BE, S 7: They knew what it was
Disclaimer/Author's Notes: Kim Possible and all the characters of the show are owned by the Disney Company. All other characters can be blamed on the author (he, however, is not responsible for all of their actions at all times, being barely responsible for himself most of the time….).
This is a strictly not-for-profit, just-for-fun work.
You can read this without reading the background stories, but I would highly recommend (shameless plug) Black Hole Deep, version 2.0 and BE, S 1: Blue Eyes, Shining. You'll enjoy this story even more, and this story will make more sense if it's read in context.
To everyone who has read my writings, you have an idea of what to expect. To those of you new to Blue Eyes, Shining: welcome, and get your tissues ready. Little is off limits here, and the truth comes out, often painfully.
This is dedicated to all who serve in harm's way, whether on the North American continent or in other sitches….
A/N Forward:
Questions:
What is Walter Neslon's problem (yes, THE Walter Nelson of locked braces fame is back) that only Kim Possible can help him solve?.
Answer:
It's going to take more than just Kim, this time: no braces required.
Blue Eyes, Shining 7: They knew what it was
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Chapter 1: They knew the risks
-----
Walter Nelson was whistling while he walked, and his smile was overtaking his face.
Walter's whistling, in itself, would have been enough to frighten several of his friends because they had heard him whistle before.
Their unanimous response: "Don't quit your day job."
But, now, Walter Nelson was disgustingly happy, and he had the best reason in the world: Marisa Kay Noel, his brilliant, beautiful, and wonderful girlfriend of six months, had just agreed to his proposal of marriage, and he was walking towards hi front door to call his parents and give them the good news.
"She said YES!" he shouted as he walked down the sidewalk to his townhouse, and Mr. Johnson, his neighbor, applauded."
"If she had said no, Walter, I'd marry you," Mrs. Johnson quipped, and Mr. Johnson quieted her with a kiss.
"Sorry, Walter, but you're too late," Mr. Johnson replied, and Walter laughed and waved at the two 90-year-old lovebirds.
As he inserted the key in the lock, he heard his phone ring.
He opened the door quickly and walked to the table where he had placed the phone and charger before he left, picking up the handset and punching the button.
"Talk to me," he announced as he walked back and closed the door, but he got real quiet when he heard the unmistakable sound of his mother, crying in the background.
"Mom?"
"It's me, son," came the gravely voice of his dad, and Walter knew that something was horribly wrong: he'd never heard his father sound this bad, even when his brother, Gerald Carlos, told them that he was volunteering for a third deployment to Baghdad.
"I am helping, Dad, and I'm keeping so many of our guys safe, because I'm teaching the young kids on both sides not to hate," Gerald had stated with such authority that he could have convinced anyone that he was correct.
"Dad, what's wrong?" Walter asked, scared.
"They're gone, Walter." was all he could say before he broke down and sobbed.
Walter's stomach churned.
'Please, not who I think it is," he prayed as his dad's sobs slowed. He could still hear his mother crying in the background.
"Dad, what happened?"
"We came home, and there were two cars parked in front of the house: the Go City Police Commissioner's car," and Walter's heart sank: he knew what that meant, "and a plain vehicle with Army tags," and Walter fell into his chair. "There were six people were on the porch, Walter."
Mr. Garcia finally was able to say what Walter didn't want to hear but knew was true.
"They're both dead, Walter," he croaked. "The Tweebs, your brother and sister, are gone."
Walter knew what he had to do and say.
"Dad, you need to take care of Mom and yourself. I'll take care of the rest," Walter said with such authority that his dad could only squeak out "all right."
"And, Dad?"
"Yes, son?"
"Marisa said yes, Dad," and his dad's tears now added joy to their sorrow.
"Tell mom," Walter continued, "that I'll talk with both the Army and Go City Police representatives."
"Thank you, son," came softly over the phone.
"Tell her not to worry, and you don't worry, either. They died doing what they wanted to do, how they wanted to do it, and helping people, all at the same time.
"And, it'll all be done the way they wanted," he added.
He paused, and then he spoke again after he gathered himself.
"I love you, Dad. Tell Mom I love her, too."
"We love you too, son," Gordon Garcia told his (now) only living child, Walter Nelson.
"'bye," and Gordon Garcia hung up.
Walter took a few moments to think, use up about half a box of tissues, clear his head, and then he realized that he had two phone calls to make:
The first: to Marisa, to tell her he had to leave town, and why.
The second: to Escape Airlines, to get a ticket to Middleton, Colorado, to see the one person who he knew could make the Tweebs' final request come true:
Kim Possible.
-----
Jocelyn Possible was smiling even more, these days.
She had graduated from high school as valedictorian, even though she had stayed and taken a half-schedule at the high school her senior year ay in college courses so that she could take advantage of her BFBF's help.
Now, after all of the tears had been shed by her Dad and Momma2 and her new little brother and sister (not to mention her own tears), she had driven from Montana to Middleton, Colorado, to continue her collegiate career in her BFBF's home town. She'd convinced him not to come up and ride back with her; she wanted to surprise him when she got there.
But, before she had left, she'd received a cryptic message on the TP website ('My last act of monitoring the Team Possible website from the Bunker for awhile,' she thought) from a Walter Nelson wanting to talk to Kim Possible about a problem he had.
"He's obviously not heard about the upcoming nuptials," she'd grinned as she talked to herself as she drove down to Middleton.
Aunt Anne and Uncle James had been more than happy to have her stay at their house over the summer before college started while they worked out the options of college housing: the MIT dorms were all full, and Slim and Betty and Ryan and Rachel had vetoed the proposal that she and Wade had offered (90 jokingly) that they could share a room.
She turned into the Possible's driveway and turned off her car, jumping out and running over to Aunt Anne, waiting for her at the front of the garage.
"Aunt Anne!"
"Andrea Jocelyn!" and Dr. Anne Possible hugged her niece.
"You're still growing taller, I see," Anne noted as they separated, and Anne put her arm around Joss' waist and escorted her towards the front door.
"Things are going be a lot quieter with the boys gone after spending the summer at the school for the first time. I'm not sure if Exeter has recovered from having them there for the school year, yet," Anne quipped as she opened the door.
"But, I'm not complaining about the change, Mom," Kim quipped as she came down the loft stairs with Ron in tow.
"Hi, partner," and Kim hugged her cousin while Ron stood back, smiling.
"Hey, Cousin Kim," Joss grinned into her cousin's mane. "Thanks so much for letting me stay with y'all this summer," she continued as they separated.
"And, Cousin Kim? I had a hit on the website before I left, and I told Wade that I'd tell you about it when I got here.
"Do you remember a Walter Nelson?" and Joss smiled innocently, but then laughed as Kim blushed and Ron doubled over in laughter.
Anne looked perplexed.
"Kimmie, wasn't that the name of the boy that you went out with once? I always wondered what happened to him.
"Now I remember: his parents were Gordon and Marcia Garcia. Her kids were the only babysitters that you and the boys couldn't run off," and Ron looked up, shocked.
"How did they perform that magic act, Mrs. Dr. P?" Ron asked, and Anne smiled.
"There were two of them, Ron: fraternal twins a boy and girl. In fact, they were the ones that gave Kim the name "Tweebs" to describe her brothers: they had made up the name for themselves. Walter was their little brother.
"They moved to Houston, and then to Washington D.C., GO City, and last I heard they were living out in California, somewhere, I think Bakersfield.
"He's coming here, Kim: he says he has to talk to you," and Ron started laughing, again, and Kim was blushing and growling at Ron at the same time.
"So, I should be the one that meets him at the airport, not you, huh?" Joss quipped, and Kim kept blushing and nodded her agreement.
"I'll go by and get Aggie after I unload the car, Kim, and he and I will head out to the airport to pick him up."
"You haven't been by to see Wade, yet?" Kim looked surprised.
"Kim, do you see what she's wearing?" Ron pointed and grinned. "She's got to get herself pretty for the BFBF," and Ron only dodged one of the punches, letting out a large "oof!" from where Joss connected with a punch to his stomach.
"Once again, Chef Stoppable, you are correct," Joss responded, and Kim and Anne both laughed.
"Where's Uncle James?"
"Right behind you, my favorite niece," and James spun her around and hugged her.
"How are you, Jocelyn?" James asked into her hair, then pulling back to give her the once-over.
"Uncle James!" she grinned. "You're doing a Daddy review!"
"Well, I've had practice, Sweet Tea," he grinned, then successfully dodged her swat.
"What's this I hear about going to the airport? I thought you drove in."
"Wade and I are going to pick up Walter Nelson. He's flying in to see Kim; he said he needs some help, a favor," Joss replied, and Ron still giggled.
"Gordo's son?" Joss nodded. "Anything he needs, I'll pay for, Joss. Gordo's good folk, not show folk," James added, and Anne smiled and nodded agreement.
Joss turned, finally and formally, to Ron, and bowed deeply. Ron returned the bow.
"Sensei."
"Young Jocelyn."
Then, they slammed into each other, hugging and grinning.
Ron kissed her forehead.
"You fine, Joss?"
"Fine as silk, Ron."
"How's Becky and Fletch?"
"Still together, and still disgusting in love.
"Same for your 'northern squeeze' Jen and Stephen," Joss added, and Ron blushed. This time, Kim grinned.
"What can I say? The Ron-man has a following," and Kim silenced him with a kiss before he could start to sing.
"I'll go unload the car so I can get to my hunka-chocolate and we can head to the airport," Joss turned to the door, and the whole family headed out to help.
-----
Joss walked into the house and headed for the studio first. The door was closed, so she knocked and waited for a "come in" before she turned the knob and entered.
Rachel Load had her back to the door and her hands covered in sculpting clay, gently adding more to a form that she was working on.
"Wade?" she called.
"Not this time," Joss replied, and Rachel wheeled around on the stool, grinning from ear to ear.
"Jocelyn!" she cried, and she grabbed a towel and tried to wipe her hands before she hugged Joss.
Joss beat her to the hug.
"Honey, you're gonna be a mess for Wade," Rachel said, and she looked at the door where Joss was pointing.
"I need to change before I see him, and I was hoping…" and Rachel nodded with a grin.
"You can use the guest room, Jocelyn."
"Thanks, MTB."
"MTB?" Rachel looked puzzled.
"Mon-speak: Momma-to-be," and Joss smiled as Rachel's smile got even larger.
"Let's go get you changed, dear," and the two ladies went off on the mission of their own.
-----
Wade was coming in from MIT, now teaching classes as well as having completed his defense of PhD # Four (the final decision was supposed to have been announced this morning, but the Dean had had a family emergency and wouldn't be in until the afternoon; Wade wasn't worried, though: this one was in the bag).
His mom was waiting at the door, and the garage was closed.
"Hi, mom," Wade kissed her cheek. "What's up?"
"It's Lucky, Wade," she said seriously and moved out of the way as Wade ran thru the house and slammed open his room door.
The lights were off, and there was a silhouette in his chair.
"Kim?" Wade called out.
"Not this time, Aggie," and the chair turned around, and the lights came on as Joss stood up.
Wade grabbed his chest in mock-shock, but he was ecstatic beyond words with whom and what he saw:
Andrea Jocelyn Possible was standing in his room, and he was falling in love, all over again, for the nth time.
Her hair was longer, but the brilliant auburn-red remained, and it glistened in the light as it draped her shoulders, curling ever-so-slightly inward to frame- Wade grinned inside. 'They've grown, too,' he chuckled inwardly.
She had definitely been trained (and learned well, he thought) by someone with professional makeup application skills, because he knew she was wearing it but it was an almost-invisible complement to her beautiful face.
Her blouse was ivory-white, and the lime-green scarf that she wore tied to the side just set off the blouse.
She hadn't unbuttoned it; to the contrary, it was buttoned all the way to the top, but that just made it that much more desirable.
The skirt…Oh, the skirt!
The skirt was the same cognac-color as her favorite tall boots that she wore, and you really couldn't tell where the boots stopped because their tops were hidden by the skirt: just the right length to tease and appease.
Her hands were as beautiful as ever, only now she had taken to having her nails done, and the white tips were accenting the nail polish that complemented her hair.
'Joss, the cowgirl, is gone,' Wade thought, 'and Andrea Jocelyn, the woman, has arrived.
'Wade, you're doomed,' he smiled both inside and outside, 'but, what a way to go!'
Jocelyn was thinking when she saw Wade, and it had nothing to do with particle physics.
'Oh, man, what a man…he's turning into his dad: YIPPEE, and YOWSAH!'
Now that Wade had finally left his room, he had begun to pay more attention to how he looked, and the results, in Jocelyn's mind, were stunning:
His face had slimmed somewhat, but there was still the distinctive 'Wade Agamemnon Load' look, freckles, dimples, and smile that captured her heart what seemed like eons ago.
His hair was cut professionally, and he carried himself now with an amazing air of confidence.
His tailored navy-blue Meezod shirts were definitely not 'off-the-rack,' and the red BlazeIt! logo on the shirt stood out prominently above the 2-pack abs solution.
His waist had firmed up ('and, how I want to get my hands around that waist!' Jocelyn leered inside), and she dearly wanted to determine for herself if they were, indeed, 'buns of steel.'
His khaki pants were perfectly fitted, and his shoes shone a glistening black.
'Joss, you're doomed,' she smiled both inside and outside, 'but, what a way to go!'
'He's my Aggie, and I never want to let him go!' was the last thought she had before she spoke.
'Hello, Wade,' came from her lips, and she took a single step forward from his chair and was met by a Loaded missile, their lips colliding in a controlled crash that remained entangled for minutes, with only occasional breaks for oxygen.
Rachel had stepped into the doorway after Wade had run into the room; after the two of them began to kiss, she quietly stepped back and closed the door.
"Rach?" the voice came from behind her.
Ryan Load came up behind her in his electric wheelchair, looking perplexed.
"Jocelyn's here, Ryan," and Rachel sat on her husband's lap and cried into his shoulder, throwing her arms around his neck.
"And, Wade just returned from his meeting," she finished her statement when she came up for air.
"So, why are you crying, my beloved?"
"Ryan, they just look so wonderful together: they look like they were always meant to be together."
"Sort of like us, huh, Rachel?" Ryan smiled, and Rachel swatted the back of his head.
"I told you before, dear," Ryan reminded his wife, "we'll have some gorgeous grandchildren, and you are indeed going to be the sexiest grandmother on the face of the planet."
"Flattery will get you everywhere, Ryan," and she pointed towards the bedroom.
Ryan wasn't complaining, and the two of them rolled into the room. The door closed and locked behind them.
-----
"Joss, you take my breath away."
"You're causing breathing problems for me, yourself, Wade."
They were finally staring into each other's eyes, fully in love.
"I've missed you, Wade."
"Joss, I was just up there for graduation three weeks ago."
"I know, but I still needed my MDA of Wadeshine."
"Good" and he kissed her nose.
"So, what's the sitch, gorgeous?"
"Walter Nelson," she grinned.
"THE Walter Nelson?" Wade grew a grin, as well, as they separated and held hands.
"The one and only. I need to pick him up at the airport: he's flying in to see Kim, and he made it sound really important. I came by to see if you wanted to go with me to get him."
"Like, I'm going to leave you in the same car with Walter by yourself? You don't even have braces," Wade grinned as Joss grimaced at him in mock-indignation. "When do we leave?"
"Let's go; the flight lands in about 45 minutes, and thank you," she leaned forward and stole a kiss.
"Did you drop your stuff of at Kim's?" Wade asked as they left his room and headed for the front door.
"Aww, man, not again," and Wade pointed at his parent's bedroom door, now closed.
"You don't mean…" Joss asked.
Wade nodded.
'You go, Rachel!' Joss thought as Wade opened the door for her, and she rewarded him with a kiss on the cheek.
"I'm driving," she announced, and Wade sighed.
-----
Walter walked out of the tunnel and into the waiting area along with the rest of the passengers, looking for Kim.
"Walter Nelson?" He turned, and stopped dead in his tracks.
"Kim?" he asked the lovely young redhead, hesitantly, and she grinned and gave him a hug.
"No, Walter, I'm her cousin Jocelyn Possible, but thank you."
"Jocelyn…Joss? The little girl that lived in Montana?"
"She's not so little anymore," another voice replied with a chuckle, and Walter turned to face –
"Wade Load, at your service, sir," and Wade stuck his hand out to shake Walter's.
"Where's Kim?"
"We're taking you to her; she's at home with her fiancé," Joss replied, and Walter grinned.
"Ron, right?" and it was Joss' turn to look surprised.
"It had to be Ron; who else was she in love with since Pre-K?" Walter laughed, and both Joss and Wade laughed with him.
"Well, they finally figured it out, and at the most inopportune time," Wade replied.
"And, when was that?"
"Tied up, and hanging from a cactus, in the middle of Drakken's Diablos sitch," and Walter nodded.
"That would have made them both think," he mused.
"Well, Jocelyn, if you're any indication, I'm in serious trouble: you are stunningly beautiful," Walter stated as he took Joss' hand and kissed it, turning her face almost as red as the hair.
"I heartily agree, Walter, especially since she's my fiancée," Wade replied, taking one of Joss' hands and smiling.
"Wade? You're as lucky as Ron, then. Congratulations, sir," and Walter shook Wade's hand.
"Do you have any checked luggage?" Wade asked, pointing to the bag that Walter was carrying, and Walter shook his head 'no.'
"Then, we'd better get you to Kim's house, then," Joss announced, and the three of then headed for the parking lot.
"By the way, Walter, you didn't mention what you needed help with," Joss commented, and she watched Walter's smile vanish.
"I'd rather tell Kim myself, if you don't mind, Joss," was Walter's quiet response, and they stepped onto the sidewalk from the People-Mover and headed for the car.
-----
"Kimmie, they're here," Anne Possible announced. "You and Ron need to untangle and come downstairs," she laughed.
"Coming, Mom," Kim laughed as she and Ron turned off Everlot III and headed the loft stairs.
Kim reached the door and opened it just as Walter was about to knock.
'Gee, Walter grew up real good! He's quite a hottie!' was Kim's first thought.
'Damn, that Stoppable's one lucky guy,' was Walter's first thought, but it wasn't enough to prevent the dam from bursting, and he fell into Kim, heaving sobs.
-----
The entire Possible clan and the future sons-in-law all stood, silent and perplexed, as Walter Nelson sobbed violently into Kim's blouse as Kim held him gently, patting and rubbing his back.
Finally, Walter stopped long enough to look up and realized that the entire room was focused on him, and that caused him to blush.
"Sorry, Kim; this is as bad as the last time we were together," Walter smiled sadly, and Kim laughed.
"No big, Walter, unless you don't tell me what's wrong; then, I'll open up all 16 on you," and both Wade and Ron noticeably grimaced.
"Kim, do you remember the original Tweebs?" Walter asked, and Kim's face lit up.
"Cynthia and Gerald? Of course I do, Walter: they're your older brother and sister, and the only babysitters that I ever liked," and James and Anne both grimaced. Ron grinned: he'd heard some of the babysitting horror stories.
"They're both dead, Kim."
Walter just put the truth out on the table, and the reactions were striking.
Joss and Wade both gasped in horror, and Wade's PosComm chose that time to beep.
James grabbed his wife, and Anne shot out a sob that was followed by tears in her husband's arms.
Ron flashed blue for a moment, then went back to normal and reached for Kim.
Kim was silent, as if she was trying to process what she'd heard but didn't believe it.
"NOOOOOOOOOOOO!"
Ron took her hand, and then Kim had realized what Walter had said and fell to her knees, screaming and pulling Ron down with her, and she grabbed him and hugged him as her sobs came out.
Joss reached over and took Walter's hand, squeezing it gently, and Walter turned and saw something in her eyes that he never would have expected to see in one as young as her:
She Understood.
"I lost my mother when I was three, Walter," she said, simply, and she hugged him as he started to cry again, though not as heavy this time.
Wade took the PosComm and stepped into the kitchen, answering the call.
Betty appeared, and her face was covered in tears.
"Cynthia or Gerald, Betty?" Wade asked, and Betty gasped.
"How –" She stammered, but Wade cut her off.
"Joss and I picked up Walter Nelson at the airport, and he just told us, Betty," was Wade's response.
"Gerald was one of mine, Wade, but he asked to be placed on inactive duty with us so he could re-join the Army and deploy with his old unit."
"Why is Walter there?"
"Don't know, but expect we'll find out real soon, Betty.
"But, Betty? His twin sister died, too," and Betty grimaced.
"I'll capture the conversation if everyone accepts so you can here the actual, Director," and Wade smiled.
"Thank you, Wade," and Betty smiled for the first time in the conversation.
"No big, MTB," and Wade cut the signal as Betty yelled "WA-."
Wade walked back in to see the entire clan surrounding Walter and herding him towards a chair.
After he sat and everyone had taken a seat, Kim asked the question.
"Walter, what do you want me to do?"
"Kim, this is going to be one of the strangest things that you've ever been asked, I'll bet.
"Gerald stayed in contact with one of the doctors at Billings Memorial and also with some members of the church that he attended when we lived here. He had talked to Cynthia about this, and they both agreed that they wanted the same thing if something should happen to either of them.
"Kim, they wanted you to sing at their funeral. That was Gerald's and Cynthia's last request," and the room became totally silent.
Walter looked at Kim, but she showed no reaction for several moments.
"Kim?" Walter asked.
Silence.
"Kim, are you all right?" and a tear gleamed in Kim's right eye.
"Walter, I'm honored, but they deserve a profession, not me."
"But, Kim, that's not all," Walter continued.
"Do you remember DimeRiver, Kim?" and she now she knew exactly what Walter was asking, and she smiled thru their light rain of tears.
"Wade," and Wade looked up from the PosComm, "I'm gonna need some help tracking down DimeRiver; the last I knew, they had gone on hiatus a few years ago, but I don't know what's happened to them since then."
"Already on it, Kim," he replied. I've got emails out to their agent, manager, and their last active email addresses."
"You rock, partner," Kim answered and threw him a kiss.
"Kimmie, do you remember when you first met the Tweebs?" Anne asked with a smile thru her drying tears.
"Only a bit, Mom," Kim replied, a bit embarrassed.
"Well, you were only five at the time…," Anne stated, leaning back in James' arms as she remembered and started to tell the story….
-----.
(Anne Possible)
You were only five, Kimmie, and stood at the front door with crossed arms and a look of determination on your face that said no one was going to pass.
'I don't need a babysitter,' you announced for the last time, and I smiled and shook my head 'no.'
'Kimmie, you father and are going out for our anniversary, and we are not taking the twins with us.
'Think of this person as their babysitter, not yours,' I added as the doorbell rang.
I opened the door, and-
'Marsha!' and Marsha Nelson Garcia came in and hugged me.
Kim growled silently.
Marsha stood to the side, and two students came in the door following her.
The students were a young man and woman, about 17 years of age, him with dark hair and her with blonde hair. They looked a lot alike to you, Kim, and you asked:
'Are you related?' and the girl laughed and knelt down in front of you.
'Yes, we are,' she whispered conspiratorially, 'but I don't tell a lot of people that: just the special ones, like you.
'He's my twin brother,' and the girl winked. 'He's going to take care of the Tweebs, and I'm going to hang out with you, if that's ok,' the girl added, and you nodded vigorously, then looked puzzled.
'What are Tweebs?' you asked.
'Twin dweebs: Tweebs,' the girl explained, and you laughed.
'Momma, is it ok if I hang out with this lady while he takes care of the Tweebs?' You asked, and Marsha grinned.
'Tweebs, Kimmie-cub?' James came into the room, adjusting his cuffs on his shirt.
'Twin Dweebs, Daddy. Can I hang out with this girl while her brother watched the Tweebs?' You asked excitedly, and your father and I both covered their mouths in surprise and tried not to laugh out loud.
'Well, if it's all right with Cynthia…,' your father replied, and Cynthia nodded.
'Sure, Dr. Possible, sir. I've got some time to spare.
'Kim, I'm Cynthia Garcia. Marsha Garcia is my mom,' and Cynthia held out her hand, and you looked grown-up as you shook her hand.
'You don't look like your mom: why are you darker?' and you almost made me blanch, and Cynthia laughed.
'You noticed that! Well, Kim, Marsha Garcia is the wife of my father, Gordon Conrad Garcia, and she adopted my brother and me and became my mom.
'But, what happened to your first mom?'
'She died in a plane crash, Kim.'
'I'm sorry, Cynthia.'
'No big, Kim.'
'No big…I like that.
'Do you wanna see my room? It's kewl: it's a loft so the Tweebs can't get in now,' and you grabbed Cynthia's hand and pulled her towards the loft.
'Drs. Possible: I'm Gerald Carlos Garcia, Cynthia's twin brother. We created 'Tweebs' because we were a pain to both of our mothers and our father.
'Pan-Am 103 is the answer to your question, by the way, Doctors Possible,' Gerald Carlos answered the question on both their minds, and I was surprised, but your father simply extended his hand.
'Son, if you are Gordo's son, it's good enough for me.
'Fair warning, though: We've not been able to keep a babysitter for Kimmie-cub for more than one visit.'
'No big, Dr. Possible: I have a younger brother about her age that Mom had when she and Dad got married, and I'm used to taking care of him and leaving no blood trails,' Gerald replied, and James laughed.
'What's his name, Gerald?'
'Walter Nelson, sir.'
-----
"And, Kimmie, that was your first Tweeb moment," Anne wrapped up the story, while Ron, Joss, and Wade were laughing at the now-blushing Walter and Kim.
"Joss, you do know the braces story, don't you?" Anne asked, and Kim and Walter both blushed even more.
"Kimmie, you don't think that either Ron's mom or your orthodontist would have done what they did and not told me, do you?" and Kim and Walter smiled while Ron grinned. "I guessed that Ron's silence was what finally made you decide that he was the keeper that you were looking for," Anne finished.
"That, and Justine Flanner," Ron added with a grin and a smirk, and Kim was now redder than her hair while Walter looked perplexed.
"Walter," Joss spoke, and Walter turned to face her.
"What happened to them?" and Walter smiled a sad smiled, leaned back in the chair, and began.
"Cynthia had just been promoted to Captain in the Go City Police Force, and she was killed in the Jasonitis shootout that was on all the news stations a few days ago.
"One of her men went down carrying a child from the building, and he was out in the open. Cynthia ran out to bring them back to cover. She took a bullet in the hand, but her hand kept the bullet from her charges that she carried; as she placed them on the ground a final bullet hit her spine and her heart. She died as she placed them to the ground, and her arms were still wrapped around both of them as she died as she fell.
"Gerald was an Army Ranger, a Captain, as well, in Iraq, working hearts and minds deployment. He and his unit were assisting the coaches of several Iraqi youth soccer teams. One of his men was hit and severely injured by a sniper who also killed several of the soccer players just for fun.
"He and part of his unit were taking his team member and the wounded soccer players back for medical attention station when they were hit with one of the new (and improved," Walter grinned sadly) "EFPs, they think.
"He was injured, and the explosion drew fire on the vehicle. He used himself as cover for his team member and the soccer players when he ran out of rounds for his rifle and pistol; his commanding officer told me that he had 20 rounds in him before he died, and the reinforcements came as he died. His team member and the soccer players all survived.
"He had survived multiple IEDs, and EFPs, and snipers and bombs dropped on him, Kim. He died so his team member and the kids would be safe," Walter's anger spiked for a moment, but it disappeared just as quickly.
"Walter, I'm sure your parents must be devastated," James spoke, tears forming in his eyes, and Walter nodded.
"I can't even talk to Mom; the doctors gave her some sedatives, and she's been pretty out of it most of the last two days. Dad's taking it as well as can be expected, but I told him not to worry about anything: I'd take care of the arrangements and the services based on what the Tweebs wanted," and Kim realized how strong Walter had become, and she smiled inwardly.
"Walter," Anne called his name, and he turned his head to face her.
"Did your mother ever tell you about your dad's roses?" and James was unsuccessful in stifling his laugh.
"She just told me that Dad loved his roses, but she always smiled when she said it, so I assumed that there must be something else to it, especially when the Tweebs blushed anytime Dad mentioned pruning his roses."
"Well, let me get something for all of us to drink, and I'll tell you," and she stood up, and Jocelyn and Kim and Wade and Ron all motioned for her to sit.
"We'll get it, Mom," Kim grinned, and Joss nodded.
"I might as well be helpful around here, Aunt Anne, since I'll be here this summer," Joss added.
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When they all got back with soft drinks and tea and served everyone, they all sat down to hear Anne's story.
(Anne Possible)
"Walter, this happened back when the Tweebs were eight years old, or almost eight, if I remember correctly.
"Your mother showed up at my front door one day after the Fourth of July several years ago, carrying her huge purse and the two rose bushes that are in my flower garden now and laughing, all at the same time. These looked like the bushes that your Dad was growing, but they looked like they'd been, shall we say, 'well-loved.'
"'Marsha, why on earth are you carrying rose bushes?' and she laughed even harder.
"'Anne, I have to tell someone, and only you would understand.
"'Besides, you've been coveting my husband's roses, so now here are some of them.
"'Can I come in, Anne?"
"'Certainly, Marsha, but the roses need to stay out," and Marsha laughed as she set the plants down on the front porch and dusted herself off before coming in.
"'Besides, we need to drink this before it gets hot," Marsha grinned as she pulled a bottle of wine from her huge purse.
"'Marsha!" I was ecstatic; this was my favorite wine, a gorgeous red that I'd found several years go before I started dating your father. I'd not seen it since then.
"'I know, Anne: so, get some glasses and a corkscrew: this is going to be hilarious!"
We got settled after I came back into the living room with the glasses and corkscrew, and she opened the bottle and poured two glasses.
"'To Tweebs, and to roses," was her toast, and she laughed as I stared at her, confused, as we clicked our glasses.
"'Anne, you know how much Gordon loves his roses," and I nodded.
"'Well the Tweebs knew it, too. They decided that they needed to do something extra-special for their Dad and me for a holiday gift, and Gordon had managed to have all of his roses bloom magnificently.
"'I looked out of the kitchen window just in time to watch them attack the rose bushes with hedge clippers larger than them," and I was as surprised as I looked, "and I yelled for Gordon to come to the window.
"'He stood there, smiling and shedding a tear or two because he knew his precious roses were done for as Cynthia cut the final branch, and they scooped up the roses in their arms and headed for the door.
"'Gordon knew the size of the thorns on those bushes, so he headed for the first-aid kit and came back just as they opened the back door.
"'Momma! Daddy! We brought you roses," Cynthia placed the roses on the counter, "because we love you so much!"
"'Thank you for loving us, Daddy, and for adopting us, Momma. We love you," Gerald added as he placed his armful on the counter and winced.
"Gordon looked at Gerald's hands: thorns were embedded all over his palms and arms, and drops of blood dripped onto the floor.
"I looked at Cynthia's hands: they looked like Gerald's, covered in thorns and dripping with blood, as well.
"'Son, you're bleeding," Gordon said calmly. Gerald looked at his hands, and he looked up at his dad, tears in his eyes.
"'Daddy, why do the pretty flowers hurt so much? We just wanted to do something nice for you," Gerald started to cry harder, and Gordon picked him up and hugged him, bloody handprints all over Gordon's white shirt.
"'Son, let's get those thorns out of your hands."
"'No, Daddy, do Cynthia first," he insisted, and he smiled. "I can wait until you've finished with her. She hurts more than me," he added. "I won't cry anymore, Daddy."
"We spent what felt like hours with the tweezers and alcohol removing the thorns and cleaning the wounds, finally wrapping their hands lightly. Gerald was true to his word: he didn't cry until after the bandages were on both of their hands, and then he only cried a little.
"We put them to bed for naps, and Gordon stared at the roses on the counter for hours, it seemed. He finally looked up at me, and he had tears in his eyes.
"'Marsha, I thought I loved those roses, but they are just plants, now.
"'I'll grow some more, but I can't ever replace what I just got from our children this morning.
"'I never knew," and he started crying, "that they loved us that much, to endure that much pain just to get something for us, to make us happy.
"'What did I ever do to deserve this much, Marsha," and he grabbed me and hugged me, and that started me crying, as well.
"'We given them love, Gordon, and they see that every day, that's what you did, Daddy," I answered him and kissed his tear-stained face.
"'I love you, Gordo."
"'And, I love you, M."
"'Enough for you to make dinner?" I grinned, and he nodded.
"'Even that much, M," he replied, pulling back and smiling thru the tears. "If' you'll get some vases for the roses, I'll start making dinner."
"'Gordon made a wonderful dinner and even made homemade dessert, and I woke the Tweebs just in time to check their bandages and herd them towards the kitchen.
"'After they figured out how to eat ('like, that could ever stop them,' Walter laughed, and Anne smiled), they stuffed themselves and left the table for us to finish dinner and put the dishes away.
"'Anne, I don't think you knew that I read out loud to the kids all the time: the Bible, Shakespeare, you name it.
"'Gordon had them both on his lap on the couch, and I sat next to them and opened my Bible to the spot where we'd left off the night before, about the crucifixion.
"'There was a picture of Jesus on the cross, his hands pierced, and Gerald saw it for the first time.
"'Momma! He's got hurts on his hands just like Cynthia and me! Did he try to give his parents roses, too?"
"I looked at Gordon, and he looked back at me, a tear in his right eye, and he nodded for me to take this one.
"'Well, Gerald, he got his hurts on his hands a different way," and I explained what happened to him.
"His eyes grew huge, and both he and Cynthia cried.
"'Why would they want to hurt him, Momma? He didn't do anything to hurt anybody; he just tried to help people!"
"'That's right, son, but some of the people were scared of him; they decided that they had to hurt him before he could help any more people."
"Gerald thought for a moment, and then he formed a look of determination on his five-year-old face.
"'I'm going to help people that no one else will help, Momma. I'll make you proud of me."
"'Me too, Momma," Cynthia added. "You and Daddy will be proud of us, you'll see!"
"'The two huge grins on their faces were unforgettable, Anne."
"'Gordon decided to replace these roses and plant new ones with the Tweebs. I decided that you needed them, especially with you wanting Tweebs of your own,' Marsha grinned, and she took another drink of wine.
"'That's where the roses came from, Walter," Anne concluded, "and that's how I will always remember Gerald and Cynthia: not as Kimmie and my Tweebs' babysitters, but as the boy and girl that loved their parents so much that they bled for them, giving them, and others later in life, a gift of love," and Kim's brain kicked into high gear.
Kim had a gift for Walter and his parents that she knew they would like.
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Author's afterward:
This story is dedicated to all who serve in harm's way: police, fire, EMT, armed forces, Secret Service, anyone who is willing to take a bullet for someone else: even 70-year-old professors.
This also is especially dedicated to my 'extra son' who survived an EFP and is now stateside, recovering: This is for you, your lovely wife, and all of your ladies and gentlemen still 'Over There.'
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Thanks for your continued support, and PM me if you have any questions about the JadeKimVerse. I respond to all PMs, emails, and reviews.
And, I'd be remiss if I didn't thank all of my readers for their support in the Fannies. I was honored, humbled, and surprised when I was awarded by you, my readers, the recognition of Best New Writer of 2006 along with King in Yellow (a tie: you'll rarely get that at the Oscars). I was also in the top three vote-getters in the category of Best Alternative Pairings for Joss and Wade: go figure.
This is our award, because I couldn't have done it without you.
Preview:
Only one more chapter, and you'll learn what Kim will do.
Chapter 2: Hurt their hands
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Thanks again for reading, and please review.
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