#benjimators

The vine slinked away as Drakken turned back to the window and crossed his arms. "I would if I could find the bed," he grumbled.

He could practically feel Shego rolling her eyes behind him. Predictably, she crossed the room to another stack of boxes and ripped through the tape to get into one.

"Look, here's your futon..." she said, dropping the item on the floor as she walked up to the stack right next to him, "and here's your jammies," she said, opening another box. She plucked the folded clothes out and dropped them in his lap, followed by his teddy bear and slippers.

He blinked twice, and then grumbled out his thanks.

"You're welcome," she said. Her tone was almost polite, causing him to look up in curiosity. The moment their eyes met she turned away, walking back into some other part of the lair.

It had been like that since the ceremony. She never really looked at him, and their conversations were short and only about necessary things. She hadn't said anything sarcastic in over a day.

"Drakken, get these things off of me!" she hissed out through clenched teeth as cameras began to flash.

"I don't...! I didn't—" he stuttered, looking anxiously at the crowd as the vines tightened further around them.

"Tell them to let go!"

"Rgh. Flower, let us go!" he commanded quietly.

Obediently, the vines released them and Shego immediately stepped away from his side. He glanced at her as she swept her hair back, continuing to smile and wave as if nothing was amiss. He followed her lead.

He hadn't thought any more about it until they had arrived back at the lair and she immediately abandoned him for her room. When he realized nothing was in it since they hadn't had a chance to unpack, that's when he began really thinking back over the last two days.

Praise and honor and glory and a pardon, and money and job offers and research grants, and.....

It was beyond anything he had ever wished for, and he had made the excuse that he needed to do more work on his plant formula to ensure it continued working in order to escape the throngs. And now he realized that while Shego had been his companion through all of it, she had been completely silent.

He started to set his teddy bear back in the box when a large, dark book inside caught his eye. When had he packed that?

He lifted the old photo album out of the box and opened to the first page. Under the plastic was an 8 x 10 sepia photo of a baby wearing a white frilly dress and cap, giggling up at whoever was behind the camera.

'Drew's christening,' the caption read in his mother's handwriting.

Drakken began perusing the album, genuinely not remembering the last time he had seen it. Had his mother brought it during one of her visits? Had Shego packed it?

It was his entire life, condensed into one cliche narrative: the story of geek-boy, growing up brilliant and receiving all the accolades from school and from his family, but utterly friendless. He didn't like remembering it, and wondered again where the album had come from.

When he reached the final few pages he slowed down and actually looked. One photo was in front of the dome of M.I.S.T., where he posed with James, Bobby, and Ramesh in front of Bobby's new Audi. They were all smiling and throwing hand-signals that they thought made them look cool. Next to that photo was one of his mother kissing him goodbye on the day he had moved into the dorms.

He sighed. The college photos were painful, but he did like to see them. They reminded him of why he had become a villain.

But now...

The jobs he had been offered, the invitations to join research teams, the pardon... Everything he ever wanted and more was being offered to him on a silver platter. He finally, finally had the recognition he had wanted all his life.

Except...

He looked down at the images of his so-called friends, who had mocked and teased him and put down every innovation he had ever tried. Then he looked out the window, watching as the sun slipped beyond the horizon.

The awards and priveleges were conditional. The only way to keep them would be to stop being a villain. And if he stopped...would he eventually be ridiculed again? Would his heroics be forgotten in the face of his...unconventional ideas?

And if he didn't change his ways, what would the world do to him?

His gaze drifted through the darkening skies until resting on the remains of the alien robot which Shego had demolished.

Shego...

He sat forward suddenly as he realized—none of it would have been possible without her. The earth would be under alien rule right now if she hadn't come after him and saved him. He'd be dead and forgotten, his corpse mounted on some Lorwardian's living room wall.

He tried to tell himself that of course she had come after him, he was her boss after all. It was in her job description to save him. And besides, he was the world's utmost genius. It would have been crazy of her to not...

He slumped back and hung his head. Who was he kidding? He was lucky she'd come after him. He had no idea why she stuck with him at all, especially after everything that had happened the first time Warmonga had shown up.

He owed Shego everything. It...wasn't really for him to choose his fate, if he was being fair. And he already knew what Shego would choose.

He felt a twinge of pain in his chest then, and realized that...maybe he really did want to try out being on the side of good again. Maybe? But there was no way Shego ever would, so there was no more point in thinking about it.

It was dark now. He may as well try to get some sleep.

He stood up and turned around, and was startled to see Shego leaning against the door frame, watching him.

He caught the strangest glimpse of sadness in her eyes before she quickly put on a smirk, and then shoving off the wall she started toward him.

"Reminiscing, Doc?" she asked.

He glanced down at the open album that hung in one hand at his side.

"Mm. As little as possible," he answered, closing the book and setting it back in the box.

"Don't know why you keep that. I'd think it would just remind you of how much everyone hates you."

He cringed. But then he took a breath and looked her in the eyes. "Funny thing... I don't remember packing that album. Do you know how it got in there?"

She halted her approach, and he smirked.

"I knew it! Where did you find it anyway? My mother's attic?"

She crossed her arms and turned away, her head held high. "Hey, I was just trying to help. Every villain needs to fuel their evil fire now and then."

He watched her hair swaying in time with her steps as she walked away, and he sighed through his nose. Frowning, he spread out the futon in the middle of the floor and began unbuttoning his lab coat. Maybe he could sleep off his disappointment...

"Don't worry, Shego," he said, his voice low.

She stopped and turned back, looking at him curiously.

"Worry about what?"

"I'm not going to take any of their job offers...or their pardon."

Her eyes narrowed suspiciously. "Why not?"

He dropped his coat onto her beach chair and started on the rest of his clothes. She turned her back while he changed.

"Wouldn't work out..." he muttered.

"What? But...how do you know?" she asked, glancing briefly over her shoulder.

"I just know!" he spat as he hurried into his pajamas. "Where are the blankets..."

"The same box as the futon," she said. "But...you're always ranting about wanting to be recognized for your genius. Isn't this everything you've ever wanted?"

Drakken ground his teeth as he dragged a blanket out of a cardboard box and spread it over the futon. She knew well and good it was everything he wanted. Couldn't she just—!

"'Can't I just' what?"

He blinked.

"Did I...say that out loud?"

She turned to face him now, hands on her hips. "Uh-huh."

He frowned and crossed the room to the box with his teddy bear, retrieving it in a hurry.

"Just let me get some sleep, okay!"

He pulled a pillow from the first box, dropping it on the futon and then quickly hid himself under the blankets, staring furiously at her ankles as she continued to stand over him.

"'Can't I' what, Doc?" she said again.

"Just...leave me alone, Shego!" he said, rolling over to face the taller stack of boxes.

It was silent for several moments, save for the crickets outside. Finally, he heard her sigh.

"Fine..." she said, her boots echoing on the wooden floor as she walked away.

When he closed his eyes, images of the faded photos from his college days appeared in his mind's eye. He let his anger seethe as he tried to fall asleep, remembering everything his so-called friends had said to him back when he still believed in things like hope and happiness.

No. It really wouldn't work in the end, anyway. Even if it didn't happen immediately, the belittling would eventually start and he'd be banished down into obscurity again.

Though her tactics were dirty, he supposed he really was lucky to have Shego there to keep him firmly grounded on his evil path.

Gradually his breathing evened, and he let himself focus on the chirp of the crickets and the sound of the breeze blowing through the palms. It sounded like applause...and it reminded him of the ceremony at the U.N.

He would never hear that applause again. If he betrayed the world now, they would never recognize him the way he wanted them to. All he could do was...subdue the world, and rule it through fear...

Understanding suddenly hit him. He...didn't want that anymore. Not after knowing genuine praise and honor. To get what he wanted through evildoings would just feel...empty. If he didn't choose the straight and narrow, he would be miserable for the rest of his life.

He began to relax into his newfound understanding, but then his eyes flew open as he remembered—it wasn't what Shego wanted. Never in a thousand lifetimes would she go back to the life of 'good'.

He bit his lip. He knew that despite owing his life to Shego, he technically didn't have to include her in his decision. But theirs was an unspoken partnership. While he still referred to her as his sidekick and she called him her boss, their relationship had become...something deeper. She was part of his—he rolled his eyes at himself—evil family. He couldn't just...abandon her. Could he?

He sat up on the futon, clutching his teddy bear tightly to his chest as he stared out the window at the dark silhouettes of the palms, his face twisted in worry. Apparently...this would be a far more difficult decision than he'd thought.

Behind him, watching from the door frame, a fearful tear slipped down Shego's cheek.

After a moment she stepped forward, and he turned at the sound of her steps.

"Hey...Doc..." she said, going down on one knee in front of him and looking at the floorboards. Her eyes were sadder than he'd ever seen.

"Shego?"

"I...I'm sorry. Do whatever you want, okay?"

"What? But..." he turned around and sat on his knees facing her, confusion written on his face. "You...do know what that would mean. Don't you?"

"I know," she said, her breath catching. She glanced up for the briefest of moments, and he was startled as the moonlight revealed two tear tracks down her cheeks. "It's fine," she continued. "Don't worry about me."

"What? But...Shego—"

"Don't worry about me!" she said, turning and running from the room.

Drakken stared after her, mouth agape as he fell back on the futon.