And You And I

S202 (U1): When it's all over we still have to clear up

Author's note:

Ok, so one down, three to go. Chapter two's title; When it's all over we still have to clear up, is the title of a Snow Patrol track from the album of the same name. Given that this chapter focuses on the aftermath of Kim's self-discovery from the end of last season, it seemed quite an appropriate title.

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Rain lashed against the privacy glass of the penthouse apartment. The strife in the clouds above analogous to the internal conflict brewing inside the dwelling's occupant. A jagged bolt of lightning tore across the sky and was followed mere seconds later by the delicate sound of thunder. The combination of light and sound briefly lit up the apartment's main living area and echoed around the room respectively. The owner; situated at the dining table, showed no outward sign of having noticed either.

Flaming red hair in a tousled mess, olive-green eyes sullen and slightly bloodshot from lack of sleep, Kim Possible sat with a half-full mug of cold coffee in front of her. If she had been a smoker, there would have been a lit cigarette in her hand; with an inch of ash almost burnt to her fingertips and an ashtray on the table; overflowing with stubbed out butts. Only she had never touched a cigarette in her life. Instead, sprawled out on her sofa, she had an unconscious naked-mole-shark, its small pink belly bulging and surrounded by a mess of cheese balls and onion rings, that had gone slightly stale from too much exposure to the air.

What does all this mean? Kim thought for the umpteenth time since plonking herself down at the dining table with her now cold coffee. Since her emotionally draining trip down memory lane last night and the subsequent earth-shattering discovery that she liked girls, she had only managed a few hours of fitful sleep. Come six-thirty that morning; when her alarm clock had gone off, she'd hit it until it had stopped beeping and tried to go back to sleep. Only the attempt had been just as futile as any she had tried throughout the night. Eventually, at about eight o'clock, she'd given up, climbed out of bed, pulled a fluffy pink housecoat on over her lilac pyjamas and trudged through to the kitchen to make some coffee.

It was now nine-thirty and she had made zero progress. Aside from the aforementioned coffee, Kim had not even managed to form a concrete thought about making breakfast, such was her minds current state of disarray. Indeed, at this very moment in time, several thoughts tried to force their way through the metaphorical door in her mind that would garner them full attention. Did I like girls before Lisa kissed me, or did that happen as a result of her kissing me? Damn, I feel hungry. Do I still like boys? I could really go for some toaster tarts right about now. Am I gay? Bisexual? Needless to say, the result was a train wreck and the final thought that actually got her attention was something akin to, am I a lesbian toaster boy? The emergence of this bastardised concatenation finally caused her to pause as a, 'what the fuck,' expression formed on her face. She let out a long sigh, first off, I don't have toaster tarts, so unless I go out and get some, that idea won't fly. However, before she could move onto thinking about any of the other points that had been raised in her mind, the nuclear bomb question dropped through her thought process and once more obliterated everything, does this mean that I... like Shego?

Before she could stop herself, instinct took over and Kim rose from her chair. Without hesitation, she crossed the apartment, headed down the short corridor and into her workroom. Undressing, she went into her wardrobe and suited up in her purple mission outfit. It was only while waiting impatiently for her PC to boot, that the thought, you're trying to run away again, finally crept into her mind. Kim's hand froze, just as she hovered the mouse over the icon for her website. She was doing just that. The moment her site opened, she would scroll through the list of requests and accept the first one that would take her out of the country. She'd then quickly arrange transport, pack her bags and leave the apartment and all her problems behind her; to be dealt with later. Only later would never come. She'd jet around the world doing mission after mission for a week, probably longer and only come home when she absolutely had to. Rinse and repeat until her problems were buried so deep, she forgot about them. Except there would be no forgetting this one, as sooner or later, Shego and Drakken would escape from jail, hatch another take over the world scheme and she would be forced to face her rival. And Kim knew that just the sight of Shego, with her green-tinged skin, luxurious raven hair and those tantalising lips; covered in black lipstick, would be enough to dig up everything she was trying to run from.