

"I'm not lying!" Kim protested, pushing a lock out of her face, her jacket sleeve slipping down. "Please, I was only late just this once… It's Christmas… I've never been late before!"

"Quiet!!" Shego snapped and Kim closed her mouth, gulping in fear and for air. "Now you listen to me, Kim Possible! I can not abide lateness! So therefore…" It was quite a good thing that Shego was not facing Kim. She could barely struggle to hide her smile! And quicker than a cricket, she leapt from her spot and reared one flame covered hand and swept it across Kim's arm, the silver tracking-band fell neatly sliced in half, not a scratch on Kim's wrist. "Therefore… I'm going to give you a raise!" And she raised her arms in a flourish, a smile upon her cheery face.

Kim dropped everything to the floor in a moments loss. She trembled in perplexity and looked to the floor, then back at her free wrist. "I-I don't understand!"

Shego laughed softly, and explained to Kim. She was releasing not just her, but her entire family as well. She would allow them all to have jobs and positions should they decide to work at Go Headquarters, INC.. Which itself as going to change too, no longer would Shego be ruling the world, but become a justice centre, bent on riding the world of super villains, much like what the old Go Team used to be. Thus, she invited her brother, Hego, Mego and the Wegos to become her partners and allowed Kim to be her number one agent, for she more than qualified.

Delighted, Kim accepted after overcoming her shock, for saving the world was something she truly enjoyed, (but only once the baby was delivered, of course). Ron, Rufus, Wade, Jim and Tim all accepted careers at Go Headquarters as well, each majoring in their strengths.

Wade obviously was the chief in the science labs, creating new equipment and training rookie genius'. With all that time, he still communicated with the number one agent, Kim respectively (how Will Du was jealous!), on her missions.

Jim and Tim were also field agents, but their area was quite specific, both number one in the 'monkey' field, if you will. Meaning they were called in of missions that required great skill in breaking into places, much like a ninja. Of course with their great minds, they loved to tinker in the Go Labs when they were not called out. ("Making more explosions than they're worth!" Wade threatened, but no-one took him seriously, not even himself.)

Ron, on the other hand, had to haggle with Shego; she wanted him to be their number one chef, she'd seen what he could do before. But he was passionate for the field work, to continue as Kim's back-up.

"You can be the best and most-sought after cook being paid millions and you still want to be the sidekick?!" Shego asked incredulously.

The word 'millions' almost swayed Ron, until Kim laid a hand on his shoulder, 'gently' reminding him of what he'd come to ask Shego for. Shego eventually gave in, but not after trying to tempt Ron over more than once. But after proving that his mind was set, she gave in, a bit grudgingly. Her grudge was soon cleared away when she found a 'Seven Layers of Heaven' cake in a quant box at her door with a little 'Thank-you' note.

While Kim and her family of five made a most considerable amount of money, they still did not have enough to purchase a proper home for all of them. So in the meantime, Shego allowed them all to live in her penthouse mansion, free of charge; she had more than enough homes for all!

It was not only a week or two after the sudden change in Shego did an unexpected knock come to her door when she was inside her penthouse with Kim, Ron, Rufus, Wade, Jim, Tim, Hego, Mego and Wegos #1 and #2, all playing some sort of parlour game or other.

("Woman."

"Mango."

"Gorilla!"

"Latrine!"

"Ron! I can't think of a word that starts with the 'trine' syllable!")

Receiving the knock, Shego was utterly astounded, but pleasantly pleased to find who had come to her doorstep.

It was Mrs Dr Possible, Mr Dr Possible, Mr and Mrs Stoppable and Mr and Mrs Load. Kim, Ron and Wade's parents had returned and there was a wonderful and heart-warming reception. They had explained that, because of their careers, one or both of the spouse pairs had been recruited by Global Justice to help build an alliance against Shego's dastardly empire; now that they were sure Shego had changed for the better, they had been allowed to return.

Kim at first, was furious that she had not been recruited as well (Wade's pride was a bit bruised too), until her Mother politely reminded her that she and the others had already been captured and tagged with the tracking bands. Kim apologised for her outburst. Everyone was just glad to have them back.

How true it was that Shego had changed because of the Three Spirits who visited her that Christmas night. Never let it be said that Shego was a cruel and unforgiving person anymore. Because she had heeded their words and what they had shown her, the Future that Shego had witnessed was altered; Kim and her child did not die. (Nor, to Wade's relief, was there any need for 'Midwiving for Dummies'). Shego became a loving friend to them all and Hego most of all was delighted and solaced with her change.

Shego was never haunted by Spirits again, for there was no need and never would there be with this client. Everyone now knew that Shego kept Christmas and kept it well in her heart, better than anyone could. And when they all sat down for dinner after the return of the parents, Shego sat at the head of the table ready to make a toast and said unto them all: "God Bless Us Every One!"