Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

“I…I can’t do this.” Kim sobbed as Wade relayed the news that her crush, Josh Mankey, was headed towards her location.

I can’t believe I’m doing this! Ron thought to himself as he shoved his best friend into the utility room and followed her inside. “KP!” the blond sidekick exclaimed, “You defeated Drakken. He’s safe in jail now. And, on top of that, you saved Christmas! So…what’s the big here?”

Taking a deep breath and exhaling, the redheaded teen moaned, “First off, Drakken was not trying to steal Christmas—he was trying to take over the world!”

“Potato—potahto.” Ron sighed, “What difference does it make?”

Her moans growing louder, Kim cried out, “Drakken’s easy compared to this!”

Gritting his teeth, Ron forced himself to continue his long-time role of best friend to the panic-stricken redhead standing in front of him. “Time to pause for a reality check here, KP. You beat an international superfreak. You can handle…” again speaking through clenched teeth, the blond sidekick made himself finish what he had started, “You can handle Josh Mankey.”

“Target is passing the gym.” Wade reported through the Kimmunicator.

Her heart racing, Kim gasped in fear, not hearing her best friend’s muttered, “You’re crossing a line here, KP.”

“I can’t do it.” Kim shook her head, fear overcoming the girl whose motto had always been ‘Anything’s Possible for a Possible’. "I can’t do it.”

“Target is on the move.” Wade dutifully reported, “Closing in to your position. Four…three…two…one. He’s on top of you!”

“I give up!” Kim sighed dejectedly, her head lowered in defeat. “I guess it just wasn’t meant to be.”

Why am I doing this! Ron’s inner voice cried out. Just keep your mouth shut and Monkey boy’s gone and we can go back to normal. “I can’t do that.” Ron muttered to himself, “I have to help her…she’s my best friend.”

“What was that Ron?” Kim sobbed.

Steeling himself for the difficult task ahead, Ron pushed his best friend out of the closet, giving her one last boost of encouragement, “You’ve got this, KP! Do it!”

Encouraged by her best friend’s shot of confidence, Kim, let out a gasp as she looked up into the eyes of her crush.

“Hey.” Josh smiled down at the pretty redhead facing him.

“Ummm…” the teen hero stammered, “Uhhhh…I’m sorry. About the banner I mean. The one I tore down.”

Smiling, Josh quipped in an effort to put the obviously flustered girl standing before him at ease. “Hey…no big. It was weak anyway. The new one’s a lot better.”

A smile appearing on her face, Kim exclaimed, “That’s great! Oh…you really like it…the new one I mean?”

“Definitely.” Josh grinned, “Please…don’t tear it down.”

“I promise I won’t.” Kim smiled back, feeling a little more at ease now. “So…ummm…guess I’ll see you at the dance? Maybe dance with me?”

Now it was Josh’s turn to stammer, “Are you…are you…asking me out?”

“Uhhh…” Kim, her heart now going at a thousand rpms stuttered, “Yeah. I am. So…”

“Cool.” Josh grinned, “So…I’ll come by around seven?”

“Great!” Kim exclaimed, “I’ll see you then.”

Feelings of both elation and depression flooding through the blond sidekick who had been quietly standing to the side, listening in, not sure what outcome to root for, Ron, called out to his best friend, “I need a ride too! Could you swing by my place around 7:15? Mmmm…better make it 7:30 on account of the fact that my Mom has to iron my…”

Before he could finish his sentence, Kim, lost in her own little world and acting without thinking, kicked the utility room door shut, forgetting that Mr. Barkin had changed all the locks so that the door could not be opened from the inside. Her only thought being her upcoming date with her crush, the young redhead didn’t even seem to hear the calls from her best friend, now trapped inside the tiny closet.

“But I’m a bondiggedty good dancer. Honest! Give me a chance. KP? Kim? Anyone? Please?”

Approximately 9 PM that evening—Ron

As the sound of music playing, accompanied by the laughter of the students at the dance drifted into the tiny closet, Ron, after several vain attempts to attract attention, slumped on to the floor with his naked mole rat companion. “Well, Rufus. Looks like we’re stuck here until someone decides to open the door. Knowing our luck, it won’t be until Monday morning.” Looking around, the somber young man spotted a janitor’s sink. “Well,” his lips turned up in a sad smile, “at least we won’t die of thirst before they let us out.” Feeling his stomach rumbling, his smile turned into a sullen frown, “Hunger’s another matter.” Looking down at his pet, the teen sidekick sighed, “Sorry, old friend. I ate the last of our snackage a while ago.”

“Awwwww…”

Kim Approximately 9 PM at the dance

Wow! I’m dancing with Josh Mankey! Kim thought to herself as she swayed to the beat of the music, her eyes fixed on the handsome young man dancing with her. Her eyes drifting momentarily towards where her rival, Bonnie Rockwaller was dancing with her date, Brick Flagg, the redheaded teen gloated. Up yours, B! Who’s the one dancing with Josh and who’s the one…not.

Time stood still for Kim as she danced one song after another with her new hottie, but something kept nagging at the back of her mind. Something…someone…was out of place…was missing. Her eyes scanning the gym as she continued to sway to the music, awareness gradually dawned on the young redhead. “Ron.”

“What, Kim?” Josh asked as the music paused. “What did you say?”

“Ron.” Kim replied, her eyes still checking over the room. “I was sure he’d come.”

“Maybe he went home?” Josh speculated.

“Maybe.” Kim mused, “Maybe he felt down because he couldn’t get a date and didn’t want to come stag.”

“That’s a possibility.” Josh agreed, “Are you worried about him? Whether he made it home safe or not?”

“Yeah, Josh.” Kim nodded, “I know I shouldn’t be…but I am.”

“Then why don’t you give him a call and make sure.”

“Thanks, Josh.” Kim answered with a smile as she took out her Kimmunicator and discovered that it had accidentally been shut off. “Crap.” The young teen muttered under her breath. “How did that happen? I’d never turn it off intentionally.” Turning it back on, she immediately contacted her genius tech support. “Wade?”

“What is it, Kim?” the pre-teen computer whiz looked up, surprised at the sudden call, “I thought you’d be at the dance.”

“I am.” Kim replied, “But Ron isn’t. Could you do me a favor and see if he’s at home? Please and thank you.”

“Sure thing, Kim.” Wade responded, shaking his head moments later, “He’s not at home.”

“Could he be at Bueno Nachos?”

“That’s possible.” Wade chuckled as he dialed the number for the fast food restaurant before again shaking his head, “Ned says he never showed.”

Oh no. Kim shook her head. I couldn’t. I couldn’t have done that. I couldn’t have been that stupid!

“Something wrong, Kim?” Josh asked with a concerned look on his face.

“I think I might have done something really dumb.” Kim sighed as she turned her attention back to her tech support guru, “Wade? Do you remember when you used your GPS earlier today?”

Seeing Josh in the background on his screen, the young genius responded with a nod of his head, “Yeah. I remember. You want me to do the same for Ron?”

“Can you?

“Yeah.” Wade answered back

“How?” Kim asked, “He doesn’t have a cell phone or a Kimmunicator.”

“Ummm…” Wade stammered, “Can we talk about that later, Kim. We need to track Ron down now.”

“Right.” Kim nodded, “Ron. Where is he?”

“Give me a minute.” After a few moments of furious pounding on his keyboard, the tech genius looked up. “Found him.”

“Where?”

“He’s due west of your location.”

“Thanks, Wade. Keep me posted if he moves.”

Turning back to her date, Kim let out a breath of air.

“Go ahead, Kim.” Josh smiled, “Find your friend. I’ll be here when you get back.”

“Thanks, Josh.” Kim grinned, “You’re the best.”

Exiting the gym, Kim listened to Wades directions as she walked.

“Left…then right…twenty meters…ten meters…five meters. You should be on top of him. Where is he?”

“Where I was afraid he’d be.” Kim, head lowered, answered with a mournful sigh. “The utility closet. I locked him in.”

“Oh.” Wade voiced, “I’m sure he knows that you didn’t mean to.”

“I hope so.” Kim replied. “Thanks, Wade. I’ve got it from here.”

“Let me know if you need anything.” The young genius comforted.

Taking a deep breath, Kim called out, “Ron? Ron? Are you there?” Hearing nothing more than a soft murmur, Kim opened the door. Shit. The teen hero cursed silently as her eyes fell on her best friend, sitting on the floor, head lowered, his naked mole rat sitting next to him, the little pet giving her a hard stare. Approaching her friend, she knelt down next to him, gingerly touching his shoulder. “Ron? I’m so…so…sorry. I was so stupid. I wasn’t thinking. Can you forgive me?”

After what seemed an eternity, Ron looked up. “BN tomorrow?”

Nervous laughter mixing with tears, Kim replied, “Only if I get to buy.”

To Kim’s relief, a smile appeared on her best friend’s face, “Nacho plate with diablo sauce?”

“Extreme nacho plate with diablo sauce.” Kim answered, laughter and tears both flowing freely. Standing up, she offered her hand. “I also figure that I owe you a dance.”

His expression once more downcast, Ron shook his head, “You’ve already got a date.”

Her smile still on her face as tear drops fell, the young redhead pleaded, “I don’t think he’ll mind me having a dance with my best friend. Come on best friend.”   

Chapter Text

Etude 2: Saved by an Angel

Approximately 9 PM that evening—Ron

As the sound of music playing, accompanied by the laughter of the students at the dance drifted into the tiny closet, Ron, after several vain attempts to attract attention, slumped on to the floor with his naked mole rat companion. “Well, Rufus. Looks like we’re stuck here until someone decides to open the door. Knowing our luck, it won’t be until Monday morning.” Looking around, the somber young man spotted a janitor’s sink. “Well,” his lips turned up in a sad smile, “at least we won’t die of thirst before they let us out.” Feeling his stomach rumbling, his smile turned into a sullen frown, “Hunger’s another matter.” Looking down at his pet, the teen sidekick sighed, “Sorry, old friend. I ate the last of our snackage a while ago.”

“Awwwww…”

Kim—approximately 8 PM at the dance

Wow! I’m dancing with Josh Mankey! Kim thought to herself as she swayed to the beat of the music, her eyes fixed on the handsome young man dancing with her. Her eyes drifting momentarily towards where her rival, Bonnie Rockwaller was dancing with her date, Brick Flagg, the redheaded teen gloated. Up yours, B! Who’s the one dancing with Josh and who’s the one…not.

Time stood still for Kim as she danced one song after another with her new hottie, but something kept nagging at the back of her mind. Something…someone…was out of place…was missing. Her eyes scanning the gym as she continued to sway to the music, awareness gradually dawned on the young redhead. “Ron.”

“What, Kim?” Josh asked as the music paused. “What did you say?”

“Ron.” Kim replied, her eyes still checking over the room. “I was sure he’d come.”

“Maybe he went home?” Josh speculated.

“Maybe.” Kim mused, “He might have felt down because he couldn’t get a date and didn’t want to come stag.”

“That’s a possibility.” Josh agreed, “Are you worried about him? Whether he made it home safe or not?”

Thinking for a moment, Kim shook her head as a new tune played, “Nah. He’s okay. He’s probably at home playing the new Zombie Mayhem game or stuffing his face at BN. I’ll give him a call tomorrow. Let’s dance.”

Ron—10:30 PM

Hearing the sound of music playing and people laughing, Ron once again banged on the door and called out only to have no one respond.  “This has got to be the worst week in my life.”  The young man lamented to his pet mole-rat who tried in vain to comfort him by nuzzling up to his cheek.  “I bet Kim’s out there now dancing and having a great time with Josh.  Everyone is but us.” Slumping down to the floor, the blond sidekick moaned as tears began to flow down his cheeks, “There are times I really wish I’d never been born.”

Kim—approximately 11:30 PM

“I had a wonderful time, Josh.”  Kim said in a soft voice as she looked up at her date and smiled.

“I did too, Kim.”  Josh replied as the two drew closer together.

Their lips meeting, they briefly kissed until the front porch light turned on in front of the Possible front door.  “That’s probably my Dad.”  Kim giggled, “I better go now.  Good night.”

“Good night.”  Josh responded before tentatively suggesting, “Maybe we can go out again?  Dinner and a movie?”

“Yeah.”  Kim replied in a soft voice, “I think I’ll like that.”  Swooning as her crush walked away, Kim glanced over at the house of her best friend, noticing that all the lights were out. “Hmmm…” She said to herself, “Ron must have turned in early. I wonder why he didn’t show up at the dance.  I hope he’s okay.”  After a moment of indecision, her lips turned up in a smile, “I’m sure he’s fine. 

Crystal Edwards—Middleton High After the Dance

“I’m sure there’s a mop and bucket in the janitor’s closet.  I’ll get it.” The tawny skinned cheerleader volunteered

“Thanks, Crys!  We’ll get started picking up the trash.” Maria and Courtney, Crystal’s friends and co-volunteers on the cleanup crew responded as they got to work.

Opening the door to the janitor’s closet, Crystal’s eyes widened in astonishment at seeing Ron slumped down on the floor, sobbing into his hands, his naked-mole rat pet standing guard beside him, looking up at his human with worried eyes.

“Ron? Ron Stoppable?”  The surprised cheerleader exclaimed, “What are you doing here? What happened to you?”

“I got locked in earlier in the afternoon.” Ron sobbed as he sat on the floor.

“Dear God!”  Crystal gasped as she extended her hand, helping the young man to his feet, “How the hell did that happen?”

Shaking his head and sniffling, Ron stammered as he tried to get the words out, “Kim was…was scared about asking Josh Mankey to the dance…”

“Tell me about it.” Crystal replied with a snort, “It was kinda hard to miss her slobbering over him every time she saw him.”

“I know.” Ron replied in a hushed tone.

“Right.” Crystal nodded as she cracked a joke in an effort to lighten the mood, “You know, I almost slipped on all that drool she left behind while he was helping out in the gym.  You remember? When you made your grand appearance and tore down that banner Josh was working on. So…?” she persisted, “How did you get locked in that closet?”  

Taking a deep breath, Ron forced himself to continue. “This afternoon, we…Kim and I…were hanging out by the utility closet—we’d just gotten back from stopping Drakken from stealing Christmas…”

“Okay.” Crystal drawled, “So…what next?”

“Wade was tracking Josh by GPS…”

“Kinda creepy and a little stalkerish…” Crystal commented with a grimace, “But go on.”

“Well…she was freaking out again, so I drug her into the closet and kinda gave her a pep talk and then when he passed by, I shoved her at him.”

“Points for doing a good deed.” The tawny-skinned cheerleader remarked, “Then what?

“What’s going on Crys?” Maria, checking up on her friend, asked as she saw Crystal talking with the blond youth.

“And what’s Stoppable doing here?” Courtenay, who had accompanied Maria, questioned with a dismissive snort until she got a good look at the forlorn expression on the face of the normally happy-go-lucky young man. Her scornful expression now replaced by one of concern, she inquired, “What the hell happened to you, Stoppable? You look like shit.”

“Remember Barkin changing the locks to all the utility closets because everyone would sneak in there to make out?” Crystal remarked, her friends nodding their heads, “Well…Ron got locked in this afternoon and he’s been in there ever since.”

Shaking her head in disbelief, Maria exclaimed, “No one knew you were missing!  Not even your parents or Kim?”

“Ron was just telling me what happened when you two showed up.” Crystal explained, gesturing for the blond youth to continue, “Go on, Ron. You can tell my friends too. You shoved Kim at Mankey to get her to talk to him. What happened next?”

“Kim slammed the door shut on me and locked me in.” Ron declared in a defeated tone.

“Us.” Rufus added as he poked his head out of his human’s pocket.

“Yeah.” Ron amended as Rufus smiled warmly at his human’s rescuers, “She locked us—me and Rufus—in. I thought I was going to be stuck here until the late night custodian or security guard came.”

“How did Kim lock you in?” Maria asked.

“And more important…” Courtenay added, “Why?”

“Well…” Ron sighed, “After I shoved her at Mankey, she finally got up the nerve to say more than two words to him and asked him to the dance and he said yes.”

“Okay…” Crystal drawled, “But that still doesn’t explain how you got locked in that closet.”

“I was joking afterwards…you know me…” Ron trailed off, his expression now even more solemn and forlorn, “Sometimes I don’t know when to keep my big mouth shut. Anyway, I made a joke about her and Josh picking me up and taking me to the dance and I guess she got mad at me and slammed the door in my face.”

Maria remarked, shaking her head in disbelief, “Your timing sucked—but that’s normal for you. That still doesn’t excuse her slamming the door in your face like that. Didn’t she even check up on you?”

Lowering his head, Ron somberly replied, “I guess she forgot about me.”

“Didn’t you try to call your parents?” Crystal asked

“I don’t have a phone so I couldn’t call them.”  Ron confessed.

“I’m sorry, Ron.”  Crystal replied in a soft voice as she and her friends led the young blond out of the closet.  “I don’t know what to say.”

“Don’t worry about it.”  Ron said as he tried to put a bright spin to it, “It’s okay. She was just preoccupied.”

“I still think it’s shitty what she did.”  Crystal declared with a frown.

“No big.”  Ron shrugged his shoulders, “Like I said, she had other stuff on her mind.”  He then inquired, “I thought you went to the dance with Jeff?”

“I did.”  Crystal affirmed, “Not my idea—Bonnie pushed him on me. My real date’s showing up later tonight at Edna’s and we’re going to a late night showing at the Old Town theater. I got an extended curfew from my dad so that we could catch it.” Shaking her head, she growled, “I shouldn’t have let Bonnie, Kim, and Tara talk me into going to this stupid dance. I should have done what I had planned and skipped the dance to go out with my real date instead of playing in another one of Bonnie’s little status games. The prick couldn’t keep his hands off me.  Added to that, he bailed once the words ‘clean up’ were mentioned.  So did just about everyone else.  Me, Maria, and Courtney are the only ones here.”

“Yeah.” Maria agreed, “Our dates took off too.”

“Just as well.” Courtenay scowled, “They were also morons.”

“Didn’t Kim stick around?” Ron asked, his eyes darting about in search of his best friend. “She’s always the first to volunteer for this type of stuff.”

“She’s not here.  Surprised me too—she’s usually good about pitching in.  But then…”  Crystal remarked acidly, “After what she did to you, I shouldn’t be surprised.” Taking her phone out of her purse, the attractive cheerleader handed it to Ron, “Here. Give your parents a call to let them know that you’re okay.” Pausing for a moment, she hesitatingly suggested, “Look…I know I and the others haven’t treated you well, and I’m sorry about that. And I don’t blame you if you want to go straight home. But…if you want…we’re really shorthanded and could use some help cleaning up. The normal cleaning staff decided to take the three day weekend off, so if we don’t get the gym cleaned up, you know Barkin will pitch a hissy fit on Monday and no more dances.”

“Yeah.” Ron nodded, “Barkin’s like that.” His goofy grin returning, the blond youth joked, “You’re in luck! Besides being a bondiggedty good dancer, I’m great with a push broom and mop and you should see my trash picking up skills.”

“Cool! We’ll put them to use.” Crystal laughed, “Right after we finish cleaning up, we’re planning on going to Edna’s Diner for coffee and a late night snack. You’re welcome to come with—our treat.”

“Yeah.” Maria agreed, “Edna makes a great blueberry pie.”

“Call your folks, let ‘em know you’re okay and that you’re with us and ask them if they’d extend your curfew for a couple of hours, and if they say it’s okay, come join us.” Courteney encouraged.

Taking the phone, Ron dialed his parents’ number. “Hello Mom? Yeah, I’m fine. No, she’s not with me. She went out on a date with someone else. No. It’s okay. Don’t worry. I’m here with Crystal, Maria, and Courtney. They’re doing cleanup and they’re a little shorthanded. I was wondering if it would be all right if I pitched in and helped them out. It is?” A smile appeared on his face, “Thanks.  Ummm…Mom…they also said that after getting done with cleanup, they were planning on going to Edna’s for a late night snack. I was wondering if I could get my curfew extended so that I could go with them? Yeah…sure, I’ll put her on.” Turning to Crystal, Ron held out the phone, “Mom wants to speak with you.”

“Okay.” Crystal replied as she took the phone and spoke into it. “Hello? Mrs. Stoppable. Yeah. This is Crystal Edwards. Not a problem. My date’s meeting me at Edna’s and we can drop Ron off on our way to Old Town. It’s no imposition at all. I’m glad to. Thanks.” Handing the phone back to Ron, the attractive blonde smiled, “She says it’s okay, but she wants to talk to you.”

“Hi Mom.” Ron said as he took the phone, “I’ll be home by then. Promise. Thanks.” Handing the phone back to its owner, the blond teen announced, “Mom said it’s okay for me stay out later.”

“Great!” Crystal smiled, “So, Ron…ready to help us clean up?”

A smile slowly appearing on his face, the blond youth responded, “What are we waiting for?”

As the group made their way back to the gym, Maria, walking next to Crystal, whispered, “You know you’re taking a big chance on Stoppable—don’t you? Once he sees your date…”

“I think I can trust him to keep it quiet.” Crystal replied, “Besides…” she said as her gaze went to the forlorn young man walking near Courtney, staying well outside her personal space, “Look at him. That boy needs some friends.”

Edna’s Diner after cleanup

“You were right, Crystal.” Ron smiled as he took another bite of Edna’s homemade blueberry pie, “This is good.” Looking down at his plate, the young man’s smile vanished to be replaced by a forlorn look, “Thanks girls. I mean it. I know you didn’t have to do this and that you don’t like me…”

“Ron.” Crystal sighed as she and her friends looked down at their plates, “It’s not that we don’t like you…” seeing the disconsolate and skeptical look on the young man’s face, Crystal again heaved a sigh, “Okay, Ron…how honest do you want us to be?”

“Just tell me the truth.” Ron flatly responded, “If I can take dodging Shego’s plasma balls and Drakken’s henchmen trying to beat me up, and…” he momentarily choked up, “…getting locked in a closet by my best friend, then I can take what you’re going to tell me without whining for once. So…” a defiant look now replaced the miserable expression he previously had on his face, “Let me have it.”

“All right.” Crystal sighed, “You asked for the truth and that’s what we’re going to give you. First off, you’re not a bad looking guy, Ron.”

“Yeah.” Courtney agreed, clarifying further, “Since you want us to be honest with you, you’re going to get it. You’re not what we would call a hottie like…”

“Josh Mankey.” Ron interjected.

“Okay…” Courtney conceded, “Yeah. He’s a good looking boy—no mistake—but he wasn’t so good looking that any of us here fell to pieces over him…”

“Unlike Kim, Bonnie, Amelia, and a lot of the other girls.” Maria declared, picking up the conversation, “If Josh had asked me out, would I have said yeah? Sure. But does that mean he’s going to get a second date?” she shrugged her shoulders, “Whether he does or not depends on a bunch of other things.”

“Believe it or not, Ron, we don’t just judge a boy by how hot he is. At least most of us whose names aren’t Kim or Bonnie don’t.” Courtney explained, “There’s a bunch of other stuff involved too.”

Chuckling as an attractive young Asian woman with luxurious long dark hair entered the diner, Maria quipped as Crystal waved her over to their table, “Same for me. And not everyone’s definition of hottie is the same…” she quipped, as she gave her cheerleader friend a playful poke in the ribs, “Right, Crystal?”

“What are you talking about?” Ron asked with a confused look on his face as the Asian woman drew closer.

“Hey, babe.” The Asian woman grinned as she gave the tawny-skinned cheerleader a kiss on the cheek, much to the surprise and shock of the blond youth seated across from her “How was the dance?”

“Meh.” Crystal shrugged her shoulders as she slipped over on the bench so that the newcomer could sit down beside her, “Would have been better if you were there.”

“I wish I could have come, Sweetie.” The Asian woman responded, “But I had to pull a double shift tonight.”

“Zoe works parttime as a hostess at Renee’s.” Crystal explained before making introductions, “Ron…this is Zoe. My girlfriend.”

“Girlfriend?” Ron exclaimed.

“Girlfriend?” Rufus echoed, popping his head up out from his master’s pocket, his attention drawn to the Asian woman seated close to his master’s new cheerleader friend.

“Yeah. In case you haven’t figured it out yet, I’m gay.” Crystal replied, slipping her arm around her girlfriend’s shoulders. “Maria, Courtney, and now you are the only ones from our school who know that and know that Zoe is my girlfriend. We’d like to keep it that way for now—okay?”

“Sure.” Ron replied as his mind worked feverishly to process the information it had just received, “Believe it or not, I can keep a secret. But…why?”

Heaving a sigh, Zoe responded, “Because not everyone at your school would be so understanding.”

“Like Bonnie.” Crystal pointed out, “Or most of the other cheerleaders—and I’m not excluding Kim from that list. The only cheerleaders on that squad I trust are Jessica and Liz and they don’t even know I’m gay—although I think they suspect it. Tara’s nice and sweet and would never do anything to deliberately hurt anyone…” the tawny-skinned cheerleader qualified, “But she’s Bonnie’s best friend and she can’t keep her big mouth shut if her life depended on it. And then there are the jocks like Jeff or Jason Morgan. You could imagine the crap I’d have to put up with from everyone if I just came out.”

“Yeah. I guess so.” Ron sighed, “But you’re wrong about Kim. She’d understand if you told her.”

“Maybe…maybe not.” Crystal bluntly stated, “But you’ve gotta admit, right now her track record’s not very good. I can’t take the risk. As it is, I’m taking a big chance with you.”

“I’m not going to let you down.” Ron vowed, “I promised to keep your secret and I will. I won’t even tell Kim.”

“Thank you.” Crystal replied, her smile returning as her hand went to her girlfriend’s thigh, “Anyway, we’re a lot more open outside the high school and teen hangouts like the mall or Bueno Nachos. Just about everyone in Old Town knows about us and all of Zoe’s friends at the College do. It’s just that we’re a little more careful around the school and people we don’t know.”

“I guess I see your point.” Ron conceded, “I wish it didn’t have to be this way.”

“So do we.” Crystal replied, before steering the discussion back to the original topic, “Look, Ron. We can talk more about it later if you want, but right now, we’re talking about your situation.”

“Like Crys said earlier…” Courtney continued, “You’re not bad looking, Ron. You might not be a hottie, but you’re not chopped liver either. None of us would have had a problem going out on a date with you if we decided strictly on appearance. Like we’ve been saying, other things come into play.”

“Like what?” Ron asked as he took a sip from his coffee. “What did…am…I doing wrong?”

“It’s just that…sometimes…okay…a lot of the time…” Maria explained, “You either come on too strong…”

“Or not confident enough.” Courtney chimed in. “And like we mentioned earlier, your timing often sucks.”

“What do you mean…my timing sucks?” Ron asked as Rufus listened intently to the discussion.

“Just that.” Maria flatly stated before explaining, “It’s like…remember when you asked us to the dance?”

“All three of you turned me down flat.” Ron responded morosely, looking down at his pie. “After meeting Zoe, I can understand why Crystal turned me down and all. But why did you two turn me down?”

“Ron!” Maria sighed, “It was because you asked us one right after the other in front of each other and in front of all our friends and most of the school! You put us on the spot.”

“And added to that, you asked us after asking almost every other girl in the school!” Courtney added. “How do you think that makes us feel?”

Taking a deep breath and exhaling, Crystal attempted to explain to the young man what he did wrong, “Listen, Ron. No girl likes to feel like they’re your second or third or tenth choice.”

“We’ve got eyes and ears, Ron.” Courtney declared, “We all saw and heard about you asking every other girl in the school before even coming to us.”

“Yeah.” Ron sighed, conceding the point, “You’re right. I screwed that up. I’m sorry.”

“Apology accepted.” Maria smiled before launching into point two, “Also, Ron, like I said, no girl likes to be put on the spot by being asked out in front of her friends who had just turned you down.”

“And point three, don’t ask a girl out at the last minute.” Courtney further advised, explaining, “By the time you asked us, Ron, assuming any of us wanted to go out with you in the first place…”

“Would you have?” Ron asked in a mixture of doubt and curiosity.

“We don’t know.” Maria answered honestly, “Maybe yes…maybe no. Like we’re talking about now—it depends on a lot of stuff.”

“Anyway…” Courtney said, picking up from where she left off, “By the time you asked us, we already had dates lined up thanks to Bonnie--unfortunately.”

“Why did you let her do it?” Ron asked, genuinely surprised.

“It’s the food chain crap. That’s one of the reasons Kim was all gaga over Mankey. Yeah…most of it was because she was crushing on him, but part of it was because she was worried about Bonnie scoring points in their little battle over who’s on top of the food chain.” Crystal replied as her girlfriend snorted in derision.

“Some things never change.” Zoe huffed, “I had to deal with it at my school too. I had to play that game as well.”

“Yeah.” Maria snorted, “Too bad we let Bonnie and her little clique choose the dates for us. Last time I’m going to do that.”

“If you’d have asked me or Maria earlier and done it the right way, maybe you’d have gotten a date.” Courtney declared.

“So…” Ron asked, “How should I have asked you? What is the right way?”

“That brings us to our next point.” Courtney sighed, “You’ve got a Kim-sized weight hanging around your neck. That instantly scares off many of us before you even say a word.”

“What do you mean?” Ron asked, “Kim’s my best friend.” Shaking his head he declared earnestly, “I’m sorry, but I’m not going to ditch my best friend just to go out on a date.”

“No one’s asking you to ditch Kim.” Maria declared in a placatory tone. “What we’re trying to say is that all of the girls at the school see the two of you together all the time. Now…what sort of conclusion would you draw if you were us?”

His head drooping, Ron admitted, “That Kim and I were going out with each other…even though we’re not. I overheard her talking to someone…I’m not sure who…I think it might have been one of the dark haired cheerleaders…”

“Hope or Marcella.” Crystal nodded, “Yeah…you’re not very high on their list of favorite people. So…you were saying?”

“Right.” Ron sighed, “She was talking to one of them and told whoever it was that I’m not boyfriend material. That made everything clear to me.”

“I’m sorry to hear that, Ron.” Maria consoled in a sympathetic voice, “And for the record, she’s wrong. You are boyfriend material. She’s just too blind to see that.”

“Zoe?” Crystal prompted, speaking to her girlfriend, “You got anything to add?”

“Not really.” Zoe answered, “Not knowing your friend or his situation, there’s not much to say except that to me…”

“Ron.” The blond youth interjected.

“Right.” Zoe nodded, “Sorry, Ron. It seems that what you’re lacking most is confidence and experience. A lot of times the one will come with the other. Of course…” the Asian woman’s lips turned up in a crooked grin, “That’s gonna mean you’re going to have a lot of screw ups along the way.”

“Like this one?” Ron replied with a sarcastic grin.

“Yep.” Zoe responded.

“So…Ron.” Crystal asked in a worried tone, “You feeling better?”

“Yeah. A little.” Ron replied, “I’m still not ready to see or talk to Kim right now though.”

“That’s understandable.” The tawny skinned cheerleader responded with an encouraging grin, “She’s not exactly at the top of our list of people we want to talk to right now either…”

“Except maybe for our shit list.” Maria interjected with a smile.

“Yeah.” Crystal agreed, “Right now, she’s pretty high up there on that list.”

“Please!” Ron begged, “Don’t take it out on Kim. I don’t think she was even aware of what happened.”

“We know.” Courtney responded, “It was more thoughtless than anything else. But…it still wouldn’t hurt for Ms. ‘I can do anything’ to be taken down a peg or two.”

“Yeah.” Maria added, “Like we’ve all been saying, in her own way, she’s as bad as Bonnie.”

“Maybe that’s why the two of them can’t stand each other.” Crystal chuckled. Her laughter now replaced by a serious expression, the cheerleader declared, “I gotta go with Courtney and Maria on this, Ron. It wouldn’t hurt for Kim to learn that she’s human just like the rest of us. You need to call her out on what she did. You can’t let it slide.”

“If you don’t mind an outsider stepping in…” Zoe interjected, “If you don’t clear the air now, it’ll just eat at you until it finally becomes too much to take and once that happens—there goes your friendship.”

“Yeah.” Ron sighed, “I guess you’re right. I’m going to have to talk to her about it. It’s just…I gotta think about how I’m gonna do it and what I’m gonna say.” Glancing at his watch, the young man prompted, “Ummm…I’m sorry, but it’s getting close to my curfew.”

“That’s okay.” Crystal smiled, “We’ll take care of the tab and then me and Zoe’ll run you home. We’ll get you back in plenty of time to avoid getting grounded.”

“Thanks.” Ron smiled warmly at his new friends, “For everything.”

“Hey.” Courtney grinned, “Don’t mention it.”

“Yeah.” Maria added, “That’s what friends do for each other.”

“And…” Courtney suggested with a friendly grin, “If you want ask me to go see a movie or something like that—do it the right way and I might just say yes.”

“Same goes for me.” Maria declared with a smile of her own, cautioning the young man, “Now…don’t read this as a boyfriend/girlfriend thing or anything like that.”

“Right.” Courtney nodded, “If we go out, it’s a friend date, although I’m not closing any doors yet. We’ll just have to see how it goes.”

“Same goes with me.” Maria added before cautioning, “And if we hear one word about you bragging about having a harem with us in it…”

“And if you do, we will find out.” Courtney added with a warning glare.

“We’ll kick your ass all the way to Upperton.”

“And me and Zoe will help them.” Crystal added.

“Harem?” Ron cringed, “That’s so wrong-sick it’s not even funny! I’d never say anything bad about you or even want a harem or anything like that.”

“We’re glad to hear that, Ron.” Courtney chuckled as she handed the blond youth a slip of paper, “So…if you want to go to a movie with me this weekend, just give me a call. Here’s my number.”

“And here’s mine.” Maria said as she also handed Ron her phone number. “Give me a call and maybe we can do something next week.”

“Thanks, girls.” Ron smiled, his naked mole rat pet smiling as well as giving his master’s new friends a thumbs up. “I’ll do that. And…thank you for the talk. I think I needed to hear that.”

“Anytime, Ron.”

Chapter Text

First Day of School after the closet—Monday morning, Possible residence

“Wonder what’s keeping Ron.”  Kim Possible exclaimed as she paced the floor.  “He’s late.”

“Maybe he went to school on his own.”  Anne Possible conjectured.

“It would have been nice for him to have given me a call and let me know.”  Kim grumbled as she turned on her Kimmunicator.  “Shego’s still loose.  I wouldn’t put it past her to grab Ron and use him as a hostage.”

“You really think she’d do that, Kimmie-cub?”  Dr. James Possible remarked.

“I wouldn’t put anything past her.”  Kim replied as the face of her African-American techie friend appeared on the screen of the communications device.  “Wade?  Can you give me a location for Ron?  Please and thank you.”

“Gimme a moment, Kim.”  Wade responded as he made some entries on his keyboard.  A few seconds later, he reported, displaying a map on the screen.  “Looks like he’s in a car headed for school.”

“Thanks, Wade.”  Kim replied with a frown.  “Wonder why he didn’t let me know he was getting a ride and I wonder who he’s riding with.”

“Wait one.”  Wade answered back.  “I might have something for you.  All right!  He shoots and he scores.  Got a satellite image of the car and license plate. Give me a moment to hack into the DMV and I can get you some info on the owner.”  Another image appeared on the screen.  “It’s a Ford Fiesta Sedan owned by Zoe Chen. That must be her driving the car.” He commented as the image zoomed to reveal an attractive Asian woman with Ron in the backseat and a tawny skinned brown-haired cheerleader that Kim immediately recognized.

“That’s Crystal. What’s Ron doing in the car with her and that other woman?” Kim fretted as she gazed at the image on her device.

“I can’t say.” Wade answered sympathetically, “Maybe you should ask him?”

“Maybe I should.” Kim replied, shaking her head as she forced a smile to her face, “Thanks, Wade.  Talk to you later.”

“Is everything okay between you and Ron?”  Anne asked, her face etched with concern.

“Yeah.”  Kim replied positively, “At least I think so.  We didn’t have a fight or anything—at least I don’t think we had a fight if that’s what you’re wanting to know.  The last time I saw him was at school.”  Her face reddening in embarrassment, she explained, “I couldn’t work up the nerve to ask Josh Mankey to the dance and when I saw him coming towards me, I ducked into the closet.  Ron followed me and gave me a pep talk.  He helped me work up the courage to go up to Josh and ask him out. I couldn’t have done it without his help.”

“And that was the last time you saw him.”  Anne commented, prompting her daughter to continue.

Kim nodded her head, “Yeah. I was expecting him to show up at the dance, but he never came. I guess it was because he couldn’t get a date.” Shaking her head, the redheaded teen sighed, “Every girl he asked turned him down.  He must have gone straight home.”

“But you don’t know for sure?”  James probed.

“No.”  Kim confessed, “Not for sure. I mean he could have stopped off at Bueno Nacho first before going home. I can’t think of anywhere else he would have gone.”

“I see…” Anne motioned for her daughter to continue.

“Like I told Wade, I tried calling him all weekend, left messages with his parents and on his answering machine, but he never returned my calls.  Then on Saturday, I went to the mall—You remember?”

“Yes.” Anne nodded. “I think you said something about doing some clothes shopping?”

“Right.” Kim nodded, “I wanted to cruise by and see if Club Banana had anything new. I was hoping I might run into him there.  You know that he likes going to the arcade to play the games. I thought I’d meet up with him there and we could hang out and talk for a while.”

“I take it he wasn’t there.” James surmised.

Kim shook her head.  “I didn’t see him, but I did see Crystal, her gal pals Courtney and Maria, and that Asian girl who was driving the car in the photo Wade downloaded hanging out together at the coffee shop.”  Kim took a deep breath before continuing, “You should have seen the looks Crystal and those other girls gave me.”

“What sort of looks?” James asked, the protective father impulse in him coming to the fore.

“You gotta understand…” Kim explained, “Crystal and I aren’t very close. She keeps her distance from most of the team other than Jessica and Liz. I mean she gets along okay with everyone and all, but…we don’t hang out together or anything like that.”

“Okay…” Anne queried, “The two of you have what amounts to a casual acquaintanceship. So…what happened next?”

“You’ve heard the old saying that if looks could kill? Well…” Kim cracked an ironic smile, “If those looks I got from her and her friends really could have killed, I’d have been dead a thousand times over.  Then, when I went to ask them what the problem was, they ignored me and acted like I wasn’t even there.”

“What else happened?” James asked.

“After leaving the mall, I figured I’d go by Bueno Nacho.” Kim explained, “Saturday’s Taco Twosome day there—buy two tacos, get another two for half price.  Ron likes to stuff his face on the diablo tacos there.” She chuckled at a recent memory before returning to her story.  “But when I got there, no Ron.  I asked the dweeb behind the counter whether he’d seen him, but he said that he never came by.  He just murmured something about Edna and her blueberry pies.”

“I’ve stopped off at Edna’s for a cup of coffee and a Danish when I don’t have time for breakfast here.” James grinned, “Edna brews a mean cup of coffee.”

“Go on Kim.” Anne encouraged.

“I tried calling him on Sunday.” Kim replied with a frown, “But, just like before, he never returned my calls.  I decided enough was enough and walked over and knocked on his door.  No answer and no sign anyone was home.  I couldn’t hear the TV or stereo or anything.  I thought for a moment about breaking in but changed my mind.  It would have been embarrassing if I caught him in the shower or something like that.”

“Good thing you didn’t bust down the door or try to get in through a window, Kimmie-cub.”  James declared, “A passerby might have thought you were a burglar and called the police.”

“You’re right, Dad.”  Kim conceded. “I just don’t know what’s going on here and I’m worried about him.  What if something’s happened to him?”

Anne smiled warmly as she tried to console her daughter, “We know he’s okay and he’s on his way to school, and there’s probably a perfectly good reason why he wasn’t able to return your calls this weekend. So…why don’t you get your stuff together and I’ll drop you off on my way to work and you can talk to him there.”

“Okay.”  Kim smiled, “Thanks, Mom.  I’m going to have a talk with Ron first time we get the chance.”

“That’s good, Kim.” Anne replied with a grin of her own, “Go ahead and get your stuff.  We don’t want to be late now—do we?”

As Kim disappeared up the stairs into her room, James turned to his wife, “What do you think’s going on, honey?”

“I’m not sure.” Anne replied, shaking her head, “But I have a feeling that it has something to do with that dance.”

“Crossed wires?”  James ventured.

Nodding her head, Anne responded, “Maybe.  I think so.  I just hope those two can work it out.  They’ve been friends for a long time.  I’d hate to see it ended because of a communications breakdown.”

Middleton High—Monday

“Thanks, Zoe.” Crystal smiled at her girlfriend as she touched her on the back of her hand and whispered, “I wish I could give you a kiss.”

“I do too.” Zoe whispered back as she gave her lover a flirtatious wink, “Don’t worry. We’ll make up for it later. Have a good day and don’t get detention.”

“I won’t.” Crystal laughed as Ron exited the car. “Come on, Ron.” The pretty cheerleader urged, “I see Courtney and Maria over there. Let’s go say hi to them.”

“Okay.” Ron smiled as he gave his driver a friendly wave, “Thanks, Zoe.” Smiling again at his two new friends, the blond youth greeted them, “Hey Courtney…Maria…how goes?” Lowering his voice, he murmured to the brown-haired Courtney, “Thanks again for going out to the movie with me. I had a good time.”

“I did too.” Courtney replied with a grin, “And you were a perfect gentleman. If you want to go out again, give me a call.”

“I gotta meet up with Jess and Liz and then get on to class.”  Crystal declared, smiling at Ron and her friends, “See you all at lunch?’

“Yeah, Crys.”  Ron smiled back.

“We gotta get going too, Ron.” Courtney and Maria echoed, “See you at lunch.”

“Take it easy, Ron and stay clear of D-Wing.”  The tawny-skinned cheerleader exclaimed.  “If we get to lunch before you do, we’ll save you a spot at our table.”

“Have a good day, sweetie.”  Anne said as she dropped her daughter off at the school entrance.

“Thanks, Mom.”  Kim replied with a sigh, “I’ll try.” Squaring her shoulders, she entered the building.  Seeing Josh Mankey, her legs began to wobble as he approached..

“Hey, Kim.”

“Hi, Josh.”  Kim smiled back.

“I had a great time at the dance.”

“I did too.”  Kim responded.

“Are we still on for this Friday?”  He asked.

“Unless something big happens.”  Kim answered back, “Yeah.  I’m looking forward to it.”

“Great!”  Josh grinned, “See you for lunch?”

“Yeah.”  Kim replied, “Lunch.”

“Cool.  See you later.”

Glancing about, Kim looked for Ron, but without success.  However, she did see Courtney and Maria walking to class and whispering to each other in between glares at her.  “What’s going on here? What did I do to them?”  Kim thought to herself, a worried look on her face as she strode towards the two girls.  “Time to find out what’s going on here.”  Approaching the duo, Kim cleared her throat.

“What is it, Possible?”  Courtney scoffed, “Lose something…or someone…again?”

“What are you talking about?”  Kim demanded, raising her voice.

“Pfft.”  The two girls sneered over their shoulders as they walked away, Maria exclaiming, “You’re supposed to the one who knows everything…figure it out for yourself.”

“You’re joking!” Jessica gasped as Crystal filled her in on what happened at the end of the dance last night.

“She locked him in the closet and he was stuck there until you pulled him out?” Liz shook her head in disbelief. “I wouldn’t wish that on anyone—not even Stoppable.”

“He’s actually pretty fun to hang out with once you get him away from the school and Kim.” Crystal replied, coming to the defense of her new friend. “He was a big help cleaning up.”

“Yeah.” Jessica frowned apologetically, “I’m sorry I couldn’t help but Mom and Dad put an early curfew on me because I stayed out a little late a few nights ago—remember?”

Crystal replied with a crooked grin, “Yeah. We shouldn’t have kept you out so late—but it was fun doing the minigolf thing wasn’t it?”

“Yeah…” Jessica snickered, “There was plenty of eye candy there.”

“I wouldn’t know about that.” Crystal giggled, “But I did notice you eyeing a certain boy trying out for the baseball team in a few weeks. So…when are you going to go up and say hi to him or are you going to do your Kim imitation and go into a catatonic freeze and start slobbering whenever you see him?”

“Okay! Okay!” The freckle-faced blonde exclaimed, “I’ll say hi to him at lunch. Satisfied?”

Her lips turning up in a smirk, the tawny-skinned cheerleader replied, “My work here is done.”

“I’m sorry too.” Liz echoed, asking for forgiveness. “I had to get home early because I had babysitting duty the next morning.”

“Hey.” Crystal grinned, “No big. We got it done and like I said, Ron was a big help. Anyway…we all went to Edna’s after and Zoe came by after she got off work and we all talked. We kinda laid it out there what he was doing wrong and believe it or not, he listened. We also told him that Kim needs to get called out on what she did.”

“Damned right she does.” Jessica quickly agreed.

“I agree with Ron in that she didn’t do it to be mean.” Crystal qualified, “It was more thoughtless than anything else, but still…”

“She can’t get away with doing stuff like that—especially not to someone who’s supposed to be her best friend.” Liz finished, “So…how do you wanna play this?”

“Freeze out.” Crystal replied in a low tone. “The only time we talk to her or have anything to do with her is when we’re in practice and even then only when necessary. We can’t let it get in the way of the squad winning State, but other than that—we have nothing to do with her until her and Ron settle things. ”

“Better to keep it just the three of us.” Jessica pointed out. “If we pull in Bonnie and the others, they’ll do it more to stick it to Kim than help Ron and I don’t think that’s what you’re wanting—is it?”

“No. Definitely not.” Crystal shook her head, “I just want her to understand that she can’t get away with pulling shit like that. She does it once—she’ll do it again—maybe to one of us. We keep it just between ourselves and leave the other cheerleaders out of it and then once her and Ron settle things, we try to go back to normal.”

“Okay. That we can do.” Jessica and Liz both replied, glaring at Kim as she approached them, retaining their icy stares until the redhead reluctantly turned away.

“Thought for a moment she wasn’t going to get the message.” Crystal remarked in an acid tone as Kim turned away.

“Yeah.” Jessica replied with a shake of her head, “You’re right about one thing. She can be awful thick at times.”

Crystal nodded in agreement. “Hopefully she’ll get the message and get things ironed out with Ron.”

Shaking her head in confusion at the harsh looks her fellow cheerleaders had given her , Kim walked to her locker.  Dialing the combination, she opened the door to reveal the PC inside and activated the computer.  “Wade?  Are you there?”

“Yeah, Kim.  What’s up?”

“Do you have a location on Ron?  I can’t find him anywhere and the bell’s going to ring in just a couple of minutes.”

Wade replied with a grin, “He’s in the boys room. I don’t think you wanna go in there. What’s wrong? You seem upset. Did Ron say or do something stupid?”

“I don’t know what’s going on, Wade.”  Kim sobbed, “And no—Ron didn’t say or do anything bad or stupid. It’s more like he’s avoiding me.  And not only that, Crystal and her friends are giving me the stink-eye, and no one’s telling me why!  I just want to know what I did to deserve all this so that I can make it right.  Please Wade…it’s like you’re the only person talking to me.  Help me.”  She moaned as her eyes teared up.

His heart going out to his friend, Wade answered back in a soft, gentle voice, “I’ll see what I can do, Kim. If I find out anything, I’ll let you know at once.”

“Thanks, Wade.”  Kim replied in a whisper, “You’re the best.”  Glancing at the clock, she gasped, “I better get to class!”

Entering Mr. Barkin’s classroom, Kim glanced about the room.  Her eyes fell on Ron sitting, instead of at his normal desk next to hers, at another desk surrounded by other students. Her gaze falling on her old friend, she raised her eyebrows and shrugged her shoulders receiving in return a slight shake of the head.

“Waiting for an invitation, Possible? Take your seat…now.”

“Mr Barkin?”  Kim, startled, responded. Exhaling, her eyes remain fixed on Ron as she made her way to her seat and sat down all alone, her best friend no longer at her side.

“Definitely worth the price of admission.”  Bonnie muttered to her clique as her lips turned up in an evil grin at the discomfiture of her rival.

Making his way down the corridor towards his locker after class had ended, Ron heard a familiar voice call out to him.

“Ron?”

Turning about, his heart melted as he saw a doe-eyed Kim slowly approach.  “Yeah, Kim?”

“Ron?  I think we need to talk.”

“Yeah.”  Ron nodded his head as the pair made their way towards his locker, “I guess we do.”

“What’s wrong?” She asked as she looked up at her friend.  “What did I do?  You didn’t return any of my calls and when I went to your house, you wouldn’t answer the door and today went to school with Crystal and that Zoe girl instead of us going to school together like we always do.  Did I do something to make you mad at me?”

“How did you know Zoe drove me and Crystal to school?”  Ron demanded, his eyes flashing with fury.  “I didn’t tell you and I know you haven’t met Zoe yet and I know for a fact that Crys and the girls haven’t said anything.”  His eyes narrowed, “Did you have Wade spy on me?”

“When you didn’t answer any of my calls this weekend and then didn’t show up this morning, I feared the worst—that Shego might have took you.” Kim tried to explain only to be cut off by her increasingly angry friend

“If it was just me…” Ron said, his wrath growing, “I might understand. You were worried about me. Okay. I appreciate that. But that did not give you the right to violate Crystal and Zoe’s privacy.”

“Kim Possible! You did what?” Crystal demanded in an exclamation of outrage.

“She had Wade track us while Zoe drove us to school, Crystal.” Ron replied, glaring at his childhood friend.

“You had your friend snoop on us!” Crystal exclaimed in a loud voice, immediately drawing the attention of the other students in the hall. “What gives you the right to do that, Possible?”

“I was worried about Ron!” Kim sobbed, tears welling up in her eyes. “I called and called, but you never returned my calls so, like I said, I got scared that something might have happened to you.”

“There’s a good reason why I didn’t return your calls.” Ron answered, “But I don’t want to talk about it now—not in the middle of the hallway where everyone can listen in. I don’t think you want me to do that either.”

“Ron’s right, Kim.” Crystal declared, coming to the support of her new friend. “You don’t want this to get out to everyone. Trust me on that.”

“But you know.” Kim countered. “How? Did Ron tell you what I’m supposed to have done?”

“He didn’t have to.” Crystal replied, her lips pursed, “I was there. I saw it for myself. Courtney and Maria were there too. The only reason we’ve kept quiet about it is because Ron asked us to.”

“We will talk about what you did later, Kim. When it’s just the two of us.” Ron emphasized. “But what you did with the tracking isn’t just about me. It involves Crystal…and Zoe too.” Turning to his new friend, Ron asked, “Do you want to bring her into this, Crys?”

“Let me give her a call.” Hitting the speed dial on her phone, Crystal’s lips turned up in a momentary smile as she heard her girlfriend’s voice, “Hey, Zee. I’m at school right now. Yeah. Uhhh…look…I just found out about something you should know about.” As she explained the situation to her lover, Crystal nodded her head and muttered her agreement, “Yeah. You’re right. Yeah. She does deserve one. All the way to Upperton and back. So…how do you wanna play it? After practice today? I’ll ask her. Okay…” Crystal nodded her head in agreement, “I’ll tell her. Give me just a sec.” Turning to Kim, the brunette cheerleader glared, “Zoe’s coming over after practice. That’s when we’re both going to give you a piece of our minds.”

“Fair enough.” Kim nodded in resignation, “You’re right. I’ve got a butt chewing coming to me.”

“You bet your ass you do.” Crystal muttered to her redheaded team captain before speaking to her girlfriend on the phone. “Hey, Zee. She’ll be there. Yeah. You know I do too. Bye.”

“I’ll be there too.” Ron declared with unusual firmness. “Then, after that, Kim, when we’re alone. We’ll talk about the other matter.”

“Okay, Ron.” Kim nodded her head, “We’ll talk after practice.”

Giving her captain a final glare, Crystal announced as she walked away, “Later, Kim.”

After Practice

“Great practice, everyone!” Kim announced to her fellow cheerleaders, clapping her hands to get their attention, “Go ahead and hit the showers.”

Turning her attention to the brown haired, tawny-skinned cheerleader standing close by with the team mascot, Kim sighed, “Okay, Crystal, let me have it.”

“We’re waiting on one more person.” Crystal declared as an attractive bronze-skinned Asian woman with long dark hair entered the gym, “And there she is.” Waving her hand, she called out, “Over here, Zoe!”

On her way to the showers, Bonnie paused for a moment at the sight of the strange woman striding angrily towards her rival. She was even more surprised at what happened next.

Approaching the redheaded snoop, Zoe, shoving her backwards, growled in an angry voice, “Hey, Red! I don’t care if you know a hundred forms of kung-fu. Pry into my life again and I’ll kick your ass. Got that, bitch?”

“Glad I stuck around.” Bonnie snickered as the scene continued to unfold.

“How did Wade track us?” Ron demanded, immediately interposing himself between the irate Asian woman and his estranged friend.

“Yeah.” Crystal echoed. “I’d like to know that too.”

“So would I, Ms. Possible.” “Just how did your friend get that information?”

“Mr. Barkin?” Kim exclaimed in surprise as the substitute-everything made his appearance known.

“I had a feeling something was going down when I saw Ms. Chen tramping down the hallway with a head full of steam.” Barkin replied as he turned his attention to the bronze-skinned woman staring angrily at Kim. “You’re a long way from Middleton Community or the restaurant or Old Town, Ms. Chen. Wanna explain why?”

“Sure, Mr. Barkin.” Zoe replied, her eyes not moving an inch from Kim. “This little…”

“Zoe…” Barkin cautioned, “Don’t say it. We’re on school grounds. I know you’re not a student, but you are a guest and as such have agreed to follow our rules and regulations during your stay here.”

“Sorry, Mr. B.” The Asian woman apologized, “I just found out that Red was tracking me, Crys, and Ron without us knowing about it.”

“Is that true, Ms. Possible?” Barkin asked, his eyes narrowed into a stern expression.

“Yes, Sir.” Kim admitted in a rueful tone of voice, her head lowered.

Turning to Ron and Crystal, the substitute-everything teacher questioned, “Do either of you have cell phones, Mr. Stoppable…Ms. Edwards.”

“Yes, Sir.” Crystal replied, showing the educator her phone.

“My mother got me one this weekend.” Ron answered, showing his phone as well. “But I haven’t gotten around to giving Kim the number yet. We haven’t talked all weekend.”

“Is that true, Ms. Possible?” The substitute teacher inquired as he continued his relentless interrogation.

“Yes, Sir.” Kim nodded. “I tried to call him all weekend and he didn’t answer and when I went to his house, his parents told me he was either not at home or couldn’t come to the door. Then, when he didn’t show up to walk me to school I…” the teen hero confessed, head lowered, “I panicked. I asked Wade to track him.”

“How did he track me, Kim?” Ron asked, his eyes narrowing, “Like I said, I just got my phone. He couldn’t have known the number unless he did a search, and the only way he could have found out about Zoe was by running her tags which meant that what…did he use a satellite? Track her by cell phone?”

“I’d like to know what gave Red and her friend the right to break into my records.” Zoe growled, balling her fists.

“I was worried about Ron, Mr. Barkin!” Kim sobbed. “When I called his home on Saturday, his mother told me he wasn’t home.”

“Saturday night I was at the movie with Courtney.” Ron explained, an expression of astonishment appearing on his estranged friend’s face on hearing her old sidekick was out on a date.

“What’s wrong, Kim?” Crystal sneered, “Surprised someone would actually want to go out on a date with Ron?”

“No.” Kim shook her head, “I’m happy for him. Why would I be upset?” Turning to Ron, she frowned, “I just wish you’d have told me.”

“Right now you’re not very high on the list of people I want to talk to.” Ron answered back with a grunt.

“Why?” Kim pleaded, “What did I do?”

“That’s between the two of us, Kim.” Ron declared, repeating his warning, “Like I told you earlier, you really don’t want this to get out to the general public.”

“I’m sorry, Ron…” Crystal interjected apologetically, “I know you wanted to keep this private, but it’s already too late. Her dragging me and Zoe into this forced it out.”

Sighing, Ron reluctantly agreed with his new friends, “Yeah, you’re right Crys. I’m sorry you and Zoe got yanked into this.”

“Hey.” Zoe responded, “Not your fault, Ron. This is all on Red.”

“I’ll take full responsibility for anything I did wrong.” Kim declared, staring back at the Asian woman glaring at her.

“You bet your sweet a…”

“Ms. Chen…” Mr. Barkin intervened warningly, “Remember. This isn’t Old Town or the College.”

“Right, Mr. B.” Zoe replied, amending her last statement, “Like I was saying, Red. You bet your sweet little rear end, you’re gonna take the heat on this.”

“So…what did I do, Ron?” Kim pleaded, tears coming to her eyes.

Heaving a sigh, Ron, shaking his head in a gesture of disappointment, asked his old friend, “Do you remember what happened on Friday after school?”

Recalling the events of that day, Kim nodded her head, “Yeah. We were talking about Drakken and Shego…”

“After that, Kim.” Ron prompted.

“I remember Wade was tracking Josh coming towards us…”

“Ron told us you were tracking Josh. I told him it was creepy.” Crystal exclaimed in a loud voice that immediately attracted not only Bonnie’s attention, but also the attention of the other cheerleaders returning to the gym from their showers. “This just keeps getting worse. Are you keeping tabs on us in our homes? Our bathrooms? Bedrooms?”

“I’d like to know the answer to that too.” Bonnie remarked to the other cheerleaders now gathering around her.

“How long has she been doing this?” Jessica added with a scowl.

Vehemently shaking her head, Kim pleaded her case, “I didn’t know Wade was doing that until he came on the Kimmunicator and told us. Believe me, I didn’t tell him to do it!’

“You told him to do it with me.” Ron countered, speaking in a soft, mournful voice. “I hate to say this Kim, but I think Crys, Zoe, and everyone else has good reason to be concerned.”

“Maybe.” Kim admitted, lowering her head, “I was wrong to ask Wade to do that, Ron. I’m sorry.” Looking straight at Zoe and Crystal, she apologized, “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have asked him to do that. It’s all my fault.”

“You bet your butt it is.” Zoe growled as her lover subtly placed a gentle hand on her wrist.

“Easy, Zee.” Crystal whispered, “Let Ron take care of this.”

“Girlfriend?” Jessica whispered in a very low voice to the redheaded cheerleader standing next to her.

“Girlfriend.” Liz responded in an equally low murmur as the pair with their fellow cheerleaders continued to watch the growing confrontation.

Mr. Barkin glowered, “We will talk about the unauthorized surveillance of your fellow students and other civilians later, Possible. For now though, I think you should address the original topic. You stated that you were talking with Stoppable in the corridor when your friend conducting the unapproved tracking of Mr. Mankey interrupted your conversation. Continue.”

“Yes, Sir.” The young redhead sheepishly responded. “Wade said that Josh was approaching us and I panicked and then Ron dragged me into the utility closet and gave me the pep-talk I needed to talk to Josh. But when Josh got to where we were at, I panicked again and froze and Ron gave me that final push to go up to him and ask him out. One of the reasons why I wanted to talk to you, Ron…” Kim said, her eyes moist with tears, “…was to say thank you. I couldn’t have done it without you.”

“What happened next, Kim?” Ron asked in a soft, yet firm and unyielding, voice.

 As the next series of events slowly, painfully, played out in her mind, Kim’s eyes opened wide in shock as it dawned on her exactly what she did. The expression on her face now one of guilt and remorse, the young redhead confessed in a low, sorrowful tone of voice as she spoke, “Josh said yes and then I heard you say something about us picking you up from your home and I…”

“Go on, Kim.” Ron pressed accusatorially.

“Kim lowered her head, “I got mad and I…I…I…slammed the door shut on you.”

“You knew I had the locks on the utility closets changed, Ms. Possible.” The stern teacher declared accusingly. “It was on the morning announcements.”

“Yes, Sir.” Kim admitted, murmuring her response. “I wasn’t thinking. I was just so happy that Josh wanted to go to the dance with me that when I heard Ron make that crack about going with us…”

“You took him seriously.” Crystal interrupted, finishing the redhead’s sentence before pointing her finger at her challengingly, “You and him are supposed to be best friends! Couldn’t you tell he was just making a joke!”

“Like I said!” Kim cried out, “I wasn’t thinking!”

“You sure as hell weren’t.” Crystal bit back, refusing to let up on the tormented redhead.

“Ron.” Kim, tears flowing from her eyes, looked up at her old friend, “I’m sorry. Can you please forgive me?”

Closing his eyes and taking a deep breath, Ron answered back in a low and somber tone, “Yeah. One day I will. But not right now.” He said shaking his head, “I’ll always have your back on missions, Kim. You know that. All you have to do is call, and I’ll be there. But I think I need some time to sort things out.”

“What sort of things?” Kim asked, fearing her childhood friend’s next words.

Looking Kim in the eyes, Ron replied in a mournful voice, “How close a friendship we can have with each other. And…” he finished with a note of agony and regret, “…maybe whether we should even be friends.” Turning away, the blond youth said his parting words, “Tell Wade he doesn’t have to worry about tracking me anymore. Zoe and Crys are taking me home and they’ll be picking me up for school tomorrow.”

“How does Bueno Nacho sound Ron?” Crystal asked as she, Ron, and Zoe walked to the gym exit, the two girls on either side of their new friend. “I’ll call Maria and Courtney and they can meet us there.”

“You don’t have to on my account, Crys.” Ron smiled as he caught a glimpse at his estranged friend from the corner of his eyes. “I know you girls don’t like going there.”

“I think we can make an exception this time, Stoppable.” Zoe smiled.

“Yeah.” Crystal grinned, “You look like you’re in dire need of a naco fix. C’mon. We’re buying.”

Staring down at the redheaded girl in front of him, Mr. Barkin shook his head in disappointment. “My office, Possible. Tomorrow morning.”

“Yes, Sir.” Kim mumbled as the substitute educator turned about and made his way to the exit just as Bonnie, much to the teen hero’s chagrin, approached.

“Damn, K.” Bonnie remarked, her expression a stony mask, “Even though I think Stoppable’s still a loser…” the teal-eyed cheerleader shook her head in disbelief as she sniffed, “I mean, I could see where I might have done something like that to him. But you—you’re supposed to be his friend! I guess that old saying’s true—with friends like you, who needs enemies? Ta!”

Standing now alone in the gym, her fellow cheerleaders departing in silence, Kim lowered her head at the looks of disappointment on the faces of Tara, Jessica, and Liz as her Kimmunicator beeped. Answering the phone, Kim took a tissue to her eyes as she regarded the young genius on the screen.

“That bad, Kim?” Wade asked, his voice edged with concern for his friend.

“Worse.” The teen hero sobbed, “Now I have to figure out how to make things right again.”

“You will, Kim I know it.” Wade declared confidently, “I have faith in you.”

“Thanks, Wade. I’m glad someone does.” Kim replied, the barest traces of a smile appearing on her face.

Chapter Text

Possible Home

At once spotting the look on her daughter’s face as she shambled into the house dropping her bookbag by the door, Mrs. Possible sighed, attempting to console her depressed daughter. “That bad, honey?”

“Uh Huh.” Kim sobbed as she buried her face into her mother’s chest.

“Tell me about it.” Anne gently prompted as she guided her daughter into the kitchen and took a pair of bowls from the cupboard and placed them on the table before getting some ice cream from the freezer and scooping some into each of the bowls. Sitting down with her daughter, she gazed worriedly into her daughter’s eyes before asking, “What happened?”

Sighing, Kim dug a spoon into her ice cream and took a bite before answering. “I found out why Ron’s mad at me.”

“Why’s he mad?” Anne asked as she took a bite of ice cream, giving her daughter plenty of time to respond.

“I did something stupid, Mom.” The red headed teen moaned as she took another bite of her frozen comfort food.

“What did you do?” Anne gently pressed.

“Remember me telling you how I would always freeze up when Josh was anywhere close to me?”

 “Yes.” Anne nodded patiently, allowing her daughter to proceed at her own pace.

Setting down her spoon, Kim lowered her head and confessed in a mournful voice, “I did something really stupid and really cruel and hurt Ron and now he hates me.” Taking a deep breath, the tormented redhead sighed, “And he has every right to.”

“I’m sure he doesn’t hate you, darling.” Anne consoled in a soothing voice, “Why don’t you tell me what you did to him.”

“We were talking in the hallway after school and Josh walked by.” Kim recalled, “I began freezing up as usual and Ron dragged me into the utility closet and gave me a pep talk. I wouldn’t have ever worked up the courage to ask him to the dance if it weren’t for Ron. When Josh said yes…” a sad smile very briefly appeared on the teen hero’s face before vanishing, “I was on top of the world. I was so happy that I couldn’t think.”

“Okay…so what happened next?” Anne gently pressed her daughter.

“I was feeling so…” Kim shook her head, “It was like…the only thing I could think of was going to the dance with Josh.” Taking a deep breath, the young redhead, after a lengthy pause continued haltingly, “Then, I heard Ron say something about coming to the dance with us and…I wasn’t thinking, Mom!” Kim cried out in anguish, “Cause if I was, I would never have done what I did! All I heard was him asking when we were going to pick him up at his house and I…I got so angry! I kicked the utility room door on him and locked him in and…I…I just left him there. Locked in that room.”

“Oh, Kim!” Anne exclaimed, her voice tone a mix of regret and disapproval. “I can’t believe you did that.”

“I’m sorry, Mom!” Kim sobbed, “Really sorry! I fouled up! I know that! If it wasn’t for Crystal…” the teen hero, bowing her head, declared in a low, mournful voice, “He’d have been stuck there all night—maybe even all weekend.”

“And that’s why the two of you had a fight this afternoon.” Anne concluded.

“Not so much a fight as me getting my rear chewed out by him, Crystal, and Zoe.” Kim amended, “And I had it coming.”

“Yes, you did.” Anne, refusing to sugar-coat the issue, bluntly declared before raising her eyebrows in curiosity, “Who’s Zoe?”

“Crystal’s friend.” Kim explained, “Remember this morning when Ron didn’t show up so that we could walk to school together and I had Wade try to locate him?”

“I remember the name now.” Anne nodded, letting out a breath of air, “She was the driver of the car. Your father and I share part of the blame here. We should have stopped you from doing that and we didn’t. I’m sorry, Kim. If we’d have done what we were supposed to do, at least you wouldn’t have had to deal with that as well.”

“So…what do I do now, Mom? How do I fix this?” Kim pleaded, “I said I was sorry and I meant it.”

“That’s a good beginning.” Anne affirmed, “What was his answer?”

Heaving a mournful sigh, the tormented redhead answered, “He said he needed time to think things through. He…” she sobbed, “…he wasn’t sure what sorta friendship he wants to have with me and…” her tears now freely flowing, she moaned, “…whether he even wants to be friends.”

“Is he still going with you on missions?” Anne queried, admonishing, “You understand that the only reason that your father and I let you go out and do what you do is because you have someone with you. If Ron’s no longer accompanying you, then you’ll need to find someone else that is acceptable to us. If you don’t, then you won’t be allowed to go out on missions anymore.”

“Don’t worry, Mom.” Kim answered, reassuring her mother. “Ron promised that he’d still have my back on missions.”

“Good.” Anne nodded, “I’m glad to hear that.” Frowning in concern at the somber look on her daughter’s face, she reached over and gently brushed aside a stray lock of hair, “I know you probably don’t want to hear this, sweetie, but I think Ron might have the right idea here.”

“What do you mean, Mom?”

“It looks to me like he’s wanting to take some time to cool down.” Anne explained, “He doesn’t want to say or do anything that can’t be taken back later. You ask me, that’s showing a lot of maturity.”

“More than I showed.” Kim frowned ruefully.

“No comment.” Anne responded with a grin. “Just give him the time he needs, Kim. Let him know you’re sorry and want to make amends and then let him make the next move. I’m sorry dear, but that’s really all you can do.”

Heaving a sigh, Kim pushed the empty bowl away as she rose from her seat. “Thanks, Mom. If it’s alright with you, I’m going to go up to my room and get started on my homework.”

Nodding her head, Anne smiled warmly at her daughter, “Go on ahead, Sweetie. I’ll call you down when dinner’s ready.”

School—the next day

“Remember, Kim.” Anne advised as her daughter opened the car door, “Be patient. Don’t rush him.”

“Okay, Mom.” Kim vowed, “I’ll keep my inner Kimness under control. I promise.”

“Good luck, dear.”

Entering through the high school’s double doors, the teen hero walked straight to her locker, ignoring the assorted dirty looks and snickers as she reached the locker and opening it, activated the PC inside.

“Hey, Kim.” Wade greeted, a sympathetic look on his face, “How’s it going?”

“About as you’d expect.” The lovely redhead sighed as she spotted Ron out of the corner of her eye conversing with Courtney, the brown-haired girl laughing at a joke that the blond sidekick had just told her. “This whole sitch is tearing me up inside!” Kim confessed, moaning, “All I want is to get things back to the way they were!”

“I’m sorry, Kim” Wade answered back sorrowfully, “I wish I knew what to say.” Then, in an effort to cheer up his distraught leader, he suggested, “Maybe a mission or something might come up later on. It’d give the two of you time alone together and maybe work things out? I’ll keep an eye out just in case—okay?”

A ghost of a smile appearing on the teen hero’s face, she replied, “Thanks, Wade. You’re the best.” After turning off the computer, she took out her books for her morning classes. Then, shutting her locker, she turned about in time to spot Crystal talking on her cell phone. Walking up to her fellow cheerleader, Kim caught her just as the tawny-skinned teen was finishing her call.

“Pick me up at school? Cool. Sounds like a plan. Talk to you later, Babe. Bye!”

“New boyfriend?”

Quickly turning about, Crystal glared angrily at the redhead, “Listening in on my conversations now, Possible?”

Her face reddening in embarrassment, Kim stammered an apology, “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to…I caught the last part where you said goodbye. Honest! Please…” she sobbed, “I just want to make things right. I want us to be friends again.”

“We never were friends, Kim. Teammates…Yes. Friends…No.” Crystal replied bluntly. Heaving a sigh at the look of anguish on the head cheerleader’s face, she extended an olive branch, “Look. We might not be friends, but that doesn’t mean we have to be enemies and it doesn’t mean we can’t ever be friends.”

“I can live with that.” Kim answered as the ghost of a smile appeared on her face, “And I am sorry about asking Wade to track you and your friend and I promise I will never do anything like that again. And I really didn’t intend to listen in on your conversation.”

“Apology accepted.” Crystal responded, further inquiring, “So…what did you want to talk to me about?”

“Ron.” Kim murmured, “I was hoping you would…”

Taking a deep breath and exhaling, the brown-skinned teenager interrupted her fellow cheerleader, “I’m not the one who locked the person who was supposed to be my best friend in the closet. You’re going to have to work things out with him on your own.” Seeing the disappointed look on the redhead’s face, Crystal relented a little, “Okay, here’s what I’m going to do. If he asks me whether he should give you another chance, I’ll suggest to him that he talk with you and then he can decide for himself what he wants to do.”

“I’ll take that.” Kim replied, sighing with relief, “Thank you.”

As her fellow cheerleader turned to leave, Crystal gave her one last piece of advice, “One other thing…Kim. Courtney and Ron have been seeing a lot of each other recently and Maria and I are going to continue being his friends. In other words, you’re going to have to get used to the fact that you’re not the center of his world anymore. If you can do that, then you’ve got a shot at getting him back as a friend. If not…” the tawny-skinned cheerleader shrugged her shoulders. “That’s all I got to say. Now I gotta go to class.”

“Yeah.” Kim nodded, “Me too. Thanks again, Crys.”

The Lunchroom a few hours later

Heaving a sigh as she entered the cafeteria, Kim, immediately spotting her estranged friend sitting at the same table as Courtney, Maria, and Crystal, made her way to the end of the serving line. Picking up her tray of barely recognizable food, the teen hero proceeded to an empty table where she sat down and began to idly pick at the mound of mystery meat on her tray.

“Better be careful sticking your fork into that, Kim. Marcella told me that she broke hers last week.”

“Tara?” Kim exclaimed, looking up in surprise at the busty blonde standing on the other side of the table. Taking a deep breath and exhaling, the redhead spoke in a resigned tone, “I guess it’s your turn to tell me how big a jerk I am. Okay…let me have it.”

Shaking her head, the bubbly blonde responded as she joined her teammate at the table. “Is that why you think I’m here?”

“Isn’t it?” Kim countered, raising her eyebrows. “Everyone else has taken a shot at me today.”

“Nah.” The blonde cheerleader shook her head, an amused grin on her face, “I figure you’ve had enough of that already—unless you want me to…”

“No.” Kim smiled back, “I think I got the message.” Her smile vanishing, the teen hero confessed, “I screwed up—didn’t I?”

“Yeah.” Tara nodded, “But don’t feel too bad, we all do.”

“So…” Kim inquired as she poked cautiously at her food, “Any ideas how to fix this?”

“Nothing you probably haven’t already heard.” Tara replied as Kim’s Kimmunicator went off.

“Sorry, Tara.” Kim apologized as she answered the call. “Yeah, Wade. What’s the sitch?”

“Middleton Mall.” The pudgy hacker responded, “All of a sudden the people in there started fighting each other. Stores are getting trashed and everything. Mall security’s overwhelmed and the police are doing the best they can to contain it, but there’s not enough of ‘em. Can you and Ron handle it or…”

“Give me a sec.” Kim replied, bolting out of her seat. Spotting her estranged friend at another table eating with his new friends, the teen hero called out, “Ron! There’s a sitch at the mall. Are you in?”

Glancing down at Courtney, the blond sidekick smiled as he saw her slightly nod her head. Turning his attention back to Kim, he shouted, “Yeah, Kim. I got your back.”

“Spanking.” Kim exclaimed, sighing inwardly in relief, “Let’s go!”

Middleton Mall

“Constable Hubble?” Kim called out, waving her hand in greeting as she and her blond partner approached the police line, “What’s the sitch?”

“Ms. Possible.” The harried police officer sighed with relief, “I’m glad you’re here.”

His irritation at being ignored growing, Ron cleared his throat and growled, “Forget someone?”

“Constable Hubble. You remember my friend, Ron Stoppable?” Kim quickly interjected.

Shaking his head, the policeman replied, “Sorry…not ringing any bells.”

“Figures.” Ron muttered in a low voice that only Kim could hear, “Find out from lead-bottom what’s going on so that you can fix it and take the credit and I can get back to that pile of extra work Barkin gave me.”

Frowning on hearing her estranged companion’s words, Kim repeated her earlier question to the police officer, “Can you please tell us what’s going on in there, Constable?”

“It’s a full scale riot in there, Ms. Possible.” Constable Hubble replied with a sigh. “The people who got out before everyone inside went crazy are all saying the same thing. That they heard a high pitched buzzing sound and then started to feel like they had bugs crawling all over them. That’s when they decided to get out.”

“Good thing they did. If they didn’t they probably would have gone crazy like everyone else.” Kim commented as she took her Kimmunicator out of her purse. “Any ideas Wade?” Kim asked as the image of the young Team Possible tech support guru appeared on the screen.

“I’ve tracked down the subsonic emissions to a store in the mall.” Wade promptly responded, “It’s…” the child prodigy’s lips turned down in a frown, Club Banana.”

“Drakken I bet.” Kim growled, “Any ideas on how we can get to him without us going crazy too?”

“Yeah.” Wade answered with a toothy grin. “I’m sending a drone to you with them now.”

“I see it.” Ron announced, pointing to the small flying robot approaching. Catching the box that the drone had dropped, he opened it and gazed inside. “Earplugs?”

“They’re specially designed to filter out the subsonic emissions that are driving people crazy while allowing the two of you to hear each other when you speak.” Wade explained, further warning, “Make sure you put them on before you go in and don’t under any circumstances take them out.”

“Got it.” Kim nodded as she and her partner both put in their earplugs, making sure they fit snugly. “Hear me, Ron?”

“Yeah. I hear you.”

“Cool.” Kim exclaimed, “Let’s find Drakken and Shego and shut that thing down.”

“I’ve activated a directional finder on your Kimmunicator.” Wade instructed as a faint beeping sound came out of the communications device along with an arrow pointing towards the mall entrance. “The beeping will get louder the closer you get.”

“Thanks, Wade.” Kim responded as she turned to her disgruntled sidekick, “Ready to go, Ron?”

“Yeah.” The young man affirmed, “Let’s do it.”

Inside the Mall

“It’s a zoo in here!” Ron shouted as he dodged a ceramic figurine of a parrot thrown at him by a woman, her facial expression a mixture of anger and pain.

“We’ve got to find Drakken and put a stop to this soon before someone gets killed!” Kim yelled back as she barely avoided being struck by a large man wielding a baseball bat. A quick karate chop quickly felling the man, the teen hero sighed, “Come on, Ron.”

“Right behind you, Kim.” The blond sidekick responded, Kim catching her breath as she once again heard her old childhood friend calling her by her name instead of the usual K.P. “Duck!”

“Thanks, Ron!” Kim exclaimed, ducking her head just in time to avoid being hit by a flying vase. Then, spotting a large man rushing towards her companion, she shouted urgently, “Behind you!”

Reacting instinctively to his partner’s warning, Ron dodged the charging man, tripping him as he passed. Nodding his head at the redhead, the faintest traces of a smile appeared on the blond youth’s face.. “I owe you one, Kim.”

“You’ll return the favor.” Kim smiled back as she took out her Kimmunicator. “The arrow’s pointing this way!” She declared, pointing to the north end of the mall where Club Banana was located. Grimacing, the teen hero swore, “If those two morons took over my favorite store…”

“I hear you, Kim.” Ron replied, “It’s right next to the arcade.” Pulling Mr. Johnson, the owner of Tiny Gifts off of a poor customer he was beating on with a giant stuffed teddy bear, the blond youth quipped as his redheaded partner tied the berserk shopkeeper up with a string of Christmas lights, “We better hurry before someone gets killed.”

“Right.” Kim nodded, “Time to put an end to this.”

Showdown at Club Banana

“My subsonic ragifier works even better than I thought it would!” Dr. Drakken cackled with glee as he and his henchwoman surveyed the chaos all around them.

“Heh…” Shego scoffed nonchalantly as she observed the carnage all around her while buffing her nails, “This plan might actually work.”

“Of course it will work.” Drakken huffed, “Not even Kim Possible can…”

“Can what Dr. D?” Kim smirked as she and her sidekick burst into the ruined store. “Kick your butt for trashing my favorite store. Glad to.”

“Kim Possible!” The blue-skinned mad scientist sneered, “And the Buffoon too.”

“And me!” Rufus chittered as he popped out of his master’s pocket, glaring at the two villains.

“You know…” Ron grumbled, “I’m really beginning to hate that name.”

“Struck a nerve, boy?” Shego mocked as she conjured a ball of green fire. “I got an idea.” She said with an evil grin on her face as she threw the green fireball, “Let’s play dodgeball!”

Diving to the floor just in time, Ron shouted out a warning, “K.P.! Look out!”

Dodging just in time, Kim barely evaded her green-skinned enemy’s claw swipe.

“Thanks, Ron!” Kim called back, a big smile appearing on her face as she countered her foe’s attack with a lunging kick, driving the villainess into a clothing rack. Then, spotting Drakken moving towards his invention, Kim called out, “Ron!”

“On it, Kim!” Ron yelled back, giving his rodent companion a grin before diving at the blue-skinned mad scientist, bringing him down with an ankle tackle, “You know what to do, Rufus!”

“Yeah. Yeah.” Rufus snickered as he dodged Shego’s foot, tripping her up in the process. Skittering to the vibrating machine, the little  naked mole rat, finding an opening, wedged his way inside it. Then, finding green and yellow wires, he grinned evilly as he gnawed on the wires, shorting out the contraptions. Quickly dashing out of the sparking machine, Rufus snickered, “Did it.”

“Way to go, Rufus!” Ron exclaimed as he connected with a punch to Drakken’s jaw, stunning the evil villain as Kim, catching her opponent off balance, quickly struck with a combination kick and karate chop bringing the supervillain down just as Constable Hobble, followed by two police officers, entered the store.

“Thank you, Ms. Possible.” The cop grinned as his officers cuffed both villains—cuffing Shego special inhibitor restraints loaned by Global Justice. “You saved a lot of peoples’ lives today.”

“It wasn’t just me.” The teen hero declared emphatically, placing her hand on her blond teammate’s shoulder, “Ron and Rufus deserve equal credit here. I couldn’t have done it without them.”

The constable replied with an indulgent grin, “Of course your sidekick deserves thanks too.”

“He’s not my sidekick!” Kim exclaimed, resisting her initial impulse to point her finger at the dimwitted cop. “He’s my partner. And…” she added in a more somber tone of voice, “My friend.”

“Okay, Ms. Possible.” Constable Hobble replied, not really listening to the young woman’s protests, “We’ve got to run these two in. Thanks again!”

As the two villains were led away, Kim barely repressed a smile as she heard her blue-skinned foe yell, “You think you’re all that, Kim Possible—but you’re not!”

Sighing mournfully, Kim sat down on a still intact bench, her old friend joining her. Her lips turned up in a sad smile, she moaned, “I tried Ron. I really did. But he wouldn’t listen. They never listen.” Her smile returning, she remarked in a low voice, “You called me K.P.”

 “Yeah.” Ron answered, “I guess it just slipped out.”

“I see.” Kim murmured before taking another deep breath and lowering her head, sighed, “I’m sorry, Ron. I’m sorry I locked you in that closet and I’m sorry I asked Wade to track you and Crystal’s friend. I know you don’t trust me anymore…”

“I trust you with my life, Kim.” Ron interrupted.

“I know.” The redhead responded as she wiped her eyes with a tissue. “And I trust you with mine. What I meant is that I’m sorry that what I did caused you to lose your trust in me. That I threw away what was most important. Your friendship.” A look of determination appeared on her face as she finished her words, “Ron. You are my best friend and always will be, and I promise you that I am going to do everything I can to earn that trust back because I want to be your best friend again. So…”

After a lengthy pause during which two young teens sat quietly together, Ron spoke, his redheaded companion breathing deeply and trembling, hanging on to his every word. “We’ve known each other for a long time, Kim. I don’t want to throw all that away either. But I can’t just forget what you did like it never happened. So…how does this sound? For now, we’re probationary friends.  Let’s take it one day at a time and we’ll see where it goes. Does that work for you?”

Smiling through her tears, Kim answered as she released the breath she had been holding, “Yes. Yes it does. Thank you Ron. And I meant it. I’m going to bust my butt to get your trust back. I don’t care if it takes the rest of my life because you are worth it.”

“All right, K.P.” Ron smiled back, “We’re probationary friends.”

“Ummm…Ron?” Kim asked as the pair exited the mall together, “Is it okay for a probationary friend to buy her probationary friend a naco plate at BN?”

His smile widening, the blond youth responded, “It’s not only okay, K.P. It’s required. Let’s go!”

Epilogue: Junior Prom about one year later

“I can’t believe I was that stupid.” Kim murmured to Ron as the pair danced their first dance as a couple together, swaying as the music played a soft slow-dance tune.

“Stupid about what?” Ron whispered.

“About Eric.” Kim moaned softly, “I almost lost you again because I fell for a hottie.”

“It wasn’t just you this time, Kim.” Ron responded, brushing aside a stray lock of red hair. “I should have told you how I felt after I came back from Japan. But…”

“And I shouldn’t have said what I said at the treehouse.” Kim replied, refusing to share the blame. “Sometimes I wonder why you put up with me.”

“You know why, Kim.” Ron smiled as he gazed into his girlfriend’s eyes.

“So…” Kim asked, “Have you heard from Courtney?”

“Yeah.” Ron answered, “Her and her family are doing well. They love Florida and she’s dating a nice guy. She says that he’s kinda like me—a little goofy and likes to watch Fearless Ferret reruns.”

Chuckling, the redheaded teen quipped, “You spoiled her.”

“Yeah.” Ron laughed, “I guess I did.”

“I see Maria’s having a good time.” The teen hero remarked as she inclined her head slightly in the direction of Ron’s friend, dancing with the new student.

“Oscar’s a good guy.” Ron declared approvingly.

“The two of ‘em make a good couple.” Kim observed, a warm smile appearing on her face as she gestured towards Crystal and Zoe. “I’m glad they decided to finally come out and go to the prom together.”

“It was rough on them for a while…” Ron sighed as Bonnie came into the couple’s field of view.

“Yeah. Not everyone was happy about it.” Kim agreed, frowning at the sight of her rival.

An evil grin on his face, Ron quipped, “They told me that they had a private conference with Bon-Bon after cheerleader practice a few weeks ago when the two of us had to stop the Senors from freezing that island. Although they wouldn’t tell me what they said or did to get her to back off.”

Chuckling, Kim remarked, “Liz told me that after Zoe and Crys told them that they’d finished their ‘conference’, her, Tara, and Jess went in and heard shouts and banging coming from Bonnie’s locker. When they opened it…”

“Wait!” Ron chortled, holding his hand up, “Let me finish. They stuffed Bon-Bon in her locker.”

“Yup.” Kim laughed, “Bonnie finally got the message and has kept her mouth shut since.”

His eyes gazing down on his best friend-girl friend, Ron smiled warmly. “Well, K.P. I guess alls well that ends well.”