To everyone who has read my work and been kind enough to appreciate it, I want to thank you for your continued support. I want to apologize for being gone so long, but the projects I am working on at this time do not allow me to continue to write steadily at this time. I had not planned on this but it was a spur of the moment thing that surprisingly and pleasantly worked out. It helps if you are familiar with the "Resolution" Universe, so you should read my main story to better familiarize yourself better with the middle section of this story. This will give you all the background you need, though my other two stories can add more understanding. Nonetheless, the story does well enough as a stand alone so that in the end you won't need it that much. One other note: "Cym" is pronounced "Sim".
I present now a one-shot which is based on an original story idea by a young author in our midst named 3VAD127. I highly recommend you read her story by the name "Rose", as it is the basis of what I present here. What I did was take her story and adapt it to my "Resolution" Universe. I significantly expanded the scope of the story in my adaptation. It was necessary to extend it the way as it was needed to adapt it to "Resolution". But also, there are several phrases of 3VAD127's that I left untouched, mostly in the first part of the story. But her original is succinct and powerful in its own right, and should be valued for that. So in essence, this story was really co-written by her and myself. This young lady was very generous and kind enough to give me permission to do this adaptation and it is with great thanks to her that I present it to you now.
The Rose
Kimberly Anne Stoppable rode quickly through the forest, her bright red hair whipping about her face. She seemed to be going so fast, dangerously so, yet she wasn't scared. The trees appeared to slow down at her approach, so there was no chance for an accident. To the front, the massive trunks gave the illusion of almost stopping just as she came upon them, and then dodging her mount to one side or the other, then behind and beside her, she saw the huge forest monarchs whip by at an incredible pace. She chuckled at them, almost as if challenging the great boles to try something. Yes, something interesting to try and stop her, but nothing could. Kim held on tighter to her mount, a giant white tiger as big as a horse. She dug her hands into its soft, white mane and let out a laugh. There was no fear, no panic, not that there was any threat of those emotions attacking her. After all, she was Kim Stoppable. She could do anything. But then, at this particular place there was no such thing as "fear." That was why she was doing what she was doing, riding through the forest on a giant white tiger, because she had no fear.
She and her mount bolted through the forest at a searing pace, never once gasping for breath or slowing down the tiniest bit. They dodged the multi-colored trees, each a symbol of majestic beauty. If Kim tried, she doubted she could even put her arms one fourth of the way around the smallest trunk. That's how truly massive, and breathtaking, they were. Soon, Kim and the tiger approached the edge of the trees. She gently tugged on its mane, signaling it to slow down, and the big cat quickly reduced its speed, coming to a slow jog, then walking out of the forest. Kim sighed. She so loved riding, especially through the forest. Sometimes, when she lost herself in her ride, her mind would go back, back to him. She giggled like a schoolgirl. There was no pain, no hurt at the fond memories she held nor any resentment at the separation from her love. She knew they would meet again, sometime soon.
She sighed and ran a hand through the tiger's soft, striped fur. The great cat purred like a kitten. Kim laughed as she dismounted and rubbed the back of the animal. He arched his body and rolled over, looking at her with large, luminescent emerald eyes, the look of a small tiger cub twinkling from them. Kim laughed again.
"Okaaaaay, I guess you deserved it." She said in mock begrudging as she scratched its stomach and buried her face in him, exhaling contentedly into his thick fur. She thought, 'What I wouldn't give...'
"Excuse me. Miss?"
The pleasant male voice wafted in from behind her. Kim looked up quickly to see a sharp-looking young man standing in front of her. His blonde hair shagged down slightly over his ears, and his soft brown eyes gazed steadily into hers. When she locked her gaze with his, he seemed slightly embarrassed, and he glanced downward over her body as if surprised that she was really there in front of him. Then he blinked and gazed back at her face, and his eyes did not leave hers. His clothes were rumpled, yet defined, and just as her dress was an ice blue, so was the suit he wore, a white ruffled shirt underneath the jacket. The pants had a satin stripe down the side leading down to his surprisingly bare feet, just as Kim herself had no footwear. No one wore shoes in this realm. They weren't necessary and only took away from the pleasantly velvet feel of the grass underfoot. Kimberly sat up on her feet, drawing a strand of red hair back behind her ear, regarding him tentatively.
"Yes?", she answered softly, her tone pleasant.
The young man stared down at the ground briefly before looking back up again with a smile as he pulled his hands from behind his back and presented her with a deep red rose, the likes of which she had never seen before. Kim gasped, gazing wide-eyed as she gently took the flower from him. She held it and traced her finger along the feather-soft petals. The dark red bloom was stunningly beautiful, so much so that she didn't want to take her eyes off of it.
"For you." the gentleman said, "A beautiful rose for a beautiful young lady."
Kim smiled hugely and met the soft brown eyes of the man in front of her, the pleasure of the gift evident upon her face.
"Thank you." she said quietly, with joy.
She positioned the flower carefully above her ear and stood up. The blonde man returned her smile, suddenly looking quite shy again. He traced a pattern in the grass with his bare toe and examined the ground intently once again.
"Would you,", he asked timidly, " Um, would you like to do something sometime?"
He didn't look up this time, still staring at the ground, but Kim knew what he was thinking. She knew she couldn't. Slowly, she walked up and took his chin in her hand, lifting it up to look him in the eye. Her smile was able to get him to give her one back, and it made him realize things were okay.
"Thank you.", she said again, "Thank you very much for the rose, but I belong to someone else."
Appearing startled, the gentleman's mood changed to regret.
"Oh, I... ...I'm sorry. I didn't know."
He glanced at Kimberly's forehead and said, "You don't have a mark."
'Oh, right, the mark.', Kim thought. In this world, married women held a small circle tattoo on their forehead while betrothed women had a crescent. Single women had no mark. Now it was her turn to stare at the ground in slight embarrassment.
"Yes," she said softly, "but my husband isn't here yet."
Her mind drifted away. She smiled fondly and looked at the grass, no, through the grass, focusing on something far off. To Kim, the soft, green grass always melted away so easily when she looked at it. She could see through it like a pane of glass, and as she had done many times before, she gazed down below, seeing many re-enactments of very familiar events; the first day of pre-K, her sixteenth birthday, Junior Prom, the many various perilous missions with Ron, the day he saved her, and then when she got him back, when she thought she had lost him forever, her wedding day, the births of the twins, the boys and the girls, Mim and Erik, then... ...and then her granddaughter.
But through it all, the one thing that remained constant, that was always the same, was him. He was the love of her life. Ron was always there for her, like he promised. He had waited for her on Earth. She would wait for him in Heaven.
"Oh.", The young man said a little somberly, his pleasant voice gently bringing her out of her daydreams, "I understand."
He hung his head and turned away to go. Kim caught his arm and looked him in the eye again, her face beaming true gratitude to him for his gift.
"Thank you." she said once more, "Thank you for everything."
She dropped his arm and smiled broadly. He grinned back at her and nodded once, then tipped his head, his blond hair swishing over his ears.
"You're welcome.", he said, and turned to go.
As he walked off, Kim went back towards her tiger, taking the rose from her hair and admiring it again. The gentleman looked back over his shoulder as he strolled away, watching her enjoy the beauty of his gift, still smiling.
"Happy birthday, Kim." he said quietly to himself. His eyes were moist as she glided serenely towards her mount. He gently blew her a kiss, and in a moment, he was gone.
A deep red rose drifted slowly through the air and gently came to rest on a small mound of grass. The vibrant flower cast a sharp contrast with the deadened, brown background. It was winter after all, and the only thing that looked alive in this dismal world was the incredible color of the petals. A stooped, old man stood up slowly from where he had dropped it on the grave. He paid little attention to the monument at its head just then. It was larger, slightly more elaborate than he, and especially she, had wanted. However, a grateful world wishing to honor the great hero of its day was hard to deny. At least they managed to whittle the size down to only moderately large instead of the behemoth that had been originally proposed. But now, now he only wanted to remember her.
He smiled fondly as he dwelled on his memories, the cold winter air rustling through his snow white hair, the soft whisper of winter murmuring in his ears. It reminded him of the wonderful Christmases, birthday celebrations, and winter vacations they had shared. His soft brown eyes held sorrow from the loss that still devastated him, yet he could still draw upon the past and the bounty of love and laughter their life together had given him. Even now, at his age, his face held a large assortment of freckles splattered across his cheeks, and though years of living and pain and good times had softened them, they were still visible.
He shivered, pulling a gray, scratchy coat closer to himself. It had been exactly two years since she had died. She had passed quietly in her sleep, just like she had wanted, just like her own Nana had. He woke up one day and she... ...was gone. He was so glad that she went without pain. His wife, his soulmate, his paragon had died on Christmas Day, her birthday. At first he couldn't accept it, even though he knew it would happen. His Mystical Monkey Power, so long a beneficial force, unfortunately had warned him of it, though not when. Yet how could life throw out such cruel irony at him? How could it take her first like that?
It took time, and he eventually realized, that it was better this way. She had lived a long full life. Let him be the one to bear the burden of being the widower. Yeah... ...it took time, but he finally came to terms with it.
And he remembered again she went without feeling a thing, and for that he was so grateful. The one other thing that he also gave thanks for was that he too was getting older, and that he would meet her soon. The old man clutched his cane harder and leaned on it a little farther. 'Oh, what a day that would be', he thought. He gave a grim, yet satisfied, smile, then moved a little closer to the grave to read the words on the monument for what seemed like the millionth time.
Kimberly Anne Possible Stoppable
1988 – 2072
Wife, Mother, Grandmother, Hero
She was loved and respected by all who knew her.
May she rest in peace and be reunited with her loved ones in Glory.
That was all it said. That's all it needed to say. Ronald Stoppable knew she wanted nothing more than a modest gravestone and a sentimental yet brief testimony of her life on this earth. But he didn't think she'd be too unhappy with what she got. True, it was still too large, but at least it was kept fairly simple. They made sure that was exactly what they gave her, "they" being himself and his… their children, not to mention Ron's little sister, Hana, Shego and Eric, their children, Yori and Hiro, Monique and Wade, and of course the grandchildren. He chuckled lightly to himself. So many good people, and such a beloved family. No man could have wished for more, and it started with the love he and Kim shared.
'This year is so much better', he mused to himself with satisfaction. Looking around, he observed the preparations for the ceremony that would be conducted later that afternoon, probably like the big one that happened the previous year, and he was glad the authorities let him have a smaller, more personal rite for him and his immediate family this early in the morning, when nobody had yet come around. Last year, the first year, was not at all what he would have wanted with the gaudy public performance that occurred. Granted, it was a beautiful service, but...
No, this was the right way, just him, the kids, family only. She would have liked that. He took a deep breath then, feeling the clean open air in his lungs, glad there was no one to intrude.
"Hey, Dad!" A bright, cheery voice sounded, interrupting his thoughts. Ron turned his head and saw his son Jim walking towards him, two small children in tow. The young man's blond hair had developed a shade of red right above his ears. He and Kim never expected that. For some reason, his twin brother Tim didn't have it. His own brown eyes shined brightly through small strands of hair tickling his forehead, and his eyebrows were arched and well-formed. He looked more like his uncles, Kim's brothers, but his face had a light assortment of freckles, much like his father, and his ears looked a little too large for his face. The younger man grinned and walked forward, handing off his children to their grandfather. "I thought you'd be here before us," he said.
Chuckling, Ron bent down as well as his joints would allow and looked two of his several grandchildren in the eyes. "And how are my favorite ten-year-olds?" he said, his brown eyes shining. The red-headed twins giggled and hugged Ron around his neck. Although Jim had entered late into the child rearing stage of life, he had finally managed to get started. The other grandchildren were grown or nearly so now, Mim and Erik's daughter being the oldest. He put his arms around them and attempted to lift them up.
"Oof!" he said. "I think you two are getting too heavy for me to pick you up anymore."
They giggled again, their bright blue eyes dancing with laughter. Ron chuckled and got back up with the aid of his cane and his son.
"Thanks, Jim," he said. "I guess I'm getting kinda old." He laughed lightly.
Jim Stoppable laughed as well. "Always a pleasure to help out, Dad."
"So, where's Mel?", he asked, referring to Jim's wife, Melissa, a beautiful young blue-eyed woman from California.
"She'll be along. She's helping with the others."
Ron nodded, "I see."
"Yeah.", Jim said, demurely, but Ron had a good idea why she wasn't there. Jim traced the toe of his shoe in the dead grass and coughed, looking away uncomfortably. His wife and his father had a great relationship. It's just that when it came to sensitive subjects, such as his mother's death, she was still a little shaky. Just being with him, alone with her father-in-law, only a few years after her mother-in-law had died. Well, she didn't really know what to do. That was one reason Mel tended to avoid being alone with Ron at times like this, such as at Kim's grave on her birthday, or other events like their wedding anniversary. The way she thought of it was that, 'Sure, my husband had lost his mother, but he had lost a soul mate'. To her, it had to be such a devastating feeling.
Even Jim shared that feeling with her at times, being as close to his father as he was. Ron looked at his eldest son and smiled comfortably, having read the younger man's discouraged thoughts. He didn't need his Mystical Monkey Power for that. He rested a reassuring hand on his shoulder and sighed.
"I wish she was here almost as much as you do, Son," Ron said softly, "but it was her time. To keep her on this earth any longer, for any reason, would've been unfair."
Jim tucked his head down, glumly examining the ground. He knew his dad was right. He still couldn't help but feel like his mother, his wonderful, spirited, loving mother, had gone a little too early and had left behind her love. But deep down he knew it wasn't true. She really had lived a long, incredibly fruitful life, just about as long as his great grandmother, and he knew his parents would meet again at some point, and that they would be happy. Until then, he supposed...
"Jim! Hey, Jim!", cried a loud, female voice, breaking through his thoughts. He turned his head and glanced at the new arrival. A woman four years younger bounced toward him, her long red hair swishing gracefully around her waist. His sister's emerald eyes and small ears set off her long face shape, creating the image of a beautiful yet spirited woman, almost the spitting image of her mother. Despite the fact they were both over fifty, with grey creeping onto their heads, they looked twenty years younger.
"Hey, K-J.", he replied contentedly as she came up and gave him a big hug. She kissed him then let go and faced her father, regarding him with such love as to make his eyes melt. Ron couldn't help thinking how much of Kim was in her. Gently, she came up and embraced him, holding him a long time.
"Hey, Dad.", she said softly, "How're you doing?"
"I'm okay, K-J. I'm good.", he replied, grateful she and her twin Mim had taken their mother's death a little better than Jim or Tim had. They parted slowly, smiling broadly at each other, their eyes moist.
"Where are the others?", Ron asked.
"They're almost here.", she replied, nodding her head off to one side.
Ron looked up and saw a small group of people headed their way, all bundled up against the cold, but recognizable. There was Tim and his wife with their two children, with Mel, leading the others. Behind were Mim and Erik, as Erik pushed a wheelchair in front of him, a white haired Shego sitting uncomfortably, though well bundled, in a thick woolen coat, green and black of course. A woolen scarf was wrapped around her face. Her husband, Eric, gradually made his way alongside her on a four legged cane. Monique and Wade were next in the procession, followed by Hana and her husband, with the rear made up of Yori and Hirotaka.
Slowly they made their way up to where Ron and the others stood in front of the memorial. Tim and his wife, Lana, then came up and hugged Ron, whispering their greetings gently. Mim and Erik followed, also embracing the old monkey master. In turn, Ron greeted Hana, Yori, and the others, saving Eric and Shego for last.
He shook hands firmly with Eric and smiled, thanking him for coming, then bent down slightly as he looked into Shego's eyes, those brilliant green eyes which were just a shade lighter than Kim's eyes had been.
"How's it shaking, Shego?"
She looked at him with a slightly jaundiced stare.
"How'd ya think, sidekick?", she rasped, "I'm freezing my butt off! Did'ya have to do this so early?"
Everyone else laughed, glad to break up the glum mood a little.
"If I had just been able to get the right clothes on!"
"Don't listen to her.", Mim said, "She's just mad she had to use a wheelchair to get here."
Shego glared up at her daughter-in-law, replying caustically, "Hey! I can walk, you know!"
"Not this far, Mom.", Erik mildly scolded, "You're ninety-two years old. What did you expect?"
Shego just growled and looked away, irritated.
"I don't have to like it!", she snapped.
That erupted into another round of laughter as her husband took her hand in his and smiled at her. Fortunately, that seemed to dissipate her bad mood. She pulled the scarf away a little and shook her head slightly to get her bangs out of her face, shaking the full length of her hair out. Ron still admired that long beautiful mane of hers, even as snow white as it was. Shego had never cut it. His wife's true sister would always be as beautiful as she was dangerous. But now it was time.
He looked up at everyone, and a lull overcame the small gathering, sensing his need.
"Thank you all so much.", he started, "Thanks for coming. I wanted this..."
He stopped momentarily, gathering his words, putting his thoughts in order, everyone waiting patiently as he did.
"I wanted to remember Kim with you all here in a better way than last year. Now, I'm not knocking the ceremony last year. It was a very nice service, but last year was so problematic with all the hype and stuff that went with it. It was just way too much for me. But also, the loss was too fresh. I really am thankful that you, my children and grandchildren, my extended family, all took up the slack, and like I said, it was still a wonderful service."
His brown eyes looked out longingly at the people before him.
"But this year, I wanted... ...I needed to be able to have you all just to myself. To say what I really feel. To remember her as she should be remembered.
Everyone remained still, listening attentively as the wind lightly whistled across the cemetery.
"In all of God's green earth," he began softly, "I don't believe there could ever have been a more beautiful woman than my Kim. Sometimes the magnanimity of all that we have gone through..."
He stopped suddenly as there was a sound from both his sons. Jim and Tim quirked an eyebrow at him.
"Magnanimity, Dad?"
Ron frowned at them in irritation.
"Yes, Tim, Jim. I do know what it means. What? You don't think your mother drilled me enough times over the years to finally learn some of those big words?"
The boys started to blush, a little embarrassed as the others began to giggle softly.
"Uh, right, Dad.", Jim said.
Ron smiled as the rest of the family all laughed.
"Just making sure, Dad.", Tim added.
"Sure, you were.", his father kidded.
Shego chuckled, "You'll never live that down, you know?"
Ron looked askance at her, grinning, "Yeah, I know. But it's okay."
And it was okay. The levity helped. It was good as he wasn't trying to be maudlin about this. He didn't want it to come across that way, but he needed to completely and fully express his feelings now, to truly let it all out. Soon everyone settled down again and he started anew.
"Sometimes the magnanimity, the awesome impact and effect that Kim Possible had on the world, and to history, simply amazes me to the point I don't understand how a simple Jewish boy from Colorado would be so incredibly lucky to be there at the right place and time to meet her in pre-school, to grow up with her...
"To be her best friend, to fall in love with her, marry her, support her as she bore our children, to raise them together, and to live our lives together, at the same time taking on the responsibility of saving the world over and over, and over again. She was so important to us all, so critical to everyone on this planet being able to live a life in peace, such an incredible force in history.
"And yet to me, she was just my Kim... ...My wife... ...My love."
There was a slight sob as Mel couldn't hold it together. Jim gathered her to his embrace as he comforted her. Similarly, Mim had teared up and Erik had put his arm around her shoulders and drew her in. Ron waited a moment, then went on.
"When I first lost her, as you all know, I wasn't myself for a while. I just couldn't see how I could ever live without her. For sixty-two years, we were married, but we were together for eighty years... ...eighty years, since we were four, in preschool. In all that time I couldn't imagine life without her.
"But in time I did come to see that this was the better way. It was better for me to carry on after her. It was better for me to carry that burden."
Another small sob came from the crowd. He looked up at K-J, now silently crying,
"You're right, Dad.", she whispered, nodding, "As strong as she was, that was the one thing she would not have been able to do, to live without you. She even said so, once."
Ron smiled gently at his daughter, nodding, "That's right, baby. The first time I told her I loved her, I promised her I would never, ever leave her, and I never did. And though she's gone ahead first, I will find her again. This was one job I know now that I would be able to handle better than she could."
"And the cooking too, sidekick.", added Shego, and through the tears, another burst of laughter came from the crowd, lifting their spirits a little more. But although Shego was trying to help the mood, she looked up at Ron grimly, and for only the second or third time in his life, he saw tears on her face.
"But you know, Ronald, you're right. You will find her. You will.", she said, her voice now shaking as she held her husband's hand a little more firmly, "She was my sister, in every possible way except by blood, and eventually she became that too. And I count myself the luckiest woman on the planet to have had a sister like that."
She ducked her head momentarily to wipe away the tears. Ron smiled at her tenderly. Kim's passing had hit her so hard too, though she barely would let it on... ...typical Shego.
"Got that right, Shego.", he replied, "And you were just as great a sister to her as well. But you know, that was the greatest, the most wonderful thing, this love that we all shared, this family we formed."
He took a deep breath and let it out, looking pensive.
"You know. In the end, what exactly are we to history? History will see that Team Possible became the greatest crime fighting force that ever existed, the greatest social stabilizer ever seen. Through Kim and the girls, Shego and Team Go, and eventually..."
He locked eyes with Shego again momentarily.
"To our granddaughter, we have managed to make the world the safe place it deserves to be, no longer threatened by outside forces of destruction, moreso than it has ever been in history, almost to the point we just about put ourselves out of a job, and that's exactly the way it should be.
"And yet, even with that awesome impact of what Kim did, with all of what she gave and sacrificed that will be remembered in history, that wasn't ever the important part of the equation. I have to say that what truly held it together was simply how much Kim and I loved each other, augmented and increased by the love that all of you have for each other, our family, our extended family. That is what counted, and still does, and it was what made everything else come true.
At this point, Ron's face became content, a slight smile crossing it as he continued.
"So, this is what I want you all to understand, what I want you to hear from me now. Let us remember her without the tears, without regret. For me, there are no more tears of sadness. You see, I don't see how we could have lived much better than this. I am truly, truly the luckiest man to have had the life I lived, to have had the greatest gift given to me in the most beautiful person, the most beautiful woman I've ever known. Therefore there is no reason for me to be sad now, and I want you all to celebrate her the same way from now on. Remember her with joy when you think of her, for she would want that, and because that's how I will."
Ron Stoppable looked down at the ground, now finished. Every face was moist from the tears that were shed, but they began to take his words to heart, and one by one they began to dry their eyes and smile. They gathered around him and one by one embraced him again, wishing him the best and giving him their love. Erik helped Shego stand up and she went to Ron and enclosed him in her arms, still silently weeping, but untroubled. Her tears were indeed more joyful.
"God, I wish she were here so I could kick her butt one more time.", she whispered to him.
"I know, sis.", Ron chuckled, "I know she would have loved making sure you didn't."
He helped her sit back down as he turned to Wade and Monique, followed by Yori and Hiro, embracing them so warmly as they came. Yet all this time he kept looking to the sky, and when he had hugged everyone for another round he did so again. Shego looked up at him with a knowing smirk.
"She'll be here, Ron.", she said softly.
"I know, I know", he said with a smile, then addressed everyone again, "Tell you all what? This is something Kim would have loved for us to do. Why don't you all go on and celebrate at Bueno Nacho, okay? I'll be along in a couple of minutes."
Everyone heartily agreed and soon started making their way back to the cars. Ron, however, simply smiled and stood where he was, leaning lightly against his cane, watching the others as they headed for the air cars and flew off. The Bueno Nacho was not that far away, so he knew he would catch up with them soon.
He didn't have to wait long. The sound was almost like a jet engine, and Ron had always thrilled to it every time he heard it. It was still such an amazing sound. Coming out of the northeast, he looked up to see the green streak blazing across the sky like a burning comet. He watched it come closer and closer until it was almost overhead, and then it started to slow down and change its trajectory, arcing down towards him. In moments, the fiery green ball of plasma had come close enough that Ron could recognize the young woman encased within it, the emerald fire of her hands enveloping her completely as she slowed to a gentle fall and landed lightly a few steps from him. As the flames fell away, the woman stood there and looked at him, then smiled hugely.
Cymorene Danielle Dray gazed at her grandfather lovingly just as she had all her life. Looking exactly like Kim had described her when she first was shown the future at her Great Trial more than seventy years before, she was the Great Dragon now, the fulfiller of the Prophecy, and her grandparents, Kim, Ron, and Shego, who had guided her throughout her life, had watched her grow into the hero she was meant to be. She had long ago been handed the reins of control of Team Possible, and since then she was the one who saved the world when it was needed. Ron still marveled at her. She had a luxurious mane as long as Shego's, as well as the svelte, full figure of her paternal grandmother, but the color of her hair was blond like his own hair, and her face was more like Kim's. She wore a brilliant sleek uniform much like Shego's had been, but green and white, a Team Possible emblem at the heart.
It was from her other grandfather that she had inherited her name. Eric Dray, Shego's husband, had his ancestry rooted deep in the mountains of Wales, and his family names reflected that. Their son Erik, eagerly embraced that heritage as well, and wanted it for his daughter. Thus, Cymorene was a feminine derivative of Cymru, the Welsh name for the country. Danielle ended up as a corruption of sorts, derived not from the Hebrew 'Daniel' which meant 'to be judged by God' as would normally be presumed, but instead from the Welsh 'Danio' which meant 'Fire'... ...and 'Dray', of course, from the Welsh 'Ddraig', or English 'Drake', meaning 'dragon'. When she was born, Kim and Ron were a little surprised that Mim and Erik had unwittingly named her the 'Welsh fire dragon'. God knew it certainly fit what she would become, but they had long ago learned to accept the surprises the Prophecy would reveal to them over the years, and this one was no different. Of course, everyone just called her 'Cym'...
She came up and embraced Ron, gently nestling her head against his, and he grinned and returned his affection as just as fully.
"Hiya, Pada...", she said, using her old nickname for him from when she was a very young toddler growing up.
Ron chuckled, 'Hi, Cym. How are things going? Everything at TP doing okay?"
She smiled and said, "Everything's under control, granddad, just as good as when you and Nana were in command."
"I'm sure it is.", he said proudly. Just as Nana Possible had done with Kim, Kim had done the same with her granddaughter. She knew all sixteen styles of kung fu on top of having Shego's plasma powers, and she could express them to an even greater strength than her grandmother had enjoyed. Ron himself had been instrumental in her training in Tai Shing Pek Kwar as well, especially in the use of the Mystical Monkey Power so that she could peruse the future as well as he did. It made her the perfect leader of the great force he and Kim had started so many years ago.
"That's good.", he said, "Good. So, is everything else ready?"
Her smile faded as she looked intently at him.
"Are you sure, Pada?", she whispered desperately.
Ron nodded slowly, replying, "You've seen the visions in the time streams, like me. Only you and I know."
Cym swallowed hard, looking down for a second before facing her grandfather again.
"Pada, there has to be another way. Please, there has to..."
"I don't want another way, dear child,", he said, interrupting.
"But, Pada...", Cym pleaded, starting to tear up and sniffle.
Ron smiled and gathered her back in, hugging her with all the love he could as she sobbed quietly,"There, it's okay, Cym. It's okay..."
In time she got herself back together and wiped her eyes clear, still sniffling as Ron drew back and gazed into her eyes, holding her shoulders as he did.
"You know how the Prophecy works. It is destiny."
"I know..."
"And... ...I ache for her, child. I miss her... ...so much."
Cym saw the loneliness in his eyes. She always knew that, of course.
"I.. ...I know, Pada. But there's still so much you can teach me."
Ron chuckled, taking her hands and holding them in his.
"No, Cym. There's nothing more for me to teach you. You are ready to do this on your own. You can see with the power just as well as I can now. So I leave the Prophecy to you. This is why I wanted to see you after the others, since they don't know. They can't see like we do. I just needed to make sure. You will take care of them all, won't you? Your parents, aunts, uncles, all your family?"
"You know I will, Pada.", she said softly, her eyes watering up again, "But I don't want to lose you the way I lost Nana."
Ron reached up and brushed back his granddaughter's hair, smiling at that beautific face so reminiscent of his wife's.
"Please, Cym.", he said, "Don't cry. You haven't lost us. You never will. We'll always be watching over you from above. That is the Prophecy too. But I want you to celebrate your Nana and me from now on, with joy, not sorrow. This is simply the rest of the Prophecy fulfilling itself. That's all. And even more importantly, I have a promise to keep to your grandmother. I promised to never leave her side. So I have to go find her."
Cym sniffled slightly as she reached up and held on to the hand that softly caressed her face.
"I know, Pada, I know.", she sobbed quietly in acceptance, "I know how the magic works."
"Good. So you'll watch the others and take care of them."
She gulped and nodded, replying formally, "You have my word, grandfather."
Ron smiled again, drying her tears as she pulled herself together.
"Then I'm satisfied. Okay, then. Everyone's down at the Bueno Nacho. I'll be here a moment more and then I'll join you there in a few minutes."
Cym looked at her grandfather a long moment, then reached out and embraced him one more time.
"I so love you, Pada.", she whispered.
"As I love you, child.", he replied as quietly, and he held her that way a long time.
When she finally pulled away, he grinned and said, "Go on. The others are waiting."
Her eyes still moist, she smiled at him once more and then stepped a few paces backwards. Her hands lighting up with green plasma, she powered up, the magnificence of her abilities coming alive again. Then she gently lifted away, heading up and out in the direction of the restaurant as Ron turned and gazed wistfully at the grave beside him. He wanted a moment to collect himself before he could go celebrate Kim's life with his family. He knelt down and gently picked up the rose he had deposited earlier, noticing its exquisite beauty again, smiling fondly.
Gazing at the headstone, he brought the flower to his lips and gently kissed its petals.
"A beautiful rose for a beautiful young lady," he said quietly. He let the flower fall off of his fingers and drop onto the grave for a second time.
For a while, all he did was stand there. The chilling winter wind nipped at his ears and prompted him to pull his coat tighter around him. Other than that, he moved not an inch. Ron thought about a lot of things in those fleeting moments, or was it hours? He thought of memories, of the present, and of what he would behold in the future.
Smiling once more, he gripped his cane tighter. He was content now, and he knew he'd better go. It wouldn't be long. He turned away to leave, but promptly swiveled to look at the grave one more time.
"Happy birthday, Kim," he said, grinning, softly blowing her a kiss, and then he left to join the others.
They would all celebrate joyfully at the Bueno Nacho and later retire to Ron's house, the one he and Kim had shared all their married life. The official service at Kim's grave that afternoon went off without a hitch, and Cym and the children were there to represent the family, but Ron was tired and stayed home to take a nap. Later that evening, after dining at Bueno Nacho a second time, the Stoppable clan gathered at the old homestead again to reminisce, to remember. Even Shego was in a better mood than usual, sharing her always acerbic humor with her children and with Wade. Cym was the one who went to check up on her grandfather after a time, and when she returned, it was then she told the family that Ron Stoppable had quietly breathed his last while he had slept.
Kimberly Anne Stoppable rode through the forest on her fabulous tiger, at breakneck speed as always, laughing as she enjoyed the rush of the ride. The huge muscular haunches of her mount flowed underneath her like a well tuned machine, the muscles roiling smoothly on and around that massive skeleton. The trees whipped by as before, still no threat despite their size, and she still loved how there was no fear, no sadness, nothing but joy and excitement. And love.
They came towards the edge of the forest and as usual, she tugged on the great cat's mane to slow him down. He cantered out past the trees, towards a clear blue lake, as peaceful as ever seen, and the feline plopped down a little unceremoniously by the shore, suddenly dislodging Kim off his back and making her land on her backside with an "Oof!"
"Hey!", she said, laughing, "Why did you do that?"
The great cat looked at her with playful eyes and purred in amusement. She laughed again and reached over to stroke his fur anyway, making him purr even harder. After a while, she reached up and took the rose out of her hair, admiring its incredible colors yet again, trying to recall who it was exactly had given it to her. She couldn't quite remember the young man, but she couldn't give up the rose either. It was simply way too beautiful, and something told her she needed to keep it. Fortunately, up here, things like roses never lost their bloom, staying fresh forever even after they had been cut, as long as someone kept them.
Kim got up and brushed herself off, putting the rose back in her hair as she noted she had gotten a little mud on her dress. She went to the edge of the lake and splashed some of the water on the fabric to clean it off. In this place, nothing ever stayed dirty for long. She worked the water in and watched the dirt fall away quickly, but as the wetness spread, her blue dress started to change, turning white. Startled, she turned and looked down at the hem and saw that it was also turning white. She got up and surveyed herself fully as the dress changed, the white shade eventually swallowing up the blue and flowing upwards, the skirt becoming fuller as the bodice changed to a pearl encrusted top. She became worried. This had never happened before. As long as she had been here, she always had worn the ice blue prom dress, but now, now this was what? A wedding dress? But it did seem familiar to her. Confused, she looked about and then managed to catch a glimpse of herself in the lake surface, and gasped.
There on her forehead was the mark, a full circle.
"Ron?"she whispered in shock to herself.
She looked up quickly towards the tiger seeing the great cat still lying contentedly in the grass, lazily watching her. The forest edge behind him beckoned to her for another chance to see her ride through it, but nothing more. She whipped her head around to the other side towards the meadow seeing the soft green grass run forever, but still with no one and nothing else in sight.
"Excuse me, Miss."
Kim gasped again, whirling around to see him standing next to the lake shore, only a few feet away, dressed elegantly in a black tuxedo, the young man who had given her the rose. The rose fell out of her hair and landed on the grass between them as she gazed in surprise. Yes, it was him! She remembered him now, and then he became so much more. He became so familiar, like she had known him all her life. In fact like he was the most important person in her life, but who?
He smiled and bent down, picking up the rose and slowly raising it to his lips, gently kissing the petals before handing it back to her as she stared wide eyed at him. Kim could only stand there and blink at him.
"Y-Yes?", she said, anxiously.
He smiled gently and said, "A beautiful rose for a beautiful young lady."
She didn't know what to do, barely able to answer, "Thank-thank you."
'I know him!', she thought wildly , 'I know him! He's!-He's!'
The man smiled wider, "Would you like to do something sometime?"
Everything changed.
Kim's hands came up and covered her mouth, trying to hide how stunned she had become. She had been holding her breath and now exhaled slowly in a rapturous sigh as she just stared, the pure joy in her eyes shining out.
"You've come back.", she whispered at him.
Ron Stoppable, his blond hair blowing easily in the breeze, slowly walked up to his wife and took the rose from her, gently placing it back in her hair over her ear, before bringing her hands up to his lips and softly kissing them as he looked deep into her eyes.
"I promised you.", he said, "I said I would never, ever leave your side, and I won't."
"I remember, Ron.", she replied, the tears now flowing down her cheeks, "I remember."
"Do you remember how we said it at the wedding?"
She gazed into his eyes as a smile overcame her, slightly nodding to him.
"Doesn't matter where."
Ron grinned even wider.
"Doesn't matter when.", he said back, then they both went on.
"I will be there for you, til the very end."
Ron took Kim into his arms.
"In danger or trouble. I'm there on the double."
"You know that you always can call."
"I so love you, Ron", she said as her lips reached for him.
"Right back at you, KP", he replied, and then he kissed her as passionately as he ever had in all their lives.
And the world was right again for them. They never knew how long they remained in that blissful state, but when they finally did let go, Ron stood there, gazing at her, both of them drinking in the sight of the other to sate their long, long thirst, now finally quenched. He started to smile again.
"Are you ready?", he asked.
"For the future?", she replied.
"For forever.", he said.
"Yes, forever.", she answered, now grinning ferociously, "Then let's go, loverboy. Forever's waiting just beyond the forest for us."
With that, she turned and called to the great cat. The tiger rose up and came to them, bending down for Ron to mount first, helping Kim up afterwards with his foreleg to sit in front of him. Ron held her about the waist as the tiger then rose to his feet, and with a gleeful bound and a roar, the massive feline sprang up and raced away into the forest.
The bright red rose rested peacefully on the small mound of grass and dirt. It was the dead of winter, and the only thing alive on the small knoll where the grave was located was that incredibly beautiful flower. It was a birthday present between two friends, two best friends, a man and woman who loved each other as very few before them had done, and this symbol of affection would reside forever in the hearts of Kimberly Anne and Ronald Stoppable.
Soon spring would come, and by then the flower would be long gone. But it is the thought and idea that still resides in that place on the knoll, the thing that keeps it sacred, that would soon sanctify his own remains that would be placed there, as much as it did hers.
The wind would echo her thoughts to the one who gave the rose to her. When he was still on this earth, he could feel it in the gusts of air as they passed by him, hear it in the sighs they sounded in his ears. But now that they were joined forever, he could hear it directly from her own lips. He would be evermore by her side, and she would hear his thoughts from him just as lovingly as she would say hers to him. Yet, even in the mortal world, the wind could still speak volumes. For those who could hear and understand it, it was a message that always gave hope.
"Thank you," the wind will whisper. "Thank you for everything."