Title: Waiting for Annie
Story summary: This story is an odd mix touching to various degrees on hope, science fiction, horror, foster care, old comic strips, musicals, pregnancy, chases, fighting, romance, and Halloween. I'm not sure what was in my food today.
~*~*KP*~*~
Waiting for Annie
by Slipgate
"Honey, are you almost ready up there?" Kim Stoppable asked.
"How come I never tried overalls before, KP?" Ron called out as he hopped into view at the top of the staircase, slipping a boot on.
"Overalls, Ron?" Kim asked, one eyebrow raised.
"I mean back when I had my pants problems. Before I got the halfaversary belt."
"Because you still wanted me to associate with you, maybe?" Kim joked.
"Funny, KP. But I mean, I had lots of pants problems back in the day." he said, as he began to come down the stairs.
"Did you ever think maybe it was because you were wearing lower-quality Smarty Mart merch?"
"Nuh-uh, KP. First off, you realized the sticker shock for yourself when the Doctors P started showing you how to budget. And you eventually had to agree when Mr. Smarty and Mr. Banana told you themselves. It's the same merch and you know it. But more importantly, you're forgetting something important!"
"And that is?" Kim said, amusement even as she knew he had his point.
He reached the bottom of the stairs, leaned back against the side wall and smiled smugly. "You picked out the mission wear back in the day. It was Club Banana stuff."
"Oh. Yeah…" Kim said, realizing her sudden inspired suggestion wasn't so inspired after all.
"Anyway, these overalls stayed on! Back in the day, if I hopped like that to get in my shoes, even with a belt on before you got me that belt… pants drop city. Now?" He turned left and right, presenting the straps for view, and then put his fingers under them and popped them up once. "No drops." he said with satisfaction.
"Does that mean you won't wear the belt?" she asked, pouting.
"Of course I'll wear the belt! It declares I am Kim Possible's man!"
"Stoppable," she corrected, smiling again.
"Technically."
"Wholly." she insisted, and then leaned in close to his face, stopping him from continuing their futile back-and-forth as Ron, not surprisingly, anticipated a kiss and parted his lips while shutting his eyes.
"But not when you forget the wife is always right," she breathed, her breath tickling his nose. Then, she flicked him on the forehead and stepped back quickly, laughing.
"No kiss?" he asked, sounding hurt.
"Aww, poor baby," she said. "Was ten minutes ago not enough?" she asked with a grin.
Ron sulked. There was no way to answer that without digging himself further.
After a moment of silence, Kim grinned. "Because it wasn't enough for me," she said straight-faced.
He looked at her in puzzlement but only saw a pair of lips heading for him. It was a sight oddly reminiscent, he thought, of the time she had a moodulator on her neck. His arms came up and he hugged her as she held him close, giving him a few soft kisses. As it turned out, when his KP wasn't mind-controlled, he was allowed to breathe during their kisses. He didn't mind. It let them last longer.
~*~*KP*~*~
A glorious three minutes later, Kim pulled back but kept her arms around him. "So," she said as she surveyed his face, "the beard is interesting. Maybe you could try a real one for a bit after this."
"Aww man," Ron said, putting his head down on her shoulder in defeat.
"What's wrong?"
"Here I hear you're interested in me with a beard, and I can't grow a real one because of work."
"Why not?"
"The place prides itself on cleanliness. If I tried for a beard, I'd need to wear a beard net."
"Oh, at work…" she said, and then trailed off.
"What does a beard net even look like?" she finally asked, having tried to fathom such a thing.
"You don't want to know, KP. Everyone that's hired on who has ever had a beard has chosen by the second day to shave it instead of wearing those ridiculous things. You know those kids' Halloween masks that are just a basic look with a string to go behind the head?"
Kim nodded unsurely.
"Imagine a cooking hairnet that has straps to go around the tops of the ears from below and otherwise sits on the chin. It's ridiculous."
Kim visualized the image and said, "I guess so."
"Nobody at work wants to look like that, so everyone who began with a beard was miraculously clean-shaven when they come in to the second day of work."
"So you wouldn't grow a beard for me at the expense of looking ridiculous?" Kim said, a pout again in her voice.
Ron stared at her in disbelief. "I… I just don't know how to answer that one. Can we drop this topic?"
"Thunk."
"Thank you. So anyway, we talked about the fake beard, but what do you think of the whole look?"
"A sanitized version of the Mr. Lawnmower costume… really?" Kim asked, grinning.
"Hey, it's a great horror series! You can't tell me Mr. Lawnmower didn't freak you out in the first film when he first decided he was sick of helping people with their lawns and started using his overdeveloped engine-starting arm to bludgeon his former customers with his trusty lawnmower!"
"Ron," Kim said, seriously.
"Yes my love?" he said with a grin.
"More Ron, less trailer quoting, please."
"But with the Ron, comes the trailer quoting!"
"And with me walking away, goes the wifey," she said. "I believe that is check and mate."
"Anyway," Kim continued, "it was a pretty scary movie the first time, I admit… but the third one that just came out is just kind of lamely overextending it, don't you think? I mean, Mr. Lawnmower VS. Robotic Lawnmower? With an assist by Mr. Riding Lawnmower in defense of humankind taking back their jobs, and a final showdown on the White House lawn with a pan-up to Mr. Lawnmower grabbing the American Flag above the White House with one hand and holding the mower high into the sky while people cheered a murderer? Then the credits? Did you seriously not want to gag at that?"
"Well, when you put it that way…"
"Ron…" Kim lengthened out her voice in a warning tone.
"I'm just playing, KP. I can't believe the Tweebs convinced you to watch that. It sounded terrible from the get-go. I'm all about classic Mr. Lawnmower, when he was the baddie he is."
"My parents wanted me to spend bonding time with them. I didn't expect they'd want to go to that movie when they suggested hitting the theater! And then to hear them critiquing Robotic Lawnmower and how they could make better on the drive home… I swear I don't think I've had a worse case of Club Banana withdrawal than right then."
"Poor baby," Ron mocked playfully. "Anyway, to answer your original question… yes, a sanitized version of Mr. Lawnmower."
"Considering you had to go with overalls that didn't have fake red splatter on them, and without sunglasses so you didn't make a bad example to the kids about being out at night, was there much point to keeping the idea?"
"I saw the little lawnmower prop and the idea just grabbed me as a cutesy version of the character for the kids. I only wish that they weren't all going to be talking about the latest movie when they see me tonight."
"That is a pretty coincidental size for a fake toy mower."
"Who knew Honka Trucks now included lawnmowers in its novelty vehicles line? The idea just grabbed me when I was walking by it."
"And you were walking by the toy aisle why?"
"It was in a convenience store, for your information. Anyway, with this, it's not like the size of a snowflake but it's big enough that it makes me look like a huge Mr. Lawnmower. The kids will think it's cool."
"Using a football shoulder guard to make the one arm look buffer was pretty inspired, though," Kim added as she inspected the outfit more closely.
"So step back a bit and let's see my lady," Ron said after enough time for a cursory inspection had passed. She obliged, and he looked for a moment, first at her dress, then at her hair.
"You look adorable, but it won't let your hair be flippy!" he lamented finally.
"That's all you have to say? Do you know how long this hair took?"
"Yeah, I do KP. I was there helping you with it. Still the curls are interesting. Maybe my Little Orphan Kimmie would look different if you keep the hair but have a different outfit."
"It is kind of a cutesy outfit," Kim admitted, turning slightly this way and that as she looked at the long dress.
"Will…" Ron began, but cut himself off.
"Hmm? What were you going to say, Ron?"
"I was going to put my foot in my mouth, so never mind."
Kim counted down silently as she kept looking at him. 5, 4, 3, 2…
"Okay. I was just going to wonder if the kids will know who Annie is?"
"Well, when they ask, it'll be my chance to fill them in on a classic."
"So how come you're so big on that film, anyway?"
"You remember, don't you?"
"I remember we watched it one time you came over."
"Oh man… did I never tell you this? Ron, I was over, we were having s'mores, and your mom came in and told me that there was a neat movie we could watch that she had on tape. She said that the main character was tough and took care of herself and was spunky, like me. I liked the idea of being tough and taking care of myself, and spunky sounded like an awesome word, so I was like 'Ooh, show me show me, Mrs. Stoppable!'"
"I'm rapidly recalling this conversation now that you mention it. And my mom was like 'C'mon Ronnie, you're not going to let us girls watch this movie alone, are you?'"
"And you asked, 'Are there helicopters and chases?'"
"And Mom said yes."
"And she was right."
"Technically. I felt a little cheated at first. But I have to admit… I can see some of why you liked Annie. I seem to remember the next day you had me help you get into your mom's hair curlers."
"Good times, good times," they said in unison, resting their foreheads together.
"So, ready to go?" Kim asked.
"Yeah. Let's pick up the kids from that home." Ron replied.
As they strode out the door and headed for the car, an especially early trick-or-treater and his mother were slowly making their way down the street. The kid's eyes lit up and he said, "Mr. Lawnmower!"
The mom looked where her kid was pointing and looked askance at Ron, but then lit up seeing Kim.
Kim mouthed to the woman, 'Opposites attract.' The mom shook her head with a smile as she continued down the street.
They climbed into the Sloth and headed for the home.
~*~*KP*~*~
As they headed for the home, Kim decided to snark Mr. Lawn Stoppable. "You know you're only getting away with T or T since you suggested being the chaperones for the foster kids, right?"
"Yeah. And pretty soon I'll get away with T or T since I'll be taking our kid."
"You're incorrigible, Ron Stoppable."
"Am I wrong?"
She sighed. "No. We'll take our kids trick or treating. Just don't forget the baby won't be up for T or T action when it comes in six months."
"Of course not!" Ron joked. "It'll be Halloween again in one year," he delivered deadpan.
Kim laughed, then added, "This is vengeance for how that one time was about Josh, isn't it?"
Ron suddenly pulled the car over. "Do you seriously think that?" he asked, his face ashen.
"Uh… no. I was just saying it. Ron, what's up?"
Ron shook his head a moment and then looked at her again. "Just for a moment I thought you thought I was being vindictive about this. I just… I enjoy T or T. But if it feels like I'm punishing you or something…"
"No, Ron. It was a bad joke on my part. I swear. When I said that about T or T in sophomore year it was as a high school sophomore. I don't doubt there are a lot of 'kid' things we'll be doing again when we have our own kid, at least until they grow up too. It's not like I was all grown up in sophomore year."
Ron sighed in relief. "Sorry for spazzing on you."
"No big," she said. "Ron, you know Josh was a long time ago, and didn't even get as serious as we were by the time we were in summer vacation that year, right?"
"Oh, I'm not worried about the Josh thing. I just suddenly thought that maybe you thought I was… I don't know what word I want to use… being petty or something."
"No, no. I mean, you wanted to T or T, and it's actually pretty awesome that we get to give these kids a memory like this."
With that, they grew silent as Ron pulled in front of the foster home. An adult from the home was standing outside with a gaggle of kids, and smiled as she saw the purple car. The kids were bouncing around in excitement and needing to be corralled by the adult's words to stay together and wait instead of running at the car.
When Kim and Ron got out, they were greeted with cheers.
"Mr. Lawnmower!" some shouted.
"Pretty lady!" others shouted.
Well, at least I'm 'Pretty lady,' Kim thought. She understood that there would be more recognition of Ron's costume.
Suddenly there was a loud bellowing cry. "ANNIE!"
With that, a little girl with hair in blond pigtails broke free of her guardian and dashed at Kim at breakneck speed.
Kim was still processing the recognition, but managed to drop to her knees to intercept the girl who practically leapt at her and tightly hugged her.
"Annie! Annie! Annie!" the little three year old cried. Kim's sharp mind caught up with her and she did an intake of breath. A three year old. In a foster home. Idolizing Annie. Kim's heart broke.
Eventually the girl extricated herself and looked at Kim's husband. Everyone else may have called him Mr. Lawnmower, but the three year old tilted her head as she studied Ron and then proclaimed, "Plumber Man!" and hugged his leg, or at least as much of it as she could reach.
Ron looked down in surprise. "Well, I suppose he wears coveralls also… and has a beard too, and… aww man, what am I doing flapping my gums?" he said, and promptly knelt and picked the girl up. "I'm Plumber Man here to protect you from Toortle, Princess! We'll have fun and get candy tonight! Annie told me you were here."
After greeting various kids, some of whom seemed smitten by Kim and called her 'Very pretty lady,' setting her to blushing, order was achieved and the group set off.
~*~*KP*~*~
"Trick or treat!" some of the kids said to the broad-shouldered man who opened the door. Others continued, though, adding "smell my feet, give me something good to eat!"
"Quit that! Only babies say that!" one of the older kids who had stopped at three words said to the youngsters.
"Well I am a baby, so nyah!" one of the offended party retorted.
"Kids," Ron intoned, "this isn't worth arguing about. All of you are different ages and bound to do it in different ways." He turned to the youngster. "Embrace your Essential Kenness, Ken!" Then he turned to the elder. "And you can embrace your Essential Jebness, Jeb!"
"My Jebness?" the kid asked in confusion.
"Yeah. Like me and my Essential Ronness!"
Jeb looked more confused, but Kim interjected. "Trust him on this," he whispered to Jeb as if it were an aside, and winked at him.
All turned their attention back to the broad-shouldered man at the door, who was grinning. "Uh, sorry sir," Ron said, "they're…"
"Oh I know. It's just down the street from here, after all. I've seen some of these faces before. I have to tell you, it's a wonderful thing you're doing for them."
"I hope so," Ron said.
"So," the man asked, as he began depositing Hirschel bars in each waiting bag, "none of your own?" he asked, indicating Kim and Ron with a nod of his head.
"Not yet, but, um," Kim began, and comprehension dawned on the man's steel-grey eyes.
"Ahh… first on the way?"
"Yes sir." she admitted.
"Well congratulations to you both."
"Thanks, man," Ron replied gratefully.
After all, including the Annie worshipper Rebecca, had gotten a Hirschel Bar, and Ron, at his request, had received one too, Kim stepped toward the man as Ron made ready to start the kids' march to the next house.
"Coming, KP?" he asked.
"One sec, Ron…" she said, then turned to the man at the door.
"Mister…" Kim began, unsure.
"Jacobs." he supplied.
"Mr. Jacobs… you know that little girl who seems to be so taken with me?"
"Little Rebecca. I remember she was being carried in the guardian's arms last year instead of walking herself… not that she couldn't walk, it was just easier to keep her from wandering off at the time."
"Well… what happened to her? How long has she been here?"
"Parents killed by a drunk driver in an accident when she was a year old. She survived. Parents were both only children, grandparents had already passed. Kid went to foster care. So I heard from the foster home worker who was doing what you're doing last year, anyway."
"Well, sir… she tore toward me the second she saw me and greeted me as Annie. She's idolizing Annie. And… and I think about the circumstances… and… and…"
"I know. Tears me up. I actually have five kids myself. Three I've adopted from that home. But I can't adopt them all. I only have so much in the way of means."
"I… I find myself thinking, sir…"
"I know what you're thinking. Only do it if you can. Raising a child and not phoning it in takes a lot of love, attention, and effort. You've already got one on the way you won't want to fail that one. Since you have no experience with kids yet, see how you handle the load of one and whether you feel you're giving them enough and have any left to spare before you jump into a situation with more than one."
"Yes, sir."
"Don't forget also that she tugs at your heart-strings, but all of them should. Some of those older ones have been there since they were Rebecca's age or younger. She's not the only unfortunate one there."
"I didn't think about that," Kim admitted.
"About taking care of multiple kids, ma'am. I'll tell you honestly that I don't always pull it off the way I want to with all my kids, but I manage and hope they won't have complaints to tell me about twenty years later… something like 'You never cared about my drawing! It was all about Patrick's grades!' or something would eat me up. But so would 'You never cared about my good grades! It was all about Jimmy's drawing!' If you weren't pregnant, I'd say sure, go for Rebecca if you want. But, truthfully, see how you handle one before you jump on two."
"I just… I can't not help."
"I know. Don't think I don't recognize you under the hairstyling and your husband under the glue-on. But that reminds me. There is somebody else who should have a say in this. And I'm not him."
~*~*KP*~*~
Kim strode down the walk to Ron.
"I overheard," Ron said simply.
"I… kind of hoped you did. I wanted to ask him about her without the kids hearing, but it wasn't meant to be quiet from you, really."
"Experience has taught me to peel my ears where you're concerned."
"What do you think?"
"Let's complete this evening, and think and talk in private," he said, vaguely indicating the gaggle of kids.
~*~*KP*~*~
They'd had quite a haul and gone a few blocks from where the T or T had begun, a street down from the foster home. Ron, of all people, declared the haul at an end as he observed the darkening sky. "Let's get you all back," he proclaimed.
It was amusing to see Ron brandish the Honka lawnmower above his head during every Trick or Treat house call, and it was cute to watch the kids play with it by rolling it short distances down the sidewalk between houses. There were a few arguments about turns, but Ron silenced attempts to snatch the mower from each other when he proclaimed, "Taking turns is the very foundation of preschool and beyond! We have structure and rules here. If you don't want to be a baby," and at this point he glanced meaningfully at Jeb, "you take turns."
Amazingly, they had politely traded turns ever since Ron did that.
"You're going to be a ferociously amazing dad," Kim whispered in his ear.
"Only because I got a best friend who will be a ferociously amazing mom." he replied into her own ear.
They were calmly striding along, with Ron and Kim looking around carefully since it was darker out now, when suddenly a man came running out of the darkness beyond the streetlight pooling light around them. Kim was 'take charge' about goons, but this was a surprise in a situation with a lot of people besides herself and Ron to worry about… and moreover, people who might not have the sense as to how best to get away. He bowled over Jeb by the time Kim and Ron's brains had rebooted to what was essentially mission behavior and had grabbed Jeb's bag. He snatched at another bag with the same hand and was making a beeline for Kim, reaching out his other hand toward, she quickly realized, the shoulder where her purse was slung.
"I so don't think so!" Kim retorted in full tweak. She slapped his hand away and dodged an attempt on his part to hit her as he twisted past. She brought a knee into his chest as he ran in an attempt to grab and pass. The man, who she now perceived to be wearing a black hat pulled down over his whole head with holes for his eyes and mouth and a dark jacket and sweatpants, took another swing she managed to duck. She felt the whiff of air, especially in the tightly coiffed curls. Suddenly the man dashed. He seemed to be making a break for it with what he had even if it was just candy.
Kim dropped her purse and her own bag of candy as she took off running. Her powerful legs slammed rhythmically on the pavement. She focused on where she was running. It was like some of the times she had been running past lasers or other traps on missions. Focus, good form with the legs, destination, and go. She put on the speed and leapt with her foot extended, planning a jump kick to hit his back and stop his escape.
Unfortunately, her body was not identical to how she used to do this. The guy managed to drop and roll to the side at what Kim thought was barely in time to avoid getting his face planted in the sidewalk. In an almost costly first move, he had hurled the candy bags off into the grass so he could drop and roll, but Kim still didn't tag him in time. Normally Kim would have landed from such a move and continued the fight. However, the time she had spent with the kids already, her run, and the unspent force and momentum of her failed jump kick and somewhat different gravity of late had her collapse back on her rear after her landing and need to recover her wind a moment.
Three months pregnant, Kim reminded herself.
Unfortunately, while Kim's body may have dropped her into a breather, the man had no such problem. He was about to do something with the opening he had on the woman when he failed to take into account the sound of running steps.
Ron plowed into the guy's side as he was prepared to kick Kim in the side. Old, and fortuitous, instincts had Ron lead with the shoulder that had the football guard on. While Ron's shoulder had some shielding from the protection, the man was not wearing protection and was plowed into with all the speed that had made 'Unstoppable' a record-setting running back. The two sailed into the grass to the side of the sidewalk, with the guy taking the brunt of the impact since he was the one who crashed into the ground.
"What is with you, dude?" Ron spat disgustedly as he got up, trying to decide what, if any, move was necessary next. "Stealing candy from kids?"
"No, money, you fruitcake!" the man growled, apparently in some pain as he tried to struggle up. He'd landed hard on his side. Serves him right, Ron thought. "What was that under your clothes, anyway?" he grunted, but Ron was not inclined to answer.
The man managed to get from his side onto his stomach and raised his head to look forward instead of at the grass. However, he amazingly found a three year old with a large Honka toy in her arms. "You're a bad man!" she said, and actually swung her arms downwards, clocking him with Ron's hastily dropped costume prop.
"Ow, you little…" and suddenly he cried out as a knee found its way into his back. "You don't want to finish that sentence," Kim declared angrily.
Ron grabbed his Kimmunicator from his pocket, hit its emergency call, and said "Wade, send police to our exact coordinates."
Wade opened his mouth to ask a question but Ron simply turned the Kimmunicator screen to see the mask-wearing dude on the ground and Wade's voice came unseen to Ron over the speaker, "Got it, Ron. Local police will be with you in a jiffy."
While Kim had the man restrained, Rebecca, who had clocked him a good one and created a small red mark on his forehead, repeated, "You're a bad man!"
~*~*KP*~*~
Ron and Kim weren't inclined to care who the man was or check his pockets – just restrain him and watch the kids, calming down the scared ones by reminding them that, 'When you're in trouble you should call the police to help you.'
Thankfully, the police were there in mere minutes, which was good as Ron and Kim found they had been promising the kids that police would come quick if they were called for.
One officer cuffed the man, at which point Ron and Kim felt all right with letting up on the restraint. While the one officer brought him to a standing position and read him his rights, the other one began to search him.
As it turned out, the man had inner pockets in his jacket in which they found some stolen credit cards and cash. Considering the credit cards and cash were being kept in small little snap purses together separated into individual pockets, the cops correctly surmised that the cash was stolen too, and from the same person as the credit card in the same snap-purse.
Things took a decided turn for the more scary to the kids when the cops found a small concealable stun gun in one of the man's sweatpants pockets.
Still, the tension broke some when Rebecca told the man, "Annie got you!"
~*~*KP*~*~
The walk back after this was quiet. The kids had the sense to not worry about whose bag was whose after their encounter. They each took one and followed Kim and Ron back the rest of the way to the foster home.
"Kim," Ron whispered.
"Yeah, Ron?"
"Do you want to adopt Rebecca?"
"I don't know. I'd love to if it was really as easy as just saying it, but we have a baby on the way… pretty soon I won't be able to be up and about for her if we did adopt her… and then we'll have two kids, before we really even know how we'll handle one."
"Well, this is a joint decision, KP, but I want you to know I'll do my best to have your back if you decide to adopt her."
~*~*KP*~*~
When they returned to the foster home, Kim had made up her mind at least to ask about the possibility of adopting.
"Well, adoption takes some time and paperwork to clear. We have to assess the family that we would be adopting a child into and make sure we don't see any red flags and that they seem like they would be able to care for the child. Films and television have same-day 'meet and leave with' but that's not how it happens," the director said. "You understand, right?"
"Of course we do," Ron confirmed. "You wouldn't want to just give one of these kids to somebody you haven't taken the time to know anything about."
"So who are you interested in adopting? I mean, do you have someone specific in mind, or were you asking in general?"
"Um… Rebecca," Kim said.
The director winced.
"What's wrong?" Ron asked, wondering if he should be alarmed.
"Rebecca… has been adopted. We approved it after everything came back green… earlier today. She'll be picked up in two days by her new family."
Kim slumped slightly at the shoulders, but then rallied herself with a watery smile. "Well, Mr. Jacobs did tell me to handle one first. Does she know?"
"Oh yes, she met who her new parents will be once or twice while everything was getting hashed out, and she was told again today when they came to say hello to her. They're just finishing up preparing their home to welcome her."
"Well… it was worth asking about." Kim said, a little disappointed. Rebecca had a family coming up and knows it, and I have a baby coming myself that I know I'll love to pieces, Kim reminded herself. She was just disappointed for the moment… and her pregnancy wasn't helping with the emotions.
"I'm sorry, KP," Ron said, hugging her.
"It's all right, Ron."
"Do you…"
"Maybe this is telling me to not forget about my baby… our baby." Kim said, cutting off what Ron was about to ask.
"Just… can I maybe do one thing?" Kim asked the director.
"What's that?"
"Can I leave a note with Rebecca?"
"A note?"
Kim took out a large 5x7 index card (she had some random odds and ends in her purse) and a pen and wrote quickly.
Hello. You might not remember me, and you probably have a loving family with you. But when you get old enough to read this note and understand it, I'd love it if you'd give me a call. Look for 'Kim Stoppable.' You'll find me. I promise. When that time comes… I'd love to hear from you and tell you all about how we met if you don't remember me. But I can't help but hope that you do. Look at me… writing to a three year old. Well… I hope you call me… someday.
Kim Stoppable
The last line was a compact version of her signature, as Kim had run out of room.
After jotting the note as the director wondered curiously, Kim showed the note to her. She smiled sadly and said, "I can make sure it goes home with her, and explain to her family to make sure she, and they, hold on to it."
"Thank you," Kim said.
As they walked out to the car in silence, Ron really didn't think he could say anything… at least not right away.
They climbed in, and as Ron was about to start the car, Kim's hand on his arm stopped him.
"Thank you, Ron. I love you."
"I love you, KP. And don't forget – Rebecca will have a family. And our little one will too."
"I know. I have a question for you, though."
"What's that?"
"Do you think if we had a girl and named her Rebecca she'd resent it and feel like she was second fiddle when we tell her the story sometime later in life?"
"She shouldn't as long as she isn't second fiddle and we don't tell the story in a way that makes her think she is," Ron said, displaying one of his moments of wisdom.
"In that case… I know we're letting ourselves be surprised at what our baby will be… but if it turns out to be a girl, can we name her Rebecca Annie Stoppable?"
"That sounds fantastic," Ron said with a smile.
"And… if the first child isn't a girl… um…" Kim said, thinking hard.
"How about we save that for when we have a girl, rather than try to spoil it by coming up with a male equivalent?" Ron asked with a smile. "I'll even remind you when the time comes if our little baby in there right now isn't a girl."
~*~*KP*~*~
Many, many years later, Kim Stoppable was having coffee in the morning when the phone rang.
"Hello?" she answered.
fin
~*~*KP*~*~
Author's Notes:Funny enough, I savaged two things I enjoy somewhere in this story. I'm not sure what to chalk up to the various different elements that found their way in this story, but I had fun writing it. It's not really any one of the things the summary says it includes but it has a small hint of most of them. I'm curious if feedback will tell me this felt like a mishmash (bad) or like a ride that wasn't just a one-trick pony (good). I welcome reviews, good or bad, and I respond to them personally.
Disclaimers: Waiting for Annie does not bear resemblance to Waiting for Superman other than the title. I know there is an original comic strip for Little Orphan Annie that predates the John Huston film. Kim and Ron don't have to know that, though. Finally, Kim Possible and Ron Stoppable belong to Disney, not me. And you just read this for free.