Valentine's surprise

chapter 28

Ron stared up in surprise and shock. "Shego!"

Shego just smirked in response. "That's the name. Now, are you gonna be a good little sidekick and let me kidnap you?"

That caught Ron off-guard. "Kidnap me? Why would you want to kidnap me?"

"Duhh." Shego shook her head, all the while wondering why she had to be here. "Let's see, it was your rodent who grabbed the diamond and... hello... you're a millionaire. Why wouldn't I want to kidnap you?"

"Millionaire?" At the remembrance, Ron smiled and rose to his feet. "So Shego..."

"Uh uh, ain't gonna happen sidekick." Shego stepped forward, forcing Ron to back up. "I'm not as easy to buy off as those idiots who worked for Drakken. Besides, if you paid me, I'd have to work with Kimmie and I already used up all my tolerance for that when I helped her to save my idiot brothers."

"Oh." Ron's face fell as his earlier tactic failed to work this time. Then, just as suddenly, his mood shifted, and he dropped into an awkward fighting stance. "Well then, I have to warn you, I'm a master of monkey kung fu." With that, Ron went through a series of gestures and sounds that looked anything but impressive."

Shego groaned and rolled her eyes. She turned the flames off of one hand to cover her eyes, feeling the early beginnings of a headache setting in. "Oy, why did he have to send me after the buffoon. Look sidekick, just come quietly and I won't have to..." As Shego pulled her hand away, she was startled to see that he was gone. She spun quickly, trying to see where he could have gone and spotted him rounding the corner of a house to her left. Shego groaned and began to give chase.

John Rockwaller could hear his daughter humming to herself as he approached her bedroom door and smiled. This would work perfectly. The fact that that boy loved her would work perfectly for his plans, but the fact that she loved him would prove to make things even better. He rapped lightly on the door, ready to put his plan into action. "Honey, can I speak with you a moment?"

"Sure Daddy."

John opened up the door, showing his daughter a grin as he entered. She was lying on her stomach, elbows propping her up as she flipped through a magazine. He could tell it was one of those sappy teen rags that were a waste of time, unless you were the one producing them to feed as pap for the masses. The fact that his daughter read them just reinforced his thoughts regarding her uselessness. "Bonnie, I'd like to talk to you for a moment."

Bonnie put the magazine away, sitting up quickly. "Sure Daddy, what's wrong?"

John sat on the edge of the bed, keeping his eyes locked on his daughter. "I'd like you to talk to your boyfriend about changing his mind and letting me invest his money for him."

Bonnie looked away quickly, trying to hide the guilt. She herself had advised Ron not to do that very thing, and she still felt a bit guilty about it. She really didn't want her father to see that. "I... I don't know if he would change his mind. I mean, his parents..."

"Bonnie, I'm sure if anyone could convince him to change his mind, it's you. After all, doesn't he love you?"

Bonnie looked up, biting her bottom lip. "Of course he does."

"And you love him. I can tell. And you know that I only want to protect you. If I can help the both of you out, wouldn't that be a good thing? Shouldn't I be able to take care of the ones I love?" John smiled patiently, laying out his big card. "Don't you love me?"

Bonnie winced but looked up at her father. "Of course I love you Daddy, but Ron's folks... they already have everything set up and..."

"I'm sure you can convince them to change their minds. I could see that on Friday, they like you a lot." John patted his daughter's knee, smiling. "If anyone could get them to change their minds it's you."