Cannon Beach, Oregon, Nine Months Later…

She walked towards the water's edge, relishing in the feeling of the fine, warm sand between her toes and the cool breeze against her skin. The hot summer sun was no match for the wind coming off the water, keeping the air crisp instead of uncomfortably muggy like it should have been.

She watched the gulls diving in and out of the gales, flying low enough to feel the ocean spray before returning skyward. For a moment, she wondered how it would feel to fly so close to the ocean. She quickly brushed it off as a passing thought.

Her toes met the wet sand for a couple strides, feeling it compress with each step, leaving a near perfect imprint where she had been moments before. She stopped shortly and looked back, a single set of footprints following her to the exact location.

The cold waves lapped at her ankles and erased those lonely prints, drawing her forward, luring her with the sweet mysteries of the vast expanse before her. She faced the open ocean once more, inhaling the salty air before releasing it with a sigh, and shut her eyes. In some strange way, this just felt right.

"Hey, Princess?"

She looked down at the woman bleeding out and in desperate need of medical attention, whether she wanted it or not. She couldn't help the shaking of her voice, "Y-yeah?"

Emeralds looked up, unusually warm in spite of the woman's tart personality and the unfortunate situation. "Remember what I told you."

The last several days whizzed through the younger woman's mind. It was hard to believe that's all it was; it felt like so much longer.

She couldn't help the confusion she felt, not exactly sure what it was the pale woman was referring to.

Shego smirked, coughing painfully before choking out her next words, "I had no idea your memory was that bad. Yesterday, on the roof-"

"No," Kim interjected firmly, effectively cutting her off. "Don't think like that. The paramedics will be here any minute."

Shego coughed again, wincing at the uncomfortable motion. "Nuh-uh. You made a promise. I expect you to follow through regardless of what happens."

"Shego…"

"You promised," the pale woman released a ragged breath. "Now, I just… wanna rest."

"Not yet," Kim grabbed the older woman's hand, gripping it tightly in desperation. "I can hear the sirens. They're close. Don't give up yet."

A chuckle turned into a coughing fit, this time bringing up blood. "Always the optimist," emerald eyes looked up into olives, smiling. "I'm just glad you didn't get out of the car."

Kim felt Shego's hand go limp as her head lolled forwards.

"No! Shego! Don't give up yet! Y-you can't!" Kim screamed out into the restaurant, tears flowing as she gripped strongly onto a cool, pale hand. "Please, don't go!"

She took a deep breath before stretching her arms out and up, relieving the tension in her muscles from the long drive over. She reopened her eyes to look back out at the waves, watching as they began to crest and come to shore in a tumbling mess, lapping lazily at her feet. It felt wonderful.

She gave a small smile and the wind picked up for a moment, kissing her skin as it blew past. Her smile widened ever so slightly, putting memories to the winds gentle touch.

She looked over to the rock sticking up from the water, like the crest of a serpents back, and watched the waves crash violently into it, soaking the hard surface. It would drain off in little streams only for another to strike the surface and repeat the action like clockwork. Over and over and over again.

She hadn't been allowed to ride in the same ambulance as the pale woman due to the sheer emergency of the situation, but they had offered another ride to the hospital equally as fast.

It had been hard to release the slender, pale fingers that seemed so lifeless in her grasp. But they needed their space. They needed to get her help as soon as they could, and she was only in the way.

When she had arrived at the hospital, she was taken to the waiting room with a few other people already seated. She found an empty seat and collapsed into it like a ragdoll, knowing she probably looked just as bad as the undead, her hair a mess and her eyes rimmed with red, her cheeks tear-stained and dirty.

She rested her head in her palms, ignoring the worried looks she was receiving. She didn't know how long she sat like that, just wishing for the wait to be over, for everything to be fine, for the doctors to work their magic and make everything alright.

The opening of a door caused her to look up at the doctor who entered the area. Olive eyes met stone cold blues; she couldn't help the foreboding feeling sending a cold shiver down her spine as he made his way towards her.

The cool air was beginning to dry her eyes out, small tears beading up in the corners of her eyes. The wind was calmer now, but she had been watching the rock with intent, forgetting to blink.

She blinked a few times, clearing the blurriness as she turned to look down the beach. The area was huge with a few couples and families dotting the near-white sand, as the expanse stretched on. One could walk for hours to just get from one end of the beach to the other.

She turned the other direction, looking up the coast. Past the cove was another stretch of beach, this one uninhabited and not stretching quite as far. It was a wonder no one was there. Maybe she should walk down there.

"I don't understand."

"The bullets nicked a couple vital organs. We were able to stop the bleeding for now, but she's on a steady decline. She has a week at best. I'm sorry." His eyes were cold, apathetic, in spite of the warmth in his tone. Dealing with this for years had enabled him to separate any emotional attachment from work.

"And there's absolutely nothing else you can even try?" she asked again, verging on pleading.

"I swear, we've tried everything within our power, Miss Possible," his voice carried the same false tone as before, his eyes flashing momentarily with irritation.

She paused for a moment, ignoring his subtle annoyance at her persistence, considering the last available option. It wouldn't be complete in the next week, but it was now or never.

"I have one last thing we can try. It goes a little beyond common practice, but it's the last option we've got."

He eyed her warily, before sighing in defeat "Alright, what have you got in mind?"

With renewed hope, she straightened up and began explaining. "It's a device to restore neurological connections within her brain…"

Warm arms wound their way around her waist, pulling her into a gentle embrace. She shut her eyes, unconsciously leaning into the warm figure behind her, the ghost of a smile playing on her lips. The wind picked up as if encouraging her to relax; to enjoy what she had.

"Beautiful here, isn't it?"

She hummed her agreement, revelling in the mixture of warmth against her back and the cool breeze on her exposed skin. She was content here, enjoying the view and her company.

"Am I always right or what?"

She sniffed playfully, opening her eyes and looking up into mischievous emeralds. "And full of yourself."

"Well, I have to be full of something and if it isn't myself, then it's-"

"Shego. You're ruining the moment," Kim interrupted, scrunching up her face with childish distaste to stop any further inappropriate conversation.

Shego chuckled at Kim's childish antics, leaning down to gently kiss her. She intertwined their hands, before pulling away. "Shall we take a walk?"

Kim looked up, eyes sparkling. "Love to."

Shego couldn't help the smile that spread across her face as they walked hand in hand, with the waves lapping at their feet.

In reality, Kim had been wrong to assume the statement was going to turn inappropriate. In fact, it was the exact opposite.

Good God, I am finally finished that beast of a story! May not seem that long to all of you, but I started this thing three years ago. (Three years for that thing? You crazy? I coulda done that in a month!)

Sorry if it sucked at times. There were parts I had to write that I just couldn't get the right wording for.

Thanks to all of you who stuck around through this entire thinger. I enjoy the company (even if I had no idea half the time). And thanks for the lovely reviews!

Song used in chapter 7: New York - Snow Patrol [Fun fact: the entire story was based off this song. The first two chapters that were in New York were actually done first. And I initially planned for Kim to get ditched.)

Enough rambling! It's my birthday and this is my present to you! Enjoy

EDIT. Holy tits. Why I ever wrote this and decided to edit it again is above me. What a beast. Sometimes an ill-written beast. Some of it is staying that way because I'm lazy and ready to MOVE ON.

Ignore some spelling 'errors'. I'm Canadian. Sorry. (But not that sorry)

For those of you who reviewed this, thanks!

To that one guy who was on 'visitor mode', most of those questions were answered in the piece if you read it. Also, Kim was probably OC because I suck at writing the 'good' characters. Give me snarky and sarcastic like Shego or Jade (Victorious) and I'm on it.

Maybe I'll write a piece where all these different sarcastic characters meet each other in a bar. How fantastic would that be?