It was late, past midnight, but it was well into spring and the night was warm. Shego had tried kidding herself for the past hour, convincing herself that she wasn't really wandering around Middleton just to check up on a certain redhead, but she'd been "stretching her legs" around the same three blocks for a long while now, too long to be wandering and turning to stalling.

Maybe stalking?

Shego huffed a sigh. She was making laps around Kim's apartment building. The fact that she knew where it was, was bad enough, but that she knew which floor and which window belonged to the hero? Ugh. That was worse still.

At least it was late enough that her circuits weren't drawing attention. She was wearing dark jeans and a lime green v-neck shirt, so it wasn't as though her dress would be out of place, but a nosy neighbor might decide to call the police if she turned the corner for a fourth time, so she came to a stop underneath Kim's window. Three floors up, the girl was - well, she's probably sleeping, doy. It is one in the morning, Shego grumbled to herself.

Still, it wouldn't hurt to just check on her, right? Make sure no other crazy villain was trying to get their paws on her, a la one still-imprisoned Gemini?

Right.

With a running start, Shego pushed off with her right foot, using the side of the building for leverage and bouncing off two window ledges until she reached Kim's. She crouched quietly and removed the screen, lifting the window, slowly until she was sure there was no alarm, and then raising it completely. The window was into the living room and Shego allowed her eyes time to adjust to the dark, taking in the shapes of a sofa and an entertainment cabinet.

Then a shout and a crash from down the hall.

Shego leapt inside, rolling as she hit the floor, coming to her feet and hurrying towards the sound. The yell had come from what Shego assumed was Kim's bedroom - she was instantly aware that Kim had taken the bedroom without a window facing the street. The girl wanted a bit more security.

Green flared as Shego let the plasma grow in her hands, prepared for whoever or whatever might be attacking Kim.

The girl was trapped, that much was clear. Her legs were entangled in the sheets and one hand was shoved inside a pillowcase, Kim apparently caught in an intense dream.

Shego took a second to breathe and doused the flames, pulling off her gloves and deciding it was time to wake Kim from this nightmare, now that her heart had stopped pounding.

"Kimmie?" The girl murmured but didn't wake. "Hey, princess," Shego tried again, softly.

Kim flung an arm out. Shego ducked, but saw what must have caused the crash she'd heard a minute before - the lamp had been knocked off the bedside table, probably by Kim's first attack. Or was it defense? Shego frowned, wondering what was plaguing the redhead's sleep.

Kim's brow creased and she fidgeted as the blankets tightened their hold.

A whimper.

Shego decided that was enough. Carefully, she reached out and put a hand on Kim's shoulder. Kim shuddered and grabbed Shego's wrist, preparing for a fight, crying out when she realized her legs were caught.

"Easy, Kim." Shego caught Kim's other hand as she tried for a left hook. "You're okay."

Kim struggled once but then blinked, eyes opening slowly, beginning to focus. "Sh… Shego?"

"Hey there. You with me?" When Kim nodded, Shego released her hold. "That must have been some nightmare."

Kim threaded her fingers through Shego's and kept a tight hold on the woman's hand, to which Shego raised an eyebrow but otherwise didn't object. "You're okay."

Understanding dawned and Shego gently squeezed the hand Kim had claimed. "I'm okay. I'm sure the buffoon is fine, too."

Kim shook her head. "It's never Ron," she said, "only you." Her hands shook and she took a slow, deep breath, reminding herself that the woman was right in front of her. She was touching her, hearing her breathe. "Ron gets the mask and he's okay, but you… I can't…"

Shego frowned. "No, you can. And you did. I'm right here. You saved me."

At that, Kim gave a small smile. "I still owe you, though."

"No," Shego disagreed, "you don't."

Silence fell, as Kim digested that, wondering what it might mean that Shego didn't plan on calling in favors for having saved her on at least two separate occasions. Then, she asked, "Did Wade send you to check up on me?"

After a moment, Shego admitted, "No. I came here on my own."

Kim's smile grew. "I'm glad." She slid over to the opposite side of the bed, tugging on Shego's hand until the woman laid beside her. "Will you…?"

"I'm not going anywhere, princess. Go back to sleep."

"I can, now." Kim closed her eyes, content with the knowledge that even if she fell into the same nightmare, the moment she woke she would know it wasn't true. The woman she so feared she'd lost was literally within her reach. There would be time in the morning, after Kim finally managed to rest, to discuss where they stood on the whole "friends" or "enemies" thing.

But, for now, Kim slept.