14The Secret Ingredient
By Concolor44
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Author's Note: I may have mentioned that there was a flip-side to this story. This is it.
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Reciprocity
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3:30pm, three weeks later on a Tuesday
Kim caught sight of her lover as Shego strode past the door to the study, giving a quick double-take. Bounding up out of the swivel chair, she zipped over to the hall and watched (with deep appreciation) as the light-green woman sashayed down toward their room. "Sharon?"
A stop and a glance back was done in silence.
"Are you … sweating?"
Her emerald eyes rolling, Shego muttered, "What of it?"
"Because you never sweat. Or hardly ever. Really the only times I can think of are when I've just given you several …"
Shego, blushing, cut that sentence off at the knees. "They're re-finishing the floor at the Y. My aerobics class got moved outdoors. And in case you haven't noticed, it's high summer and the temp hit forty-one today."
"Oh. Huh. Okay." She gave the other woman a narrow look. "And you conducted the class anyway? Isn't that kinda dangerous?"
"Half a dozen of 'em still wanted to. I couldn't really say no."
"Anybody fall out?"
"Jessica got close, but after a couple bottles of mineral water and a few minutes in the shade, she finished out the program."
"Buncha masochists." She twirled in place. "I'm lovin' my air conditioning today."
"Yeah, yeah, all hail Willis Carrier." She resumed her stride. "Now, if you don't mind, there's a shower in there with my name on it."
Kim allowed herself a tiny smile and darted into the kitchen.
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Putting her hair up in a towel after showering, even given how much of it there was, had never been one of Shego's habits. She was proof against her own plasma, so a few quick rakes of her fingers served to dry it to her satisfaction. Just another perk in her long list.
Brushing it out was another matter, though. It didn't get that long and lustrous by accident, and she wanted it to look good for Kim. Tomorrow was their one-year anniversary as a confirmed couple, and she had a surprise planned that involved a penthouse suite in a very ritzy hotel overlooking the Hudson, some rare champagne, a Jacuzzi, and a bottle of chocolate sauce. But she wanted everything leading up to the reveal to be perfect as well. Her brush, however, did not come immediately to light. Rummaging through two more drawers didn't help, either, nor did her nightstand yield anything.
Frowning, she turned to Kim's side of the bed. The redhead had been known to 'borrow' the brush, maintaining that it worked better than her own for taming stubborn knots. Shego thought, not for the first time, that she ought to just get one for her love and be done with it … but she got the impression that it was sometimes, maybe, something of a game for her. And damping anything that Kim considered fun simply wasn't in the cards.
Sure enough, there it was in the top drawer. With something that sounded like a cross between a grunt and a sigh, she snatched it up … and then paused, suddenly caught by what lay under the brush.
Shego glanced over at the door, held her breath and listened. The slight noises Kim made while moving around the living room assured the ex-villain that she wasn't being spied on. Turning her attention back to the dark blue envelope with the well-known logo over the word "Delta", she quickly slipped it out and folded it open. Could Kim be planning a surprise of her own? She hadn't dropped even the slightest hint …
Blinking in confusion, Shego read the ticket … read it again … a third time.
Destination: Lyon, France. Departure: next Sunday morning.
One-way. Single ticket.
She looked through the drawer for the other ticket. Maybe each one had its own envelope? But there was no other ticket. Just that one.
Willing her heart to NOT race, Shego put the ticket back exactly where it had been and slid the drawer closed. Then she flopped down on the bed, holding the brush, but not really realizing that it was still in her hand. Every hidden fear she'd harbored over the last year crept out of its hole and squirmed into her mind. Where'd I go wrong? What'd I do that …
No, Sharon, don't be stupid! Kim loves you. She tells you all the time.
Well … yeah, okay. That's true. Kim's never lied to me, not about anything. But then what's up with that ticket? It's not as if she doesn't have transportation to anywhere in the world at a moment's notice. Even if GJ can't get her there, the Nerdlinger could.
So why, insisted her mind, the ticket?
Maybe she doesn't want Wade to know … maybe she's quitting GJ and hasn't told them and wants to disappear and someone in Lyon owes her a favor and she's doing it this way so that she won't have to tell me to my face and I won't be able to stop her and …
Will you just quit with the freaking out? There must be a perfectly plausible explanation.
… Fine. What?
You could just ask her about it.
Seriously? And what if it really IS some big secret thing she has going on? (Bands of iron were squeezing the air from her lungs.) What if she's finally tired of me? What if she finally got sick of fielding all those questions about why she's with a … a villain? What if …
You AREN'T a villain anymore. Your record's been cleared. You're gainfully employed. Hell, you even go on the odd mission with her for GJ! And besides, Anne likes you. She said so.
Her father still isn't too keen on our relationship.
Hey, if Kim is happy, he's happy. Plus, he's totally got his hands full with the Tweebs.
But …
JUST DROP IT! Kim loves you. Why are you being like this? Don't you trust her?
… Well … yeah. Not so sure about ME, though.
But SHE is. She trusts you with her life. Remember back in May when …
Okay, okay! Fine. Have it your way. But I'll watch and see how she reacts to my surprise tomorrow. If things get dodgy, I'll just go ahead and ask her what the ticket's for.
And it'll be NOTHING. You're worrying for NOTHING.
Uh-huh. We'll see.
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8:00pm
The fact that Kim had sent her out on a series of errands did absolutely NOTHING for the Kevlar-and-carbon-fiber-reinforced butterflies occupying Shego's stomach (she suspected that Monique chick of deliberately dragging out the whole fitting thing). Not normally very good at being sneaky, Kim was putting on an Academy-Award-winning performance … if she truly was about dump her. She seemed the very picture of the loving girlfriend.
Shego was losing her mind.
It took her two tries to get the key into the front door, and she nearly dropped one of the three bags she'd carried in, finally depositing them on the breakfast bar …
That's when she noticed the rose petals. The bar was covered with them. So was the floor around it. They made a path out into the living room. Hope wriggled out of the shackles she'd put on it and nudged Worry out of the driver's seat.
Following the trail of petals led her to the French doors to the patio, over the flagstones, across the close-cropped grass of the back yard, and up to the gazebo beside their pool. The woman's jaw dropped. Hard.
Kim sat there, a shy grin on her face, dressed to kill in a royal blue sheath of satin that was suspended by the merest suggestion of a halter, with her magnificent red mane in a glorious up-do held in place with several glittering butterfly pins. She had set up a table in the center of the small shelter. A white linen tablecloth showcased several covered dishes, fine porcelain plates, and artfully folded napkins, the whole lit by an elegant candelabra.
Hesitantly taking the two steps up onto the platform, Shego held out a hand toward the spread (proud of herself that it didn't tremble … much) and stuttered, "Wha-what … what's this?"
"Um … surprise?"
Grasping for something to say that wouldn't sound completely stupid, she managed, "The rose petals were a nice touch."
"Thanks! I came up with that on my own." Standing then, Kim slipped around the table and held the chair for Shego. "I got the timing just about right, and I'd like to get started on the meal before it cools off."
"Oh, uh … sure." She sat.
Kim pulled off the covers with a flourish. "Bon appetite!"
Scrumptious aromas hit Shego's nose and she took a deep, appreciative sniff. "Oh, wow."
Kim took it upon herself to serve her girlfriend: a rare filet mignon, poached pears, and twice-baked potatoes, garnished with crisply fried kale. Then she drizzled a dark red sauce over the meat.
"Holy crap, but that smells good!"
"Thanks."
"Where'd it come from?"
Kim's dimples showed up. "The kitchen."
The other woman's astonishment was obvious. "But … but you don't …"
"Not 'don't' anymore. It's now officially 'didn't'. Ron's been giving me lessons."
"I thought he tried that before."
"I had inspiration this time." She indicated the steak. "Try that."
Shego picked up her knife and fork, but as soon as she poked the filet it became apparent that the knife wouldn't be necessary. The fork practically fell through it. Those dark green lips smiled as she chewed slowly and carefully, swallowed, and leaned back in her chair. "Oh ... my ... God."
Kim tittered a laugh. "It'll do, then?"
"Quiet. Eating."
And they did, with Shego making much over every dish. "What is this awesome sauce?"
"It's a balsamic vinegar reduction with onions, dried cherries and cranberries. Ron explained it all."
"I'm gonna have to do something REALLY great for that guy. This is just incredible."
"Oh, I've got that taken care of."
"… Huh?"
"You know how he's been planning to go to culinary school, right?"
"Yeah, for, like, years."
"I fixed it up with a couple of grateful, ah, former clients. He's going to be attending L'atelier des Chefs in Lyon. He starts next week."
Shego's fork dropped to the table. "… Lyon? France?"
"Yep. And he's going over first class, too. He leaves Sunday." Kim noticed Shego's sudden change of attitude, and reached across to take her hand. "Hey, you okay?"
With a shaky laugh, Shego shook her head and said, "Lyon. The ticket was for Ron."
"Huh? How'd you …"
"I was looking for my brush."
"Oh! Yeah, sorry, sometimes I forget … wait a minute. If you didn't know that ticket was for Ron …" She pulled her hand back.
"I'm an idiot. I was afraid maybe you were tired of me and …" She stopped when Kim held up a hand.
"You actually thought I was planning to leave?"
"No! No, not … um, not really. But you gotta know I feel like I've lucked into the Best Thing Ever with you, me just being a stupid ex-criminal who …"
"Stop."
Shego pressed her lips together.
"When did I ever give the impression that leaving was even a possibility?"
"You didn't! I told you, I'm just … It's me. It's not you. It's MY stupid brain, telling me things that aren't true, and …"
Kim stopped her again. "Sharon, I love you, but it seems apparent that you don't quite understand yet how much. And part of that IS my fault."
"Oh, Kim, no, you've done everything so right that …"
"No. No, I haven't, otherwise you wouldn't have felt threatened." She re-acquired the older woman's hand. "No, I think there's something missing. Something that will convince you that you'll never get rid of me." She rose, never letting go of the other woman's fingers, and came around to her side of the table. "I was going to do this after dessert, so I'm a tad ahead of schedule, but I think this is even better."
"What is?"
Kim knelt, reached up to one of her butterfly pins, and pulled something free, holding it out to Shego. "Sharon Elizabeth Go, will you marry me?"
It was a ring. A delicate confection of platinum and diamonds with a flawless oval-cut emerald in the center. Suddenly a bit dizzy, she gripped Kim's hand hard. "I'm … wait, what?"
"I want to marry you. Sharon, you make my life complete. You're the better half of my soul that I didn't know was missing. My perfect match in every way imaginable. I cannot FATHOM a future without you in it, and I want to make it official. I also don't want there to be any doubt in your mind that you're stuck with me." She slid the ring onto Shego's finger. "Please say you will."
"I will." There was no hesitation. Then Shego swept the smaller woman up into a massive, crushing hug. "Thank you. Thank you so much."
"… air …"
"Sorry!" She set Kim down. "I just … I'm so … so intensely happy!"
"Me, too." She continued the embrace, with a bit less force. "And I have a sort of confession, too."
"Oh?" Shego held her slightly away. "Confession?"
"It wasn't ALL Ron."
"… The meal?"
"Yes."
"Uh … okay. What do you mean?"
"Part of the reason that you enjoyed it so much," she admitted with a smile, "is that while I was putting everything together, I thought with every step, every stir, about how very much I love you."
Blushing furiously, Shego suddenly found the floor tremendously interesting. "Oh. You, ah, you heard that."
"Yep." She took her lover's chin in a finger and thumb and pulled her gaze up. She was already in stilettos, so they were about the same height, which made capturing those dark lips all the easier. After a couple of minutes of this most pleasant activity, Kim rested her head on Sharon's shoulder, and said, "What the REAL puzzlement is in our relationship is why you fell for me in the first place. I'm really, REALLY glad you did. But, girl, you have to know that you've got it going ON. You could have your pick of practically anyone on the planet. And I feel so lucky, so blessed, so infinitely fortunate that you chose me." She kissed the side of Shego's neck and whispered, "And I'll tell you every day for the rest of your life."
With a short, delicious shudder, her lover said, "I'll take it."
They held the tableau for another minute or so until Kim said, "You know, I mentioned that I made a dessert. If you're interested."
"Dessert?" A lascivious grin got comfortable on Shego's lips. "Sure. I'll take that, too." So saying, she swept Kim up into a bridal-style hold and carried her inside.
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End Note: And with that, this little vignette IS complete. Probably.
I'd love to know what you thought of it.
