Disclaimer Thingy: Kim Possible is the sole property of Mark McCorkle, Bob Schooley and Disney …and all those other people that helped put it together. Ha-ha. I do not own Kim Possible, mmkay? But I kind of do own the idea behind this fanfic. So please don’t sue me. Or hurt me. It’s not my fault I could barely catch any episodes of the show!

Author Note: Apologies for the delay!

Warning: There are lies and drug abuse in this chapter and illusions to other illegal activities. Reader discretion is advised.

Summary: Cross and Charr are good friends and he’s treated his friend well this day. But how will she take his latest surprise?

Improbable

by MachaBadb

2 -“The Deserving Ones”

“This is not…this cannot be what I think it is.” Her voice was strangely subdued and for a moment, her gaze turned to one of quiet wonder. She was still holding the same box, which she now noted was just large enough, but not. It had simple red wrapping, which crinkled and tore easily under the actions of her hands. The lid of the box had been wrapped individually and for a moment, she turned and looked at it. The ribbons of the torn green bow sat there. Slowly, her emerald green orbs turned back to the contents of the box; one of her raven brows rose into an elegant arc.

“Ummm…” Elmo chuckled in embarrassment, unconsciously twisting a section on the bottom of his shirt. His cheeks visibly reddened. “I thought you’d like it? I mean it is one of your colors, Mac.” He flinched as her gaze lifted from the box to him. Mackenzie merely stared at him and then looked back into the box with an unreadable expression. Despite not being in her sights anymore, Elmo was still nervous. He wasn’t sure. Of course, when he’d bought these things, he had believed she would be overjoyed to see them. Looking at his friend now, with her glossy dark hair and finely chiseled features… He paused in his line of thinking as he heard her soft voice again.

“There’s other things in here with this…aren’t there?” This time, a light frown crossed her face. Of all of the surprises she’d gotten in her life, of ALL… This one had to be one of the nicest and most painful she’d ever seen.

“Well…” Elmo drew the words out. “Yes. But there are always accessories for outfits such as this.” His shoulders sagged at the weak laugh that came from his friend. Had he made a mistake doing this? It was beginning to seem that way. Those laughing eyes were shuttered; as if somehow the mere significance of this had sucked the happiness from her. These things in this box were not meant to cause her such pain.

“Elmo… Cross, take a good look at me.” She set the box down and stretched her arms out. When that did not seem to be enough for her, she pulled up her sleeves, revealing, finally, to him -- her scarred arms. She had very visible track marks, the signs of a person with a drug habit. Oh, Cross thought. If she knew I’d seen those before… His earlier days with Mac had seen him at times forcibly dragging her out of stupors and finding her in back alleys peddling her body for drugs, when merely pawning off items she’d once held value for had not been enough. Over time, Mackenzie had single handedly given away over seven hundred thousand dollars worth of items. “Take a long and hard look at me. Do I look like someone who would wear something like this?” After speaking, she reached into the box and extracted a pair of black opera gloves. The palms were lime green. Setting them aside, she again reached into the box and pulled out a black, sleeveless dress. Frowning openly now, she tossed them aside. “A long time ago, I would have.”

“Mac--” He interrupted, not wanting her to go down this familiar road of self loathing and disgust. He knew what would happen if she kept up this mode of thinking and secretly to himself, he began to pray. Pray that Mac would find it in her heart to forgive herself and kick the drug habit.

“No! Cross, you’re going to listen and listen good, alright?” After he closed his mouth, she continued. “Sometimes there are people who wear things like that. They’re cultured, controlled and classy people. Sometimes they’re a bit unnerving and have superior attitudes. I used to be like them. I had money…a lot of it and could easily pay for a ticket to any play or performance of my choosing. But I lost that, do you hear me Cross? It’s gone. I’m not them anymore my friend.” At her last few words, he let escape the breath he was holding. At least she still considered him a friend. Pulling one of the other boxes resting under the dress out, she questioned. “And this?” Mac peered at him curiously then, hearing an audible swallow. She opened the box, peering inside. “Oh Cross…” She carefully extracted a necklace with a thin chain and pendant on the end. “I do…” A weakened sigh. “I don’t…” Shaking her head, she put the necklace down. It was so quickly, as if she expected such finery would burn her for daring to touch it. The sight broke his heart. He rose out of his seat, hoping…praying that he would be able to find the words to say to ease her. They never came.

“But it is for you Mackenzie!” He watched her with growing regret as she shoved the dress, necklace and gloves back into the large box.

“People like me don’t deserve shit like this.” Standing then, she handed the box to him and helped herself out the door. He could only watch her go. Letting the box slip from his numbed fingers, he sat back down suddenly. Knowing she was gone was one thing, but waiting for her to return would be torture. He always worried when she’d up and walk out like this. And this time, Cross might not be able to find her again.

Later…at ‘I Is’ Diner…

Two people were seated at a table there. One of them was a man who had brown hair and dark brown eyes. He was currently using the knife he held to cut into a steak that was on his place. His gaze was sad, however, as he looked at the person seated across from him. For the time being, she was oblivious to his stare. The woman had her red hair in haphazard braids all over her head. Her immediate attention was on a notebook sitting on the table next to her own plate. She was holding a pen in one hand and half squinting in that cute way he liked. The plate of fettuccini alfredo in front of her remained untouched. For the next few minutes, he watched her move to write something on the page and then pause, only to return to it again. His features relaxed, and he spoke. “Problem, sweetie?” Lifting her head at last, the redhead grinned, her green eyes glittering.

“Typical physics problems.” She made a mark on her page then. Smiling, she wrote something else down. “It’s asking what the inductance L of the inductor is.” Blinking, he made no comment as she continued to speak. “Basically, the flux through the inductor is four, the number of windings is nine--” He cleared his throat, cutting her off. Blushing a little, she shook her head and resumed writing out answers or possible answers to the problems.

“Uh, well, you know I have no head for that kind of stuff.” Half smiling now, he lightly waved his fork with a bit of steak and egg on it in a small circle. “Goes right out of my realm of thinking.” He lowered his voice. “Or uh…my actual grasp of thought.” She was quiet for a while, and he resumed eating.

“Honestly, you give yourself too little credit Samuel.” Waiting expectantly, when he finally looked at her, she smiled again. “Me…what I’m doing is just numbers. But you save lives with what you’re studying.” He chuckled humorlessly as she finally set the pen down and picked up her fork. “What? It’s true.”

“I understand what you’re saying Kim…honest. But there’s a huge difference between us and our courses of choice.” Kim, with her mouth full of pasta, was unable to reply. “I mean, you turn that stuff inside out all the time. You simply love physics. You even do that stuff in your sleep.” She paused, blinking owlishly then. “Yes, even in your sleep. Sometimes I hear you muttering about some ‘one do’ or ‘one di’.” Another blush. “And something about a ‘delta u’ and ‘q’. Whatever that is.”

“Dwa firsp law of tretrodymnumnu.” He lifted a brow, staring at her oddly then; Kim quieted until she finished her mouthful. “Thermodynamics.”

“Ah.” She chuckled.

“To be honest, I love physics. It’s a passion of mine. But I am being honest with myself. It can be applied to many things, but will it immediately breathe for someone. Or find a possible cure to some illness? Can physics actually restart someone’s heart after it stops? I don’t think so. Samuel, they’re just numbers and letters scribbled on a page. They don’t mean anything.”

“Actually… You’re very wrong, sweetie. Physics developed the technology that tracks the path of electricity in the heart and also developed the technique used to do a three dimensional screening of someone’s body. And…” He held up his fork to make the point. “It actually has helped diagnose and treat illnesses.” Kim mumbled something noncommittal and resumed eating. “It’s very useful. And like I said, you love doing it. I bet you’d bathe in those numbers and letters if you could.”

“Hrm…” Another noncommittal noise. “If you’re done going on and on about how my particular course chose me, what about yourself? Anything new going on?” Samuel merely scowled and shook his head.

“You know how the story goes. Ever since I was a little boy--”

“And your doctor daddy was able to hold you and a medical text in his lap at the same time…” The pretty redhead’s lips turned up at the corner again in response to Samuel’s hasty scowl.

“As I was saying… Ever since ah… that… I’d been reading through medical books. Medical journals, plus the take your child to work days.” He sighed.

“I know. Don’t you like doing it though? Let’s be honest here, Samuel. You have got to be the most knowledgeable med student they’ve ever seen! Studying for you? Ha! So not an issue!”

“Oh, I am. Not that I find anything exciting about it.” Kim grew silent. “I hate medical school, Kim.” He watched her brows furrow. “I always have.”

“I know. But… Samuel, I don’t understand.” She shook her head, dislodging some of the braids. “You always used to say you liked to study in that--”

“Yes, yes. I know.” He toyed with his napkin. “But…well, it’s complicated sweetheart.” Frowning, he watched her idly twirl her fork in the creamy pasta resting on her plate. Shaking her head, she brought a healthy bite of it to her lips. “It is.” She didn’t respond. In fact, a disturbed expression slowly crept over her formerly cheerful features. She looked anything but happy and at the moment Samuel wanted to kick himself. Of course it was his fault that she was unhappy. He could never do anything right! At least that’s what he told himself. He thought over his relationship with Kim. In the three years they’d been together, she’d been perfectly honest with him. She’d put her faith in him, trusted him. And believed his lies when they first met. At the time, Kim had been in the waiting room of Middleton Hospital waiting for the chance to visit her mother. The woman had been in a skating accident. He’d been focused on getting more credit in his class and had been putting in working hours there. That had been the first day they met. When he came into the waiting room to give her the news that more tests needed to be done. She began babbling with speed then, asking all sorts of questions. Seeming to bombard him with them. And he’d answered, to the best of his ability.

He’d been so soothing and calming to her then. In his mind, he’d done his best to keep her relaxed, or as at ease as was possible given the circumstances. And he’d learned her name. This was no ordinary redhead with her mother. This was Kimberly Ann Possible. Kim Possible. This girl was the superhero who wasn’t. He’d realized then…as he held her in his arms and gently rubbed her back. He knew he had to have her for his own. And so he’d set out for that. It was very subtle with him initially changing his shifts to coincide with her visiting hours that first week… her mother had been kept there for observation, as she seemed to have some pressure against a nerve. From what he knew, the doctors had hesitated with operating to relieve the pressure…hoping it would abate on its own. They exchanged phone numbers at some point. As he thought back over it, he couldn’t quite recall when exactly that happened. He didn’t remember when he found out they went to the same college. He didn’t remember all the times she would call him at night or how long he would stay up or what ever it was they spoke of.

None of that seemed to stick. What did stay was the day they began officially dating. He remembered that after a year and six months, he’d taken her to meet with his family. To have called them thrilled when she was introduced would have been a severe understatement. His father was proud of him for finding such a girl. His mother was more emotional than his father and had hugged Kim. His younger siblings were also overjoyed. To them, Kim possible truly had been the girl that could do anything. And now here she was. His girl. His superhero. Scoffing silently to himself, he pushed down a sense of disgust. The way they and even he himself had acted, it would have been better to have mounted her on the wall. Alongside the trophy closet, for all eyes to see. He’d sensed her unease about such a welcome but had done nothing to alleviate it. If anything, he’d poured on even more charm until it was almost sickening.

Yet here they were, still together after even that. Surely, this wouldn’t be the beginning of more problems. Or would it?

“Sam?” What was that? He wondered as his mind returned to the present. Oh, that’s right.

“Yes?” Kim stared at him oddly.

“I’ve been trying to speak to you for the past two minutes. Is…is everything alright?” Samuel opened his mouth a fraction and paused. He’d been with Kim for so long, that he’d begun to recognize her facial expressions. She was fortifying herself, readying for another lie. He blew a few strands of hair out of his eyes and returned her stare.

“No. I’m really not, Kim. I think it’s time that I explain exactly what the problem has been.” Kim nodded, raising a hand to silence him for a moment. She then lifted the same hand and waved over a waitress. As the woman approached, she turned to her boyfriend.

“This is so going to call up a need for coffee, isn’t it?” The soft smile he was on the receiving end of made Samuel feel marginally better. Notwithstanding, he was unsure. He still had no clue how Kim would react when he told her the truth. The truth… The words teased the edge of his tongue. He wanted to just tell her everything all at once, but he was worried about how that would turn out. He was at the least honest to himself and knew that the worst that could happen would be her leaving him. He didn’t want that. But he also didn’t want the lie to continue, or worse….transform into something that neither of them could handle.

“Yes. See if you can get a pot. I’ll pay.” And for a moment, he indulged in her gentle argument about how she wanted them to equally split the bill for their meal. For these few minutes, all would be well.

Two alleys from ‘I Is’ Diner…

Mac was shivering. God, she was so cold. Even though it wasn’t cold outside, she could feel it. She waited some time in that alley. Unsure of how long it was, she nevertheless waited. And then she saw Him approach. He was a tall man, dressed in a pair of jeans. The hood of the zipped red sweater he wore was pulled down over his eyes. He paused and looked in her direction. She forced a cheerful expression on to her face. Or whatever it was that she had that passed for cheer these days. “Haven’t seen you in some time.” Lowering the zipper on his sweater, he pulled out a cigarette and lighter. With ease that came from practice, he flipped the lid on the lighter open and lit the cigarette, settling to take a long drag from it. “Where you been?” Shaking her head, she wrapped her arms tighter around herself.

“Can’t…can’t say.” Refusing to answer was the same as a lie in her opinion. But the less she told him about her attempt and yet again failure at treatment…the better. She blinked. Waiting as he took another pull from the cigarette and blew the smoke directly into her face. She didn’t even react. Had this been six or even seven years previous, such an act would have pulled something…anything from her. But now she didn’t even seem to care. Her life had changed in many ways since then. The man let his gray eyes wander over Mac’s form.

“Got you some nice clothes though. Where’d you get them?” He waited and bided his time. His answers would come soon enough. They always did with his clients.

“F-From a friend.” She murmured, her shoulders relaxing a little. This was the truth. Cross had been an indelible friend from the very beginning. After a while, she’d grown used to him and seen him as a constant in her life. As was this man, but unlike him…she liked seeing Cross. She heard a laugh and her lips turned down at the corners.

“He knows what you do for your Doctor Feelgood, huh?” Her eyes darted around her surroundings, praying and hoping Cross wouldn’t just spring out of thin air like he always seemed to do. “How you beg for it. And plead for it? Does he know about the men that you service for just a taste…” He reached into his sweater and pulled out a small paper baggie, waving it a little in front of her eyes. Her eyes watered at the corners. “Does he? Say…he one of the men you--”

“No.” Her statement was clear and concise. There was no way she was going to let this guy smudge her friend’s name. Not even if it was just to her. “No. H-He has nothing to do with this. And he’ll never know.”

“Oh? He doesn’t even know you go down for some dope, huh?” Mac shook her head quietly. After a while, he shrugged, a little of his blonde hair hanging in his eyes. “I don’t care.” She nodded, and he smiled widely. “Got the cash and maybe I’ll let you have one of these babies.” She nodded, checking her pockets and immediately cursed under her breath. Her possessions were still stashed back in the alley she lived in. Along with them…the cash she’d gotten earlier. “Hey hey now!” He started. “Easy. You take this for now and pay me later.” She went to thank him, and withered under the glare in his eyes. “You will pay me later, now won’t you?”

“Of course!”

“Good. Cause I’d hate to see something happen to that friend of yours. You know the one? The cook?” He watched her eyes widen in satisfaction and noted how fast a denial rose to her lips. “Don’t lie to me about that one, darlin’… Answer’s written all over your face. It’s simple for you. Just pay me, and he’ll remain safe and sound and oblivious. And don’t worry about it…Charr, was it? I know where you live. And where he does too.”

‘I Is’ Diner…

The pair sat in silence, sipping from coffee mugs. The waitress had easily taken up the new order that Kim had placed and then headed off to obtain it. “Hmm.” Kim murmured. Samuel had not spoken a word since before the waitress arrived and now he was just staring into his coffee, as if willing some grand answer to appear in the dark depths of the liquid. Sighing, she took another drink from the mug and began eating her now cold alfredo. Some time passed, and she lifted her eyes, noticing Samuel staring at her plate. “What?” One of his brows lifted, a faint grumble rising from her throat. Her own brows lifted when she noticed where his sudden glare was directed. “You don’t have to keep staring at my food like that, Samuel. It’s not going to suddenly rise up and strangle me or anything.”

“B--”

“He speaks!” At her words, he quieted down. “And is this going to be another ramble about why I shouldn’t eat what I am? I know you were staring earlier.” Instead of even trying to deny this, he merely nodded in agreement.

“I just worry about you. I’m sorry but I do.”

“I understand that, but how is me eating my pasta going to effect anything?” She set her fork down. At least now he was talking. Samuel’s grip on his mug tightened.

“Kim, you know the doctor said your cholesterol was elevated--”

“Yes and I have been careful. I don’t eat like this everyday.” She picked up her own mug, biting her bottom lip.

“But still… This could turn into more servings which could--”

“Gee… And to think, you hate being a medical student.” She saw the hurt in his eyes, but refused to acknowledge it. “Illnesses and states of health are not so easily built. And I can guarantee you, that this one measly plate of fettuccini alfredo will not later result in me developing some deadly illness.”

“I know, but if something does happen, don’t you think it would be best for your body to be running on all burners instead of a few? I mean, look at how bad your moth--Err…” Samuel shut his mouth abruptly, knowing he had unconsciously stepped right onto sensitive territory with his girlfriend. Glancing around, he noticed they were also getting unwanted attention. And he’d just lit a fuse that wouldn’t be easily extinguished. The effects of his words on Kim were immediate. Her large sea green eyes began to fill with tears. “I didn’t mean to say that, Kim. I didn’t.”

“How dare you…” Her eyes narrowed and she rose out of her seat, leaving the mug sitting on the table. “How COULD you?!” She slammed her hands on the table for emphasis, and he jumped in his seat. “The doctors said it won’t kill her. How the hell could you even think otherwise? My mother’s not going to die! She…She can’t.” This time…He knew he’d really messed up. The waitress was coming back as Kim grabbed up her books and notes. “Fuck you, Samuel!” His eyes widened. For a moment, he sat in stunned silence. Kim had never cursed, at least not like that. And now, she was heading out the door. He had to stop her. Pulling out his wallet, he tossed a fifty dollar bill to the waitress, scooped up his backpack and ran after Kim. The waitress just stood there bemused and holding the bill in one hand. Their total bill had only been fifteen dollars…

Outside…

“Hey! Watch the hell where you’re going!” A man in a business suit exclaimed. The woman who had bumped into him had caused him to nearly drop his suitcase.

“Sorry!” She called. Mac kept her back turned away from him as she continued to walk. She knew before he discovered something of his was missing that it was imperative she get away. Pausing to glance over her shoulder, she saw him walking off, frustration visible in the way he was walking. She let out a sigh of relief and returned to walking, slipping the wallet she’d picked from him into her own pocket. She paused as she saw ‘I Is’ Diner, her stomach grumbling a little and reminding her that she hadn’t yet eaten. Stopping her hand as it moved towards the wallet, she shook her head. What she had gotten from the dealer was more important to her than food currently.

“Damn it Kim! Stop! Let’s talk about this!” The voices broke her reverie and she looked away from the diner, walking back towards her home. She hadn’t even seen the face of the furious redhead as Kim had stormed out of the diner, only to be grabbed by one arm. Nor had she seen Kim whirl around to face the man who had stopped her.

“Samuel, I--” Kim paused then, noticing the woman in sweatpants walking away from the diner.

“Kim?” Samuel became concerned, especially when his girlfriend started walking towards the woman. “Wait, what is it? Is something wrong?” Her shoulders slumped, and she looked to him.

“Yes. There is Samuel. And when we get home, we need to talk about this. I want us to be honest with each other. Haven’t I been with you?” He looked away. “Samuel…” She walked up to him and cupped his face. “Samuel, don’t I at least deserve that from you? How do you think it makes me feel to know you’ve lied to me and still won’t tell me the truth?” He lowered his eyes.

“At home, we’ll talk. Alright?” She nodded, and he released the breath he’d been holding. Pulling her close, he hugged her. Another disaster averted. His eyes opened, looking in the direction the strange woman had wandered off to. At least he hoped so.

In the Alley…

All that she’d thought of since coming back home was how to stop it all. Sniffing, she was careful in modulating the flame coming from her right hand as the left held the spoon and her precious drug. When she deemed it safely cooked, she drew the fluids up into a needle. For a moment, she paused, staring at the needle. And trying to force her addicted mind to not give in. Drugs weren’t the answers to her problems. They never had been and yet here she was now, having been kicked out of yet another addiction program after she was caught using. It had only been a little marijuana, but their rules had been strict.

The next morning, she had found herself and her things on the street yet again. And she’d come back ‘home’. Or at least the place she’d been calling her home for the past three years. She was glad the clothing she wore was baggy. It hid the results of the last few years on her once robust frame. She’d been a master martial artist, a very skilled thief and one of the most wanted female criminals in the world. When had everything gone so wrong? A brief glimpse of it came to mind and she wallowed in the misery that often accompanied such depressing memories.

“Who’s this?” It was strange…So very strange to be looking into one’s own eyes to begin with. Especially when they were in another person’s body. And the body matched.

“Your replacement.” The blue man had replied, smugly. He looked between his soon to be former assistant and her duplicate and grinned broadly. Her mouth dropped open. “Shego version point five, meet Shego version two point oh.” He added then, as an aside. “I call her two point oh because she is obviously so much better than the original. Now aren’t you, Two?” Shego watched in horror as her copy’s mouth opened and her own voice came out.

“I sure am, Doctor Drakken, the Ultimate Supreme and High Highness One.” Shego rolled her eyes then and settled into the habit she’d grown accustomed to when irritated or nervous by something her boss did. She began to file her nails.

“I think this clone is broken, Drakken.” She was startled when the duplicate took her file from her.

“On the contrary. I am merely giving the Doctor the honor and respect he deserves.” The clone snapped the file in half then, her hands lighting up and incinerating it.

“Time to go, Shego.” When she didn’t immediately move, he clapped his gloved hands. “Chop chop! The sooner you leave, the faster you’ll be gone.”

“Sure Doctor D. I’ll be at that place I normally go to when you claim you’re throwing me out. See you there.” Shego turned to go into her room to collect her things when Drakken spoke up again.

“I actually have a better idea. Two point oh…get rid of her.” What had followed had been Shego’s most difficult fight and her most painful defeat.

Mac lightly shook her head and tried to think about what she was about to do. She had Cross, but he was currently her only friend. Doors had slammed in her face after Drakken had discarded her. She had Kim, but then she really didn’t…did she? She’d heard that Kim had retired from the crime-fighting scene which had surprised her. She had her drugs, which would take the pain away for a time. Tough choice. Cross, who didn’t understand, Kim who she’d not seen in a while…or Doctor Feelgood. As the needle penetrated her skin, she paused. Despite this, her thumb began to press on the plunger, once again flooding her system with the drugs. As it filled her, she believed what she’d done was right. She told herself she could handle anything that life threw at her.

All she knew then was darkness.

The Next Morning…

Cross was heading to work as always, but decided to make his usual detour, ducking into the alley he usually found Charr in. Soon after stepping inside, however; he raised his hands to the sides of his head.

“Oh! Oh my god, NO!” The howl wrenched itself from his throat.

To Be Continued…

Next Chapter: Doctor! Doctor! What is Samuel’s big secret? Kim’s mother is sick? With what and why does she keep mentioning the possibility of it being life threatening? Who is that drug dealer and how does he know so much? What’s up with Charr -- or should I say Shego and what did Elmo find the next day? Find out (some) of these answers in the next chapter of Improbable!