A Bright Future
"Mmm, the perfect naco." Ron licked his lips and picked up the food in question. Mouth watering beef; crunchy nachos; warm, gooey cheese… He was almost drooling. The food was six inches away from his mouth when he closed his eyes. Nothing could ruin this, now he thought. Closer and closer the naco came. He opened in mouth in anticipation…
And frowned when his hand suddenly felt empty. Ron cautiously opened an eye. And immediately leapt back a foot in shock. There was an alligator in front of him. Or was it a crocodile? He always got the two confused. Anyway, the giant lizard was crunching on a naco. His naco.
"Hey, what gives?" Ron called out angrily. The animal only gave a toothy grin in reply. Ron scowled. "This means war." With that he leapt onto the lizard's back and wrapped his arms around the creature. His eyes widened in panic when the great lizard started thrashing. Holding on for dear life, Ronald was tossed around. In his panic it somehow got through to his senses that something felt off. He frowned. The animal felt… soft. And spelt of a familiar shampoo. What's going on? Ron began to wonder.
Suddenly, the light dimmed and he blinked. His eyes widened. In his arms wasn't a crocodile (or an alligator) but his girlfriend. "Kim!" he called out as he continued to hold on to her body.
Slowly, he lowered his head to her ear. "KP!" he hollered. "Stop, it's just a dream. I'm here."
Kim's body became static as she processed this information. "Ron?" she asked quietly, uncertainly.
"I'm here," he gently reassured her. Her eyes opened and found his. She did nothing but stared for a few moments, but then buried her face in his shoulder and wrapped her arms around him. In return, his arms tightened around her lithe form.
"What was it, KP?" he breathed in her ear.
For a while the only response he got was of Kim's regulated show breathing as she calmed herself. Eventually she whispered, "The same as before."
Ron knew what she was talking about. This was the third time she had had a dream about this particular mission gone bad.
Ron didn't say a word. He only kissed her forehead and held her, knowing that the best thing he could do was simply be there for his girlfriend and partner.
Kim laid there in his embrace, absorbing the fact that he was there. She breathed in deeply, inhaling his scent and it felt like the best medicine anyone could offer her. She smiled.
As he felt his best friend relax Ron let his face slip into a smile, too. There was nothing better than this. A fire burned in his heart. If this was his future, it was the only future he wanted. He closed his eyes. Anticipation filled his body as in his mind he heard, "May I present to you, Mr. and Mrs. Ronald Stoppable." He grinned from ear to ear. Yep, that was the future he wanted.