Hello there, thank you for returning as we present another chapter in the lives of Kim Possible and Roman Stopblaski in the world of Unheard Flipper's AU tale, 'The Truth About Kim and Ron'. Today's run is based on what came after the mission debrief with dear old Colonel Barkin following the 'Blush' episode. A close call lead to fireworks and catharsis, as you soon will see.

And before we start this puppy, we'd like to thank the following for their Reviews, Faves or Alerts: EnterpriseCV-6, Taechunsa, pbow, readerjunkie, Sentinel103 and Jimmy1201, thank you for sending us your terms of enjoyment.

But before we go, we'd like to deny feeding the suit and briefcase crowd who just love billable hours and big payoffs we have to live through: Kim Possible and other characters from the Disney show are their property, we're just borrowing them for our entertainment. No money from their involvement with us, so no payday for you. Awww. But Roman Stopblaski has been loaned to us by Unheard Flipper. Thanks guy.

16

Blush: The Next Day

Detention Room, post-Mission Debrief, the day after the Orchid Date fiasco:

Several minutes after their CO had exited the quite secure Detention Room following his raucous debrief of the previous night's activities, Roman finally looked to his mission partner. Something he had not done during the entire mission debrief as Colonel Barkin read the red headed Lieutenant the riot act concerning her behavior the night before. Kim's face reddened under the verbal onslaught like it never had before while in uniform.

That she didn't spontaneously combust as her body temperature rose in relation to the deepening flush of her face was a wonder to those present. Barkin's tirade topped anything she ever received in her life, surpassing the abuse heaped on her by her DI's in Basic, OCS, Force Recon and Sniper School combined; where you either folded from the sharp prodding or sucked it up and drove on. This, however, was more to the personal than she'd ever experienced before.

Finally, after her flushed face's color returned to somewhat below 'inflammable', Roman turned towards her. And when she saw his eyes, Kim suddenly regretted small favors, as her complexion paled past what was usually her normal skin tone and color.

Never had she seen his brown eyes so cold, yet at the same time aflame with anger when he looked her way. Not a word had been spoken to her since he told her to stay in her room the previous afternoon before he took a hypersonic GJ flight to retrieve one of the few remaining Aurora Orchids from the Amazon Rain Forest which he dusted her with last night. Though they had several classes together, even lunch, he had avoided her all day, something that really hurt and bothered her since he saved her life some dozen hours or so earlier.

Before now her last memory of Roman's face was when he saved her from Drakken's latest whack plot with the pollen-cure. From hopeful turmoil while the pollen coated her, to wistful relief as her body reformed while sneezing, and the brief spark of a genuine smile followed by a furious frown when she fully reappeared. Then without a word, he turned from her and strode off into the night.

Now she suspected whatever he had to say to her, while not in the same class as Barkin's diatribe, would grossly violate the Student Handbook's guidelines for acceptable speech allowed at Middleton High School.

About to breach the uncomfortable silence between them, she stopped when he quickly and deliberately rose from his desk and stalked out into the early evening twilight; anger rolling off his body, his steps echoing loud and solidly as he made his way out of the room.

Stunned at what she took in of Roman's demeanor, Kim froze until she shook her head to clear it. Realizing she was alone in the classroom, Kim made her way out to find her partner, only to find an empty hallway. Her confusion over where he went was solved by the sound of a door slamming on the other end of the school.

Amazed at the speed in which Roman left the school grounds, Kim eventually caught up with him in a secluded area of Middleton Park. Slipping quietly up to him, but not so quietly that her arrival would result in a conditioned reaction from sneaking up on the Special Ops Soldier, she scuffed her shoes as she got within earshot of him.

Cautiously Kim softly called out to him when his furious pace hitched, "Roman?'

Pausing at her call, she gasped when he stopped and turned his face to her, the look on his face stunning her. "Wha..what's wrong?"

Slowly turning his body and shaking as he did so, Roman raised a trembling hand, his index finger extending upward, "Vou screwed up Kimka!", he lightly barked at the red head. As she cringed he continued, "Ve agreed for you to stay in yer room until I return with flower!" Now quite conscious of their proximity to others he made sure they were alone before continuing.

Assured they were alone in this part of the park, "Did vou?..NYET!", he cut in before Kim could reply. Again cutting off her attempted reply, "Vhy did you almost vaste vour life? Vou knew how far Eh travel to get flower?...All de vey to Amazon Jungle…And back!"

Shocked at the intensity in his voice, she gaped wide-eyed, "Vou vere told to stay in room until Eh bring flower to vou to cure vou. Vou knew better, but Monkey boy calls and vou vall apart to go on date vith hem…", he said as he brought a hand to his face and rubbed his eyes.

With a tired sigh he said, "Et es not hes fault."

His eyes now boring into hers, "But vou are vital to des mission. Vhat happen to vou if E got killed or injured and not be back vhen Eh did to blow de pollen on vou?" Then turning he stomped off to let her think about the ramifications of her actions.

Kim ran up to him, grabbed the aggravated Russian and spun him around, "And you aren't?", she countered indignantly, "You went on that mission to get rid of Bates and you almost died!"

Likewise cutting off his retort, "In fact, you've done several things during the last couple of years that could be classified as suicidal. You don't think that,", waving her hand back to where he ripped into her, "was a little self-serving Ron?" Realizing the Freudian slip, "Uh I mean Roman.", she deflated and corrected contritely.

He replied softly, "No vorries, Kimka, Eh understand.", his smile sympathetic. Then looking to her more seriously, "But det was assignment, not in personal life, det vas job. Barkein said it hisself, Eh can be replaced ef E die...NOT vou can."

Cutting off her apparent protests, "Ef something happens to vou, et vill set operation back, maybe fatally. Der are oters to replace meh ef Eh die…No vone can replace vou.", Roman grit his teeth at the end, once again so mad he was trembling, and this time his demeanor somehow got through to her.

The red head took a deep breath and sighed as she released his arm.

Suddenly looking as vulnerable as a mid-teenaged girl in painful angst, "I...I'm sorry Roman. I don't think you understand me here. It's part of my assignment...to act like a crushing high school girl when confronted with cute guys.", she said as she slowly shuffled to the curb, looking more lost the closer she got to the empty street.

She plopped down on the curb, and after checking her surroundings to see if it was clear pulled a cigarette from a pack she had and a Zippo®, "Y...you have to understand Roman...Ron's death hurt me so bad...", Kim said as she struggled to find the words.

Tossing her head in agony, "God how do I say this...We were in love, not a crush...but deep down full, get ready to walk down the aisle love...A forever love.", she said as her voice went from poignant to pained and hollow, her eyes taking on a thousand-yard stare though glancing just out into the street.

Choking up, "Whe..when he was stolen from me...I thought I'd die..and maybe…I did..a little." Taking a ragged breath, "I tried to make up for that pain…But it was so…", gulping loudly, "haaarrd.", her voice rasping out the word.

Taking a small breath, "I'm glad Rufus was there, because he helped save me.", she whispered as she lit the cancer stick, took a deep puff and looked off miserably as she streamed the smoke into the air.

"I'm kind of glad he wasn't there at the debrief…he didn't deserve to see me in all that.", Kim said as she took another puff and slowly exhaled the smoke which hung in the air around her.

Roman looked on quietly, sensing she was finally going to get this out of her system as he waited for her to continue to lance this long-festering ache she held all these years.

Looking painfully towards him, "Why do you think I trained and studied so hard all the way back into high school? I wanted to get involved in stopping this kind of thing from happening to my brothers or sister, boys like Felix, or privileged jocks like Brick…Nice girls like Tara..or even witches like Bonnie Rockwaller.", she chuckled bitterly at the irony.

Taking another puff of her cigarette, "Now a few years down the road I'm only thirty miles from where I grew up and get another chance to relive a little bit of my childhood.", streaming the smoky exhaust into the air opposite Roman's position.

Becoming longingly contemplative, "Heh, maybe I won't screw it up this time. Maybe I'll find someone else to love..me for me..I", her voice tiny at the end, shaking her head sadly, "I haven't been able to love anyone since he died…I guess I'm trying to get some of that back while balancing orders to chase the hottie boys like Barkin directed.", she said as her eyes lost focus briefly.

Shrugging, "I know Barkin warned me to not get lost in my role like I did…but for one night..", with a tiny innocent smile, looking younger than her mid-twenties, "I was fifteen again…Not a Marine Lieutenant chasing down terrorists, just a cheerleader trying to have a life.", wistful turning serious. "And I know that I'm going to have to go through that again, just to continue to portray a teenaged girl in high school."

Then eyes watering, face anguished, "And…and I don't have him this time..and it hurts!" A sob broke through, "The pain is real, and I can't do anything about it...", she sniffled.

Now her voice breaking, "I can't even see the Stoppables without feeling guilty. I...I almost went with them on that trip and I wish I had. Instead I went to a gymnastics caaammmp.", she railed as tears rolled down her cheeks.

Sobbing miserably, "I never got to say goodbye to hiiimmm.", she broke down and crying inconsolably, tears flowing down her cheeks.

Sadly looking on, Roman slowly walked to her side and slid down beside the crying red head. Taking the cigarette from her trembling fingers he took a couple of puffs, expelling the smoke away from them while returning the lit cig to her; his hand squeezing hers slightly in the process.

Still weeping she turned to him in light surprise, "E em sorry Kimika. Et must be very hard, even after all these years…", he said while wiping her tears gently with a thumb, "If vou vant, vou can use meh as punching bag vhen tings get rough for vou.", she hiccupped a small laugh before breaking down again.

Then reaching to the sobbing red head he pulled her into his chest where she let go of all those years of pain she had kept inside. Her wails of grief and agony muffled into Roman's chest and jacket as her shoulders shook. His embrace safe and secure as her arms reached around to hold on tightly to the Russian's chest, her sobs continued for a few minutes more; Roman's gentle rocking the only other movement made by the pair. Her cigarette by now tossed into a storm drain.

They stayed this way until Kim's long-needed release subsided, a handkerchief offered to blow her nose when she let go of her partner. Her demeanor much more relaxed, as if a great weight had been lifted from her shoulders. Gratefully, she smiled to Roman as he signaled she should keep the hanky, a giggle her reply.

Keeping an arm around her shoulders, "Et es OK Kimika, I protect vou.", Roman assured her. "Eh em vour friend no?", he asked sincerely.

At her appreciative smile and nod, "Da I am friend, vou remember dat. Now ve just set here and relax before ve return home."

Then reaching into a jacket pocket, "Here have some of des, after dis, I tink vou might need it…Eh know Eh do.", he said as he pulled out a little silver flask and handed it to her.

"What's this?", Kim asked, confused at the offering.

"Slavyanskaya Rye Vodka, the rye keeps heavy hangovers down Kimika. Have some and relax for eh lettle vhile.", he explained, his look of someone who spoke with authority on the subject.

She removed the cap and took a large sip before she gave the flask back to Roman, then sank back against his chest.

Assured that they were free from prying eyes, Roman kissed the top of her head and softly hummed a tune from his younger days in Russia while he continued to gently rock her. He held her that way in the darkness for over an hour. To anyone watching that knew them, they could chalk this behavior up to Kim having trouble dealing with a 'sitch' and her best friend Ron lending support as he always did to her.

The reality was that each knew the other held their own deep-seated pain only they could understand.

Shaking her shoulders gently, "Kimika.", Roman told her softly, "Maybe vou need to talk to Stoppable family; dey know that vou hurt. Between the Possibles and the Stoppables dey can help vou. Eh see vour hurt, Eh feel vour pain, but Eh can only do vhat Eh can."

Sighing sadly, "I know Roman...I'll try..But what about you? You have your own pain to bear too..I mean your kids; you love them and can never see them. How can you deal with that?", she asked softly.

"Eh do vhat Eh can evan ef tey don't get to see meh, Eh can make teir lives better vhile Eh can.", the blond replied as he caressed her back. "Maybe et would have been better ef Natasha en Eh never met."

"Then your children never would have been born. That would have been such a tragedy.", she said while sniffling. "No it is really better to have loved and lost...", as she hugged him tighter.

Musing further, "God I can't think of what my life would have been without him. Even if he was taken from me so young it's better that I had him for a while.", Kim wiped her nose with her hanky.

Then looking up into his eyes with hope, "Just like it's better for you to have had her and the children. Maybe some day it'll work out for us to have that someone to complete us.", before she settled her head back on his chest.

Squeezing a shoulder one last time, "Eh hope so Kimika, Eh hope so. Here let meh see vou. Vou don't need to be so puffy-eyed for vour folks.", Roman said as he went to wipe the tears from her cheeks one last time before they got up to walk to her home. Kim's snort lead to another round with her hanky.

One feeling much better after her catharsis, the other glad he was there to help her.

But both grateful for the other being there for them.

XXXX

Not much to say other then one's demons was purged this night. But another's are still at bay until she learns of them; all of them.

And then, each will have a clean slate from which to build from. But still, they are lonely souls looking for love; as one doesn't see what's before them yet, while the other waits patiently.

Still, it's not time. Much has to happen before it's right…