Well everyone, the last chapter has arrived. I struggled to finish this, and I hope y'all like how I've done it. Thanks to everyone who reviewed, and a big thank-you to those who gave me advice along the way. I'm sure you all know who you are. I could have never gotten through this without the input.
I may take a short break from posting stories, as I would like to re-think some of the other projects I'm working on. I also need to catch up on some reading.
Obligatory disclaimer: I do not own the characters involved in the following conglomeration of words…
Final Answers, Maybe
That evening after being hypnotized, James Possible left the psychologists office again with more answers, and a few less questions. The memories of his family had come rushing back, and he couldn't believe that he had forgotten about all of them. He was also still feeling a bit shocked over the fact that he really should be dead after falling off that building.
His wife, Anne, was driving him home, and they rode in silence until she pulled into the driveway of their house. "Honey, you're awfully quiet. Are you going to be fine?" She asked.
"Yeah, I should be OK." He replied suddenly feeling very tired. "Though it's not every day a person finds out that he really should be dead. Did the lab figure anything else out with my blood sample?"
"No, not really. We have some theories, but that's all. When we have more concrete answers, you will be the first to know." Anne squeezed her husband's hand, and she opened the car door to get out.
Both walked to the front door, as they had parked in the driveway, and Anne unlocked the door. Glancing over at her husband, she hoped that what her and the rest of the family had planned wasn't going to be too much, because he sure looked tired. Too late to think that now.
She opened the door, and both stepped in to a dark house. I hope Kim and everyone had a chance to get everything together, she thought. Suddenly the lights came on, and a chorus of voices rang out all saying something different.
"Welcome home Daddy!" "Good to have you back Mr. Dr. P.!" "Dad! We missed you!"
Everyone immediately came together for a group hug at the front door, and this time, Ron didn't hold back. He was right beside Kim as they all wrapped their arms around James who was pleasantly surprised "Whoa, whoa… It's good to see everyone. I'm so glad to be home!"
After the hug broke up, they all walked in to the kitchen, and that was where James saw his second surprise. A small banner was draped across the kitchen that read 'Welcome Home Dad', and a large ice cream cake sat on the table. Then a familiar smell came to his nose, and he looked over at the counter, and saw 3 boxes of Pizza. He knew one of them was loaded with bacon, because that was what he smelled.
"Oh you guys… you shouldn't have…" He said, as a small tear formed in the corner of one eye.
"Yes we should have." Kim said, and gave her Dad another hug.
"Let's get this back in the freezer before it melts, and let's have some pizza!" Anne said as she picked up the cake and placed it back in the freezer. She had initially wanted the cake out just for a visual effect when her husband walked in, as it had writing on it that said 'We Love You'.
Ron grabbed the pizza boxes, and placed them on the table where the cake had just been. The twins were getting paper plates for everyone to eat off of, and Kim was getting drinks for everyone from the 'fridge. James just stood there marveling at how everyone was pitching in to help. He had seen this happen before, but for some reason this seemed even more special to him on this day.
Everyone began talking at once, and the pizza was devoured in a matter of minutes. After a few belches here and there, Anne got up from the table and pulled the cake out of the freezer. She set it on the table, and was about to make the first cut when James gently placed his hand on hers.
"Anne…" He said quietly, stopping her. "I would like to say something first."
She glanced at her husband, and saw a determined serious look. She immediately set the knife down, and sat back in her chair. James stood, and quietly cleared his throat, making the room go silent. They all stopped and looked at the elder Possible.
James took in everyone with his eyes, and spoke. "Everyone, I would like to thank you from the bottom of my heart what you all have done for me. I can see that I am THE luckiest Father, and Husband… in the world. Heck, in the universe!" Light chuckles filled the room.
"I've been through a lot the last couple of days, to say the least. I am so glad to have a loving family such as you guys. You are all just… great." A small tear formed in the corner of one eye. He looked down at his wife and took her hand.
"I still have a few things that I need to do to be 100 percent again, but I know I'll be able to do it, with you guys at my side. My wife, Anne, Kimmie-cub, Tim and Jim… Ronald." Ron was glancing down at his plate while James was talking, and as soon as he heard his name, his head snapped back up. "Yes, you too, Ron. You've become such a part of this family, that I couldn't even conceive of anyone else but you to be with my Kimmie. If you so wish… I… I…"
James suddenly looked like he was becoming ill. "I… (gag) I wish you to… (urf)… know…" His hands shot to his throat as if he couldn't speak, and then suddenly it was if he threw himself to the floor! Everyone at the table rushed to his side to see what was wrong.
"James… James…!" Anne was almost panicking when she saw what was happening to her husband. He was writhing on the floor as if in pain, but no sound was coming out of his mouth. Suddenly he lurched up onto his hands and knees, and began making puking noises. Anne quickly grabbed a bucket from under the sink, and he buried his face inside it and threw up.
After a couple minutes of dry heaves, he finally sat back, wiping his chin. "Well that was fun." He said mockingly.
"Are you OK Daddy?" Kim asked, as she and her mother helped him to stand, and then sit back in the chair.
"I actually feel much better now. Can… can I have a drink of water, please?" Ron quickly got a glass of water, and handed it to James. He drank it all in three huge gulps.
"What… what was that?" Anne asked to no one in particular as she was looking into the contents of the bucket. (Hey, she's a doctor, and she's curious) Inside the bucket was actually a small amount of something… green. And it was… moving.
"Kimmie?" She said, "What do you make of this?" She was pointing into the bucket.
"Mom, I really don't want to look."
"It's not what you think." Kim cautiously walked over to the bucket and peered in.
It wasn't much really. It wasn't enough to even fill a shot glass. With all the noise her Dad had made, she thought there would have been a lot more. As she looked at the green substance, it suddenly moved on it's own from one side of the bucket to the other. The movement surprised her and she jumped back with an 'eep'!
"What is it?" The twins chimed. Before they could look in the bucket, Anne grabbed the bucket, and held it over her head. She didn't want the boys to see this. "Aww Mann!" The two said, and stalked back to their seats.
"Ron, please put the cake back in the freezer, and then meet Kimmie and me out in the garage. OK?"
"S… sure Mrs. Dr. P." He placed the cake back in the freezer, gave the twins a look that said 'touch that and die', and went out into the garage.
As soon as he walked through the garage door, he heard Kim talking. "I think I might have an idea what this is Mom." She then proceeded to tell her what Shego had told them.
At the end of her story, Anne jumped in with a quick diagnosis of her own. "I'll bet anything that James' body has rejected the blood, and this is the result of that rejection." Suddenly, she got a very worried look on her face.
"Mom? What's wrong?" Kim asked with a worried look of her own.
"Kim, if your father had this kind of a reaction to this, then I wonder what Shego might be going through. I mean, suddenly her body is missing something that she has had for many years. She might even be going through some sort of withdrawal."
Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
"Shego!" Drakken spoke excitedly as he saw her suddenly drop to the floor. "What's the matter?"
She had curled up on the floor and was shaking uncontrollably. Drakken didn't know what to do, and he started to look frantically about the room. He spotted the couch, picked her up and lay Shego down. He then laid a blanket over her shivering form. He didn't know any doctors, so he didn't know who to call.
Drakken watched her for a few minutes, and suddenly Shego stopped shivering, and began to sweat profusely on her forehead. He placed a hand on her skin and immediately removed it. She was burning up! He ran over to the phone and dialed the only person who he thought could help.
Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
"Hello…?" Wade answered the phone not sure who could be calling. "Dr. Drakken…? Why are you calling me on the phone…? … Actually Kim and Ron were just headed over to your place. … Yes, I just said that. They should be there in a few minutes. … Bye."
Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Not more than five minutes after hanging up the phone, Drakken heard the front doorbell, and answered it. "Kim Possible! And… the Buffoon?"
Ron pushed his way past Dr. Drakken, and Kim was right behind him. "Where's Shego Drakken?" Kim asked, all business. Drakken just pointed towards the couch
As Kim walked over to the couch, she pulled a test tube with a stopper on it out of her belt pouch. "What's that?" Drakken asked
"Something that she's missing." Kim answered.
"Umm, Kim?" Ron asked sounding nervous. "H… how do we… you know, get it back… inside her?"
"You don't happen to have a syringe needle handy?" Kim asked Drakken into his face.
"Uhh… umm, no I don't. Why?"
"She's going into some sort of withdrawal. We need to get this back into her system somehow."
"Can we pour it down her throat Kim?" Ron asked, trying to be helpful.
"That just might work Ron. Open her mouth and I'll pour it in." As soon as Ron's hands touched Shego's face, she lashed out knocking his hands away.
"You need to drink this Shego. It will make you feel better. It would help if you don't fight us." Kim wasn't sure if Shego had heard her, as her eyes were tightly shut. Her lips were also pressed together tight, and she began shaking her head side to side.
"Ron, you get her arms, and Drakken, you open her mouth. I'm going to jump on her and hold her down, and then try to pour this into her mouth. Now… you guys ready?" She looked at both of them, and they nodded in silence.
All in one motion, Kim leaped onto Shego's lower stomach, and Ron pulled her arms up and over her head. Then Drakken stepped in and tried to pry her mouth open. Shego started to struggle immediately.
She never made a sound as she struggled, just a few grunts from her nostrils. Kim was trying to follow her mouth with the open test tube, ready to pour it in as soon as she got the chance. Then without warning, Shego had wrenched an arm free from Ron's grasp, and swung at the test tube.
She barely caught the bottom of the test tube, but it was enough to spill the contents onto her body suit. Everyone suddenly stopped struggling, including Shego. The eyes of the three standing around were on the small green pot on her suit.
Kim was about to say something when the spot suddenly moved! Initially it was flat, like a stain, but suddenly it pooled up, and looked like a bubble. The bubble swiftly moved up Shego's body suit as if it had intelligence, and immediately found the carotid artery on Shego's neck.
As soon as it made contact with the skin, it absorbed itself into Shego's blood stream. Almost immediately, her eyes popped open, and she stopped sweating. "It's back." She whispered loudly, and then sat up, looking no worse for wear.
"Sh… Shego?" Kim asked nervously. Is… everything… OK?"
"Ummm… yeah. I think so." She rubbed her temples lightly. "Although I do have a splitting headache." Bringing her hands down in front of her face, Shego's hands began to glow a slight greenish color.
Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
When Kim and Ron arrived back at her house, it was late, and everyone had gone to bed. The two walked in to the kitchen and Kim opened the refrigerator looking for something to drink. Ron opened the freezer, and noticed that about 1/3rd of the ice cream cake was gone.
"Hey Kim… Want some cake?"
"Yeah, that sounds good."
After Kim retrieved some paper plates and Ron cut each of them a large piece, the two sat down and enjoyed the quiet of the night. Ron suddenly spoke, breaking the silence.
"Kim…? I have always believed that things happen for a reason. Why do you think all of this has happened? I'm a little stumped."
Kim thought for a few seconds before she spoke. "Well, maybe it actually took something short of Daddy dying to realize that you and I are growing closer and closer each day." She lay a hand on Ron, and gave it a squeeze. "I also think he was trying to tell you… tell us… that he approved if we ever decide to get married."
"Ohh kayyy… I can kind of see that. What about Shego?"
"Well, there's definitely more to her than I originally thought. It's almost as if that stuff inside her made her do what she did to bring Daddy back, so it could bring him back from the dead."
"And that would mean…?" Ron queried.
"That there is some kind of symbiotic relationship between those alien bacteria and her."
"Oh I get it." Ron said. "Sort of like that episode of The Fearless Ferret when that black Ferret Suit took over his body, and they each needed each other to survive."
"Huh…?" Kim was completely confused.
"Sorry Kim. I guess you don't read the comics. It was in issue number 49 of The Dark Ferret series."
"You never cease to amaze me, Ron." Kim said as she leaned into her boyfriend with hooded eyes.
"Nor you I, Kim." He in turn leaned in, and the two met in a kiss.
Unknown to the two of them, James had come down from his bedroom for a midnight snack of some of the left over ice cream cake. He hadn't heard the conversation, but he had seen his Kimmie-cub kiss her boyfriend. The only strange thing was, he never once thought about black holes.
The end…
Whew! Done! Finished! Finito! Fin! That was a rough one to get through, and I hope everyone liked it. I don't think I'll try a dramatic piece like that ever again. Please R & R and tell me what you thought about it, good, bad, or terrible. I can take it… I think…