Hello again and welcome once again as we continue to tell the tale of our friends, Unheard Flipper's take on KP and the gang in his AU, "The Truth About Kim and Ron". But before we start this one off, we'd like to thank those who Reviewed, Faved, Followed or Alerted: levi2000a1, Sentinel103 and Guest, thank you all for chiming in, we really appreciate it.
In our previous installment Roman was not doing well and had things on his mind as he recovered from the Siberian mission. That those weighty thoughts were serious enough for the Russian to ask for a final exit should he not fully recover from his wounds. Meanwhile Kim was given a hard lesson in friendship and war from her CO, something she hopes she never has to deal with, but still, knows it may come about. A little serious heart-to-heart between friends takes place and Kim has to deal with Roman's choices should he feel he has none if he cannot continue as a Soldier, in any country. Though a little dark, nevertheless, it does strike at the heart of our friend from another land.
And before we let this one startup, we've got to do the usual care-and-non-feeding of the sharks in expensive suits: Kim Possible, the characters from the program are owned by Disney, we get no cash from their inclusion in our stories. Roman Stopblaski is loaned to us by Unheard Flipper and likewise gets us no money either.
18
Mothers and a Day
As they slowly walked to Bueno Nacho after Monday classes, "Roman that was sooo nice that you spent Mother's Day with Mrs. Stoppable even if she's not your Mother.", Kim beamed brightly to her partner.
While taking in his reluctant acceptance of her praise, she also took in his overall appearance. Still recovering from the wounds and surgery he went through since the Christmas Mission in Siberia, Roman was not quite as far along in healing as either would have liked. But for a while, the blond undercover agent had been able to misdirect the more-than-casual-observer from believing his injuries were more than those he usually received while on one of the run-of-the-mill missions he and Kim went on.
Until he collapsed in the hallway at school after lunch, a couple of weeks after the first surgery in February.
After he was rushed back to the hospital it was discovered he had an infection which made its presence known during triage. His recovery delayed by his wounds and the infection, Roman was not quite as spry as he, and Kim, would have liked him to be by now, five months after his return from Siberia.
"Et was good that vou brought that glob back to Middleton Kimika, Et made short work of mess en garage.", he laughed easily as they slowly walked through the park.
Also laughing at the memory of the Industrial Strength Mass digesting all in the garage but an unusual lawn ornament, Kim shrugged, "Well since my sister doesn't visit home much, it was good to spend the holiday with Mom. And since I've been away so much she just hasn't been able to spend time with her daughters."
Then turning a little green as she remembered the early part of the day, "At least you didn't have to observe brain surgery like I did.", she said as she shuddered slightly. "But at least she got to see what we go through in foiling one of Drakken's whacked plans…", Kim rolled her eyes at the memory. Then giggling, "All you had to deal with was the mess in the garage and the Garden Gnome."
'If he's behaving this well, he must be feeling better.', Kim mentally sighed. 'God he was rough there for a while. But when he heals up we're gonna do some sparring so he knows how worried I was.'
Interrupting her train of thought, "Ssshh Kimika, don't say hes name too loud he meh hear vou.", Roman hissed with a mock frown.
At her look of incredulity, "Eh mean et, that plaster pixie es possessed.", he continued, milking the legacy of the bane of the former Ron Stoppable's existence. When she lightly grinned at the memory, Roman took a hand and held it warmly as she gripped it gratefully.
After the moment passed, they continued on their walk to Bueno Nacho.
"Uh Roman, how are you feeling these days? It's been about six weeks since the operation and that infection you developed really had me scared…I thought they were gonna pull you off this Mission when they found out how bad it was."
"Et was more bad den dat Kimika.", Roman sighed, "Vhen dey rushed meh to hospital again…..vell doctors say Roman Stopblaski hed von voot en grave."
"Shit Roman…vhy…dammit now you have me doing it too.", Kim blushed, "Why didn't you or Mom tell me?"
"Vou had solo mission, ve dedn't vant to make vou lose focus."
The undercover red headed Officer nodded her understanding. During his hospital visit she had been given a mission to snipe a minor foe that Intelligence discovered was using the incident she interrupted as a means of entering the 'Big Leagues' of Super-Villainy and her Orders were to not let that happen...with extreme prejudice.
"Da, Wade show me Gunfight at OK Corral…", Roman sighed, "Vinally. He also gave meh two cap pistols and gun belt es joke. Efen Will Du thought et was funny.", Roman coughed then winced as he grabbed his chest and bent over.
After Kim grasped him protectively and held him up, "Thank you Kimika…could you help me to bench?", Roman asked softly, "Eh em veeling mech better."
Taking his arm and placing it over her shoulders, "Yeah I can.", she replied as she took some of his weight on herself and hoped she wasn't coming across as too overprotective to her Russian Partner.
Looking to him in worry, 'He still hurts a lot, but he's better than he was earlier…', Kim thought. Then with a slight shiver, 'God I thought back then we were going to see his body in state at GJ instead of him in a hospital room. He looked so frail...Then when Wade played the video for me... I was so sure that he was dead…And it took him so long to recover..Why?..I guess I'll have to ask Mom why all that happened.'
After walking like this for a while, "Ah KP can I have my arm back? I'd like to sit down for a while.", Roman asked.
Helping him to a park bench, "Oh yeah, sure Roman, no problem.", Kim said in slight embarrassment. "You know I was worried about you being dead and then I find out that the operation didn't turn out all that good...But before you went on that mission you had been acting weird, why was that?", she asked as she let his arm down easy.
Patting a spot on the bench beside him, "Thank you Kimika, please sit with me. Eh try to explain.", he invited her warmly.
The red head sat down very close to the blond, "Are you going to tell me, cause I'm really worried about you again. And when that happens you seem to get shot or knifed..."
Roman looked at her with a sadness in his eyes she had never seen in them before, "Eh found out a while ago Kimika..Do you remember Natasha?" At Kim's nod he continued.
"She es ballerina, remember Eh tell you?", Kim nodded again.
"Vell Eh found out she wes on tour with company en Chechnya and Chechnyan rebels attacked their practice arena vhile looking for government building. Et was on news." His voice caught slightly, "Dey killed my Natasha...Her fater sent me letter. Colonel Barkein gave et to meh right before Eh left vor Siberia.", Roman told her softly.
Horrified, "Oh Roman, I'm so sorry. Is there anything I can do?", Kim asked as she quickly and gently grasped his hands.
"Nyet, Eh see lawyer at GJ to make sure Vanya and Alexander have money from Naco fund, but ef anyting happens make sure dat dey have all money.", he replied as he looked at Kim and squeezed her hands.
Sighing heavily, "I can do that Roman. But how can you do this? I mean I have the support of my family...well except my sister, and apart from for your children over there, you don't seem to have anyone.", the red head asked.
Roman sighed then smiled, "Eh do vhat Eh can, so et es easy. But Eh would like to finish tis mission end maybe bring children here to live en USA once Eh get out. How about vou?", he asked as he wrapped an arm around her shoulders.
Shrugging lightly, "If I could find the right guy and thought I had a future with him then I'd get out and try to find love as any regular woman would.", she said before muttering, "But I can't see that happening.", suddenly in the mood for a drink and a smoke, something she knew wasn't going to happen until much later in the evening, if at all.
"Neiter of es are normal.", he snorted with a smile, "Bet Eh vas natural."
Kim also snorted as his description of himself.
"Yeah you could say that.", she shot back. Then remembering a previous order given earlier in the day, "Roman, do you know why we have to go into Global Justice tonight with our dress uniforms in garment bags?", Kim asked.
"Eh don't know Kimika." Then he looked around to see if anyone was close enough to listen, "But meh bet es that Colonel Barkein been promoted to God.", he drew out comically.
"He already was in his mind Roman.", Kim snorted causing the Russian to laugh.
"Maybe Barkein just wants to have inspection. Es mad es he es with meh ets wonder Eh don't heve to paint rocks with toothbrush. So he must be getting ready to do something to meh.", Roman mused forlornly.
"He wouldn't dare, your Russian friends would take you back if they found out that he was being abusive.", she replied.
Roman looked at her evenly with his eyes getting suddenly wide, "Kimika, Russian Army likes abusive people...Det's it Barkien is going to become Russian Officer so he can abuse meh as proper Russian Officer vould!", he exclaimed as loudly as he dared.
"No he wouldn't.", she suggested. "Maybe they're just going to honor Senior and Colonel Barkin for doing as much as we have.", Kim voiced to him as she leaned up against the partner she was beginning to enjoy as a friend.
"Ve are nowhere near done Kimika, ve still heve much work to do yet. World is still very dangerous place to raise children. Good thing most people do not know of our true mission.", Roman said thoughtfully.
Then with a smirk, "But...ef Senior es going to be here Eh wonder ef Junior is too.", he said as he nudged her playfully. "Ef Junior es vou have another chance with pretty boy.", Roman smiled as he nudged her and then waited for a reaction from the red headed Marine Lieutenant.
A reaction he didn't have long to wait for.
Sputtering, "That 'dreamboat' is never going to get his paws on me again; I'd rather seduce…Drakken.", Kim blurted. Then when she spied Roman's smile, "NO I AM NOT going to stoop that low, my Dad would freak out."
"But KP et es for de good of deh mission.", Roman pleaded with his own puppy dog pout.
"Sure it would…Ok, if I have to then you have to date...Adrena Lynn..no, no...Amy Hall.", Kim retorted with her own smirk.
Blanching, "Et es good thing Eh didn't eat.", Roman whined, "OK, deal, ef Eh see Drakken put moves on vou I put bullet in hes brain...OK?"
"Now that's a deal I can live with.", Kim smiled at the little game she was playing with the Russian, "And if I see Lynn or Hall sneaking into your room I'll off them too. That way I'll be saving you from a fate worse than death and almost as bad as mine."
"Gee KP Eh don't know what to say but thanks.", Roman shuddered at the idea of either woman trying to make a move on him.
"Ok now that that's settled, let's go on to Bueno Nacho, I want to get something to eat before we head in to GJ.", Kim said as she helped him back up to his feet.
"Yes Ma'am.", Roman replied as he came to attention and mock-saluted her.
Mockingly returning the salute, "C'mon you, let's get to Bueno Nacho, there's a Naco waiting for you there.", she smirked as she pulled him along.
"Booyah!"
XX
After opening the door for the red head Roman went to the counter to place his order with Ned.
From a booth near the door, "Hey Kim is that geeky lap dog of yours finally getting over his case of loser cooties?", a teal eyed brunette snarked a little too loudly for casual conversation.
"That's not nice Bonnie, Ron was sick and he lost some weight. In fact he was bad off for a couple months.", her friend Tara scolded her, "If you remember, he even had to have an operation.", she said indignantly.
"And don't forget you just had to step over him in the hallway when he fell and then he we find out he got that real bad infection. So knock it off and cut him some slack.", as Tara continued to chide Bonnie.
"Ugh, don't remind me Tara, I had to disinfect my clothes that night...Now are you still going to fawn over him? I thought you were dating Josh not this loser.", Bonnie snarked.
Rising from her seat, "Well if you're going to be that way I'll go sit with Kim and Ron and not you right now.", the platinum blonde sniffed as she left the booth.
Walking over to them, "Guys I apologize for Bonnie she hasn't had her nice injection today."
Roman spoke up, "Oh did Brick get a new girlfriend, Tara?"
"Huh? What's that supposed to mean?", the bubbly cheerful cheerleader asked, now confused.
Kim leaned in and whispered into her ear. Tara's eyes widened and her face turned red after Kim finished. "Oh my!", Tara gasped then giggled, "No but he's out of town for the rest of the week on a recruiting trip, he's visiting a college campus."
Roman/Ron asked, "He's actually going to graduate? I wonder what Bon-Bon will do then?", he said in mock concern. Then smiling, "Tara do you want to sit with us? I'll promise to play nice."
"Well for a minute or two then we have to be going. We want to make that sale at Club Banana.", she said. "But Bonnie could stand to sit by herself for a couple." Then looking to him, "So are you feeling better Ron?", she asked the other blond in the booth.
"Yeah Tara, in fact I think I'll be ready to go to that cheerleader camp next month.", Ron/Roman replied after Kim had gone to the counter to pickup their order.
"Yeah it sounds like fun. I got my stuff packed already. But you know it looks like that place where that weirdo sprayed us with that gunk last time.", she shuddered. "And as long as you're going, I'll go too.", Tara told him.
Shuddering also, "Yeah Wannaweep...one of my not-so-favorite places in the world. Well Gill is supposed to be in some confined place, so we'll probably never see him again. Good riddance.", the mascot replied.
"Anyway I expect to be back to practice next week, but Kim tells me that you guys really don't need the mascot anymore.", he shrugged. "But maybe I'll be able to still give you some points for competitions.", he said.
A familiar and unloved, to some, voice called out, "Come on Tara, we have to get going."
Tara leaned over and kissed Ron on the cheek, "I have to go while the Queen is in a nice mood, but I hope you're feeling better."
By the time Tara left, Kim had returned. "What was that all about Ron.", Kim asked a bit too loud for her proximity to him; a small smirk on her face.
"Well Bon-Bon was being herself and Tara was being the nice girl that she is. And Tara wanted to know how I was doing. She knew I was under the weather and was concerned about me.", Roman/Ron replied.
"Well let's eat and then head home.", Kim replied with a small smile at the attention her partner seemed to be getting lately.
XXX
Auditorium 7, Headquarters Global Justice:
Standing 'At Ease' in formation Lieutenant Kim Possible and Lieutenant Colonel Steve Barkin, along with Sergeant Roman Stopblaski and several other members of their covert unit, waited for orders to begin this affair.
"Attention.", a voice called out as several high ranking officers walked out of a small room off the stage.
Kim glanced around the room and saw that both her parents and Roman's cousins were there. 'What the heck is going on?'
Stepping up to a microphone, (Master-Sergeant Roman Yurivitch Stopblaski, please come forward.), a Colonel in a Russian Army Dress uniform ordered.
Wide eyed the Russian Starshiná marched forward, and then stopped three feet from him. After trading salutes, the Russian Colonel asked in heavily accented English, "Do you still get sick as a dog when flying Stopblaski?"
"Yes Sir, but Eh still can do meh job.", he replied nervously while at 'Attention'.
"Good. Now we will do this in English since we are in Amerika.", the Colonel told him as Roman remained at 'Attention'.
After he ordered Roman to 'About Face', the Colonel stood to one side and continued, "To those who are unaware, Master Sergeant Stopblaski stopped the destruction of a major pipeline nearly at the cost of his life."
Turning to the Russian Senior NCO, "As a result of your actions that day Sergeant, you are being promoted to Junior Lieutenant, effective immediately.", the Russian Officer declared to those assembled as another Russian Officer approached and removed the Master Sergeant's 'Shoulder Boards' of red with the broad gold stripe running its length from Roman's Dress Uniform Jacket.
The Colonel then replaced them with 'Boards' of gold with a thin red stripe running down the middle with a single Gold Star below center of midpoint.
"Congratulations Mládshiy Leytenánt.", the Colonel said before kissed Roman on both cheeks, then saluted him and shook his hand.
"Thank you Sir.", Roman replied before he saluted and performed a crisp 'Half-Left-Face' and marched back to his place in formation.
Kim beamed as he returned to formation, 'He made it, he's finally an Officer, and he deserves it too.', she mused, lost in thought over his promotion.
She was snapped out of her thoughts when the formation broke up after several announcements, including reassignment of personnel, were made by the Senior Officer of the assembly.
Turning to her partner, "So Roman, what do we do now?", she asked.
With a gleam in his eye she hadn't seen in several months, "We have celebration KP.", he replied.
Slightly taken aback at his demeanor and the vague response, "What kind of celebration Roman?", Kim asked, quite at a loss of his response.
Suddenly appearing beside the pair, "The vodka kind, Lieutenants.", Barkin chuckled as he cut in.
With a growing smile the red head replied, "Oh that kind, Sir. Well, I'm with Roman tonight and he'll make sure I get home just fine.", as all laughed at the thought of both Officers calling it a night after the festivities were brought to a close.
X
Nearly an hour later, over the piped in music, "Roman may I have the first dance from you as an Officer and a Gentleman?", Kim asked, a little irritated no one up to then had asked the newly minted Russian Officer to dance. In fact up to this point few present had taken to the floor to dance.
But neither of them noticed the Possibles and Stoppables standing off to the side looking on with amused smiles on their faces.
"Anything for you KP.", Roman smiled as he offered his arm to her and escorted her onto the dance floor as a not-so-slow-song started.
When Kim's dance with Roman ended, Dr. Director intercepted them on their way back to the punchbowl Colonel Barkin, with 'input' from the Russian delegation, had 'prepared' for the evening. A smirk on the Law Enforcement Agency Leader's face as she dragged him back out on the dance floor for a turn with the new Lieutenant as a livelier song began to play.
With a cup of 'punch' in hand, Kim called out to Dr. Director, "Don't wear him out Betty he's got more dances to get through.", in mock jest before she looked to her Mom, "But really, I hope I get to dance with him some more."
Looking at Kim and then back at her own cup of 'punch', "You will Kimberly, but I think I'm next, then it's Mrs. Stoppable's turn.", she informed her daughter, "If you remember he promised me a dance and I intend to collect on it tonight."
Again looking to her beverage cup, 'Boy this punch packs quite a wallop, I'm just glad I don't have any procedures for the next few days.', Anne reflected with a sly smile. Then with a sigh, 'Glad James is the Designated Driver tonight, 'cause after all the drama of the last few months I think I'm going to enjoy the evening before calling it a night.'
Bringing her Mom out of her mischievous musings, "OK but remember he's still weak.", Kim told her in a concerned tone that her Mother recognized, yet she wasn't quite familiar with.
Smirking to Kim, "We'll be careful with him honey, don't you worry. Now why don't you dance with your Father while I dance with that nice Agent Du.", Anne suggested before she turned to the Asian GJ Officer.
XXXX
So there you have it. Roman's still under the weather, but his fears of Barkin being promoted to 'god' were unfounded. Whew. Nice surprise there from Tara's sticking up for Roman and his promotion too. Now that issue of Officers and Enlisted mingling is moot, but there's still that pesky Chain-of-Command issue in the ranks to contend with…
Oh well, I think the only thing left to say is that it had better be close to the weekend for those partiers or the next work/school day is going to be miserable for so many. Oy.