I thought that I would enter Whitem's 'Snow Daze' contest for grins this year so here in my little ditty.
As for the required disclaimer: Kim Possible, Brick Flagg, Monique, Tara and Josh as well as Ron Stoppable and all those other lovable and sometimes quirky characters on the show 'Kim Possible' belong to the Mouse Ear company and their small army of lawyers. I make no coinage from this little hobby of mine and neither does my beta, the long suffering (hey he's been working with me for years) Cajun Bear.
As most of you know who have read any of my other stuff, I sorta like seeing what the characters are doing years down the road and see how their lives have turned out. This story is no exception.
But we can't get on with it until I shut my yap.
ST-103
Winter Heartache, Christmas Hope
The renowned artist carefully led the head cheerleader around the gym, avoiding bumping into other couples on the floor during the 'Winter Gala Ball' at Middleton High School held annually for its alumni who could make it back for the occasion and was used by the Principal, Steven Barkin, as a way of generating scholarships for exceptional and needy students. Of course Joshua Wendal Mankey looked dashing in his black tuxedo and he was using it to impress his 'lady' who was wearing a long blue gown.
Josh held Kimberly's right hand while her left was gently resting on his shoulder. "You have definitely become a better dancer than you ever were before. I know a certain young lady who should reward you properly later in the evening if you keep this up."
"Kim.", Josh replied hinting, "with any kind of luck she will."
Josh raised his hand and Kim seeing what he was doing took the hint and twirled under his arm as she laughed lightly enjoying the occasion. The red head smiled, "After that move I'm sure she will."
Josh smiled thinking about the prospect of being in the arms of his lady as the evening progressed to its promised conclusion when they were all alone, "As your friend Stoppable would say 'I'm all about rewards' from certain people."
"You know Josh, that is something that Ronnie would say now that I think of it.", the auburn haired cheerleader responded as her eyes glittered in joy at the prospect of revealing the news to everyone in the coming weeks.
As Josh pulled her back into the classic handholds of the waltz, the artist teased, "Won't he be surprised at how this turned out after all these years?"
"Now don't you go picking on him, he's a lot better since the bullies stopped picking on him a while back, but he's had a real bad time since we graduated."
"It's been about time too.", Josh laughed, wondering what Kim was talking about and how the platinum blond was doing at the moment, knowing he was going to have to let Kim in on a secret very soon. And he was wondering how it was going with another couple in the room.
Kim also glanced around the room and spotted her two brothers with their dates. Sometimes she made good on her old threat to give them as bad of time as they had given her over the years, but at this time of year she really couldn't. Both of the new girls seemed to be very nice…and the red head had Wade run checks on them. Just to be sure.
She carefully observed another couple dancing, and seeing something that disturbed her, wide open eyes Kim pulled Josh along startling him, "Come on I have ta see him right now."
"Sure Kim…."
XX
Zita Flores sat on the lap of the wheelchair bound young man as he used a program that he developed to impress her. They had only been dating for about eight months and were finally getting comfortable with being out in public together. The two had shared some classes at the University they attended, and spent many hours of study time in the library after class before a very nervous (sweaty palms and everything) young Felix Renton finally asked the Latino beauty out on a real date. She wasn't sure at first but found that she liked his company and three months later they were 'going steady', much to the delight of a certain widowed mother. Now they were planning a life together though few were in on the plans, just a few others who had become very close to them over the years between high school and now.
"How are you feeling 'Tia?", the young genius asked his girlfriend using his pet name for her.
"This Chica is lucky to have you 'Wheels'.", she responded in kind, "How about we sit the next song out and go to the refreshment table?"
Then self-consciously Josh told her, "I'd just want to sit somewhere where you don't get asked to dance by the other guys. I don't have much choice you know."
"As if boyfriend. And besides, who cares if you have to roll places instead of walking. If it doesn't bother you it shouldn't bother anyone else either. Even some ego driven cheerleader, like Bonnie over there with her super rich husband, couldn't do better for herself.", Zita giggled as she punched him lightly on the upper arm knowing if she tried to give him a kiss the ever present Steve Barkin would come down on them like a ton of bricks as if they were truly back in high school.
"Tia, Bonnie's better than she was back then you know that 'Tia. She finally doesn't have the pressure of her sisters anymore, and his Dad paid for those two to go off to college after Bonnie finished high school and finally leave her alone. Then she went and got her degree after getting married to one of the richest guys in the world. Now she's tons happier and she makes all of our lives better. You know she even emails us when something is going on. Who would have thought that would happen after the way things were in high school?"
"With that many billions in the bank she ought to be happy Wheels.", Zita hopped off the chair after Felix stopped it so that she wouldn't get hurt.
"Honey would you like some punch and cookies?"
"Sure Wheels let me help you.", the pretty Latino girl took the cups as her boyfriend carried a small plate of the cookies to their table.
"Uh oh, looks like we'd better get over there first.", Felix stared as he set down the small plate and started rolling his cyber chair in the direction that Kim was moving.
XX
The buffed and deeply tanned young Spaniard gazed at his teal eyed former cheerleader spouse with adoring eyes, "My Bonnita thank you for inviting me to your alumni's holiday party, but I think we would have had much more fun on the beach in the south of France at this time of year."
"I just want you to see what I had to go through all the time Junior. I mean with Dumbable and Possible here it's almost stifling to cultured people like us.", Bonnie Senior, Jr. half grinned at calling Ron Stoppable one of her favorite names knowing it irked him to no end and depending on his mood could get an interesting reaction out of him, "anyway later tonight you know you have to corner someone to get him to help with one of your projects."
"Ronald Stoppable may be a little strange, but as you know my Father respects him for some reason. And since Papi is very intelligent I would say there is a very good possibility that the Blue Fox's friend is not as foolish as he appears.", Junior paused, "but you are indeed correct Bonnie, I need to talk to Mr. and Mrs. Flagg about the event."
"Maybe so Junior, but Stoppable's still a loser. He always has been and he always will be….I don't care what the others see in him anyway.", Bonnie lightly sniped, perpetuating her joke about him even after all these years through out all the crime that was busted up and one monster sized alien invasion later. 'But I do need to talk to him too.' Bonnie added hoping she could at least get some time to talk with Ron and Kim alone.
Junior reminded Bonnie, "But didn't you try to get him to take you to the Homecoming thing back in October of your final year? You know we may never have met if you didn't tag along to Venice with Kim Possible when they thought that I kidnapped that programmer."
"It wasn't luck it was meant to be, just like some of those stars…"
"Bon-Bon most of those relationships do not last long. They all have horrendous egos….worse than mine. The time I spent on those movie sets was most appalling."
"When were you on a movie set Junior?", Bonnie asked, unaware of that aspect of his life before they met.
"Papi was going to let me try the movies to get me teen pop idol career off the ground. Kim Possible intervened there too. Maybe it was for the best, I now have my future in front of me."
Bonnie cooed trying to persuade the best thing in her life so far to not continue on this path since she knew that he couldn't carry a tune….heck he couldn't even find one but she would never tell him, "Why don't you back some up and coming bands and make a name for yourself in that way with money and advice to get off the ground, so that everyone will always be coming to you to get the best acts out there."
"But I so want to be a pop sensation.", Junior sighed knowing that he really was past that point in his life, but just wanted to make good once.
"But Junior, look how much you know about the business and how much you could help the younger kids. You'll be the idol of the next generation of music.", Bonnie nudged him, knowing that to get Junior to go along with this, it would have to seem like his idea.
Unbeknownst to Junior, Bonnie had already talked to her Father-in-law and together they had worked this out. The one good thing about having your own island is that there are no neighbors close enough to complain about the noise.
Suddenly in pain, the brunette's eyes flashed for a moment as she instinctively reached for her stomach, "Ugh, your kid really kicked me that time."
The once pampered rich snob reached down and rubbed Bonnie's protruding stomach, "Do you wish to sit down Bonnita?"
"No its alrig….ugh. Damn, I swear Kim has been teaching him some of her tricks." Sighing in resignation, "Yeah lead on love of my life.", Bonnie gasped as she wondered if she was going to have the child right there.
Bonnie looked up from her own problems as she sat down while a nervous Junior Senior hovered over his wife, "What's going on over there?"
"Do you want me to check?"
"No, no we'll find out soon enough.", Bonnie told her husband not really wanting him to leave her at the moment.
XX
Monique Flagg snuggled into her husband of several years as she just enjoyed dancing close to him, she had married the star athlete in college and were finally settling down. Available for the party due to Brick's season ending concussion, considered by many Pro Football pundits to be a contributing factor to his team's possibility of not making the playoffs for the first time in six years. Now they had been discussing him having to stay in the pocket, it wasn't good to have your All Pro quarterback running to pick up yards and first downs while three hundred and fifty pound linemen were trying to tear him apart, that's what the running backs were paid to do.
Brick had been at the helm of the offense for the last two putting up All-Conference and All-League numbers both times before being knocked out this year. Named to quarterback his Conference's Team at the All Star Game, he had to bow out, though he and Monique were making the trip to Hawaii.
"How are you feeling 'Blondie'.", she asked him.
"I feel better all the time Moni, if the season was any longer I might be able to play again this year.", he whispered back in her ear as he pulled her into a massive hug not really paying attention to what music was playing.
"Well you'd better take care of yourself I don't want a babbling buffoon in ten years. It's a good thing we combined the checkup with Kim's Mom and this event for Barkin and the rest of the faculty. We got you checked out and we also get to come back and see how our old classmates are doing.", Monique smiled, before she nodded to the other side of the room, "I see your fat ole girlfriend sitting down. Let's go see what the four-one-one is on that charity event they want you to help with and me to donate some of my collection for."
"I'd like that 'Nique. Lead the way."
"Uhh…Better not. Pay attention over there, something's going on with Kim…we'd better move it.", the former fashion guru of Middleton high pointed seeing where Kim was leading Josh Mankey.
XX
"So Ronnie what have you been doing?"
"Been enjoying life girlfriend, and you?"
"Waiting."
"Waiting for what?", the former Mad Dog and still reluctant hero inquired as he led her around the floor trolling for information like the red head instructed earlier.
"To be asked a question from someone.", Tara hinted as she motioned that she wanted to be held closer than she had been.
"Tara I'm just a big dummy, what kind of question….?", came the carefully clueless question.
"The big question boyfriend.", the bubbly girl whispered into his ear.
"I still don't get it…", Ron continued to be naive per orders from his beloved.
"Ron you clueless dummy, I'm waiting for Josh to ask me to marry him.", Tara finally blurted out into his ear.
A surprised Ron Stoppable replied, "He hasn't yet?"
"No."
"Is he gay….I mean I always guessed that he…."
"No, he isn't gay Ron….I know that much.", an upset Tara hissed turning crimson.
"How….", a 'look' just stopped Ron in his tracks pausing him before he continued.
"Are you?"
"Am I what?"
"Uh…in, in the family way? I mean…."
"Huh? You goof, no I'm not. Is Kim?"
"Uh….Yeah.", Ron's one word answer said it all since the first part came out more like a groan.
Tara squealed, "She is?"
The blond young man informed his former crush and longtime friend, "Yeah, we just found out. She's just finishing her first trimester. We told our 'rents at Christmas. We had to be sure before we broke the news to everyone."
Tara was almost beside herself with glee, "This is great Ron, we need to tell every…..."
"Yeah, but I…we hope it takes this time…."
"Huh, what are you talking about Ron?", a puzzled Tara pulled back seeing tears in his big chocolate colored eyes not having a clue about what he was talking about, "What's wrong?"
Ron didn't answer for a moment realizing he had just broken a deep promise and a trust, but then knew he had to continue, "Kim wasn't able to carry our first to term."
"Ron I…I….I'm so sorry…"
"We almost broke up over it (sniff), Kim blamed herself like she was this flawed model of a woman….me I blamed me for not being enough for her or being there when she really needed me…I had to go to Japan to visit some friends and get some business done and while I was there was when it happened. Lord we thought we had it made until then.", Ron sniffed not knowing that his Wife and Josh were approaching them, "She was all alone. As soon as I found out I took the first flight back. We almost lost Kimberly too because of the bleeding, but the doctors saved her, but the baby wasn't developed enough…." The last part almost made Ron sound hoarse as his voiced hitched.
"How were you able to handle it?"
"Our 'rents and KP's Minister and my Rabbi….and you wouldn't think it, but my friends in Japan, Yori in particular."
"Didn't you tell anyone from high school?", Tara asked the former mascot with narrowed blue eyes as Kim and Josh got closer. Kim had seen the telltale signs of Ron going through this waking nightmare again; she wanted to be where she belonged…with her lifelong friend, her husband and lover Ron.
Kim cut in reaching for her husband knowing he was going to need some special attention later in the evening, Sigh, "Yeah….Monique, Brick, Felix and Zita knew. We wanted to keep it quiet till we calmed down, then we didn't feel comfortable about bringing it up. Ronnie isn't really over losing her yet. And we didn't want to burden anyone else."
"Something like that needs to be shared.", Tara observed making her point, "Your friends need to help, that's why they're your friends."
"I don't think I ever will be over her KP.", he muttered referring to losing little Barbara Anne, "She was my baby. We both loved her. And we miss her every day. Now the Lord has been gracious enough to let us try again."
"We'll be fine Ron; God needed Barb with him to watch over our families. We'll get to meet and know her when it's our time."
"Yeah the best go young…."
Felix and Zita just got to them as the wheel chair bound young man asked, "You alright Ron?"
Sigh, "Yeah, still having a hard time getting over it."
"Didn't think you'd ever get this far Ron…or Kim either…"
"KP's better than I am."
"No I'm not honey.", Kim wormed her way into Ron's chest as Tara grabbed for Josh realizing the depth of the pain the two former heroes were in, a pain that probably never really will go away.
By now Monique was towing Brick over to the group hug that was beginning to happen knowing by instinct what was happening to her longtime friends. Brick for his part had dealt with the sudden death of the expected child by immersing himself in fundraising for different research hospitals, thereby helping them make several advancements in that field of the medical sector and leading to him being named the NFL's man of the year.
Tara looked over her shoulder at her own best friend, "Maybe I'd better check on Bonnie. She doesn't look too good to me."
It only took the platinum blonde a few seconds to reach her teal eyed best friend. "Bonnie?"
"He kicked again, when he comes out he's gonna be a whopper.", the sweating Bonnie told both Junior and Tara.
"Is my Bonnita going to be alright?"
"That's for the Doctors to decide Junior.", Tara replied as she now kicked off her heels and raced to her purse for her phone.
X
Room 2374, Middleton Hospital:
Bonnie Senior lay in her bed with an IV drip in her arm and a baby monitor on her tummy. The designer gown she had been wearing was hanging in the closet replaced by the hospital gown she was now in. The nurse smiled as she looked at her watch, "Contractions every ten minutes."
"Gawd we're gonna have the baby here in Middleton?", Bonnie laughed and annoyed at the same time, "I'm only seven and a half months along."
"That's alright Mrs. Senior we have a good preemie record at this hospital. We've already been in contact with your OBGYN and she is trying to catch a flight to the States, but I think she'll just make it in time to sew you up if she's not delayed. We have our staff on call right now in case things start moving along. Anyway the Doc will be in here in a few moments."
Junior was sitting next to his wife, his deep tan completely gone as he worried about his wife and his child but knowing there was something he had to do, "Bonnita will you be alright for a moment, I need to call Papi and let him know that he might be a Grandfather in a few hours."
"I'll be just fine honey. Go make your call, but send Tara in will you?"
"Yes it will only be a moment."
XX
Kim asked her cheer friend, "So Tara, how far along is Bonnie?"
"She's well past the half way part Kim, I think she's seven months or so."
"And she traveled to come to the Dance?"
"Kim, Bonnie wanted to connect with her friends, she wanted to talk to you, and Ron."
"I hope she'll be alright, oh there's Junior.", Kim pointed out as she kept close to Ron too after what happened earlier in the night.
"Well we should know something soon; he's coming into the waiting room."
"Ladies.", Junior began, "it looks like Bonnie is going to have the baby tonight or tomorrow at the latest. Would you sit with her while I call Papi to let him know?"
Tara got up leaving Josh and made to leave the waiting room, "Kim why don't you come with me?"
"Yeah I'd like that, Ron are you going to be all right?"
"Yeah KP, I'll hang with Josh for a while."
XX
Tara peeked inside the room where Mrs. Senior was, "Hey you scared us."
"Come on in Tara. It looks like fireworks tonight."
"Yeah, I bet. Listen, can Kim come in with me?"
"Sure I'm not in the mood to snark on her right now.", Bonnie snorted feeling very calm at the moment.
"Hi Bonnie, how are you doing?"
"Fine except that I'm getting ready to lose a few pounds real fast. How are you Kim?"
"I'm fine and so is Ronnie, he sends his love.", Kim didn't want to tell Bonnie what had been going on in her and Ron's lives especially with the condition the brunette was in.
"I'll bet he does."
"B he does.", Kim reinforced what she said.
Tara decided it was time to bury the hatchet and knew it was time to spill if given the chance.
"You know K you should try getting pregnant sometime, if Ron can help you out I mean."
"Bonnie that's a terrible thing to say.", Tara gasped.
"I am in the same way Bonnie; I'm just about four months behind you."
"Well it took you long enough….."
"Bonnie shush, Kim had baby who died. Be nice.", Tara admonished her friend.
"Died?"
"Yeah….Her name was Barbara Anne, she would have been two right now.", Kim didn't cry she just sat there, "Ronnie and I almost broke up over it. He still cries at night for his baby. This great warrior is still broken up by those events, sorta unbleivable isn't it?"
"How can you just sit there like that….talking about it?"
"Bonnie if she survived she would have been a very sick little girl. I had some long talks with God over this; Ron was almost despondent for months. He had to hire another chef for the restaurant 'cause he broke down all the time. I had to cook for him at home when it was real bad."
"You had to cook for Ron? Bet that didn't last long, he doesn't look like a poisoned sidekick."
Kim snorted holding back a laugh, "Yeah, but you know who was hit the hardest?"
"No."
"Brick and Monique, they and Felix and Zita were going to be the Godparents. Felix was able to work his way through it, but Monique said that Brick had to go through therapy. Then he started doing fundraisers for hospitals. You must have seen him on telethons."
"I wondered why he was doing that."
"Now you know, so when your baby comes, love her with everything you have. When our baby comes I know that I am too, I might be a little overprotective of her, but I know that her big sister is looking out for her."
"Yeah, I'm sorry about her….Barbara Anne, Kim, I'm really sorry that you had a bad time too.", Bonnie thought of the name as an idea came to mind.
"Bonnie this made us stronger, Ron is as tough as a two bit steak anyway from all that taunting through school….but then you ought to know that since you tried to steal him from me at Homecoming."
"I was searching for a guy, luckily about the same time I hooked Junior and he has been very good for me and I hope I have been for him too.", then Bonnie lowered her voice, "I almost got him to stay off the stage."
Both Tara and Kim laughed knowing that Junior really didn't have a singing voice. There was a knock on the door and Junior peeked his head through the door, "I called Papi and told him. He will be here as soon as he can."
"Good, Tara and Kim why don't you guys go home, we'll be fine. I'll have Junior call when she decides to make her appearance."
"Well good luck Bonnie, I hope it goes fast for you. I'll have Mom notify the staff that you guys are friends."
"Thanks, I hope it doesn't go too fast."
Kim and Tara got up to collect their respective men and get them home and into bed.
X
Bonnie lay back after they were gone, "Junior you know how we weren't sure what to name the baby?"
"Yes, have you made a decision?"
"Yes I have, what do you think about Barbara Anne Junior?"
"We have never brought up a name like that before, how did you come up with those?"
Bonnie looked at her husband, "Well tonight I got to talking to Kim; you know she married her sidekick right?"
X
Junior sat back after hearing the story, "I think I like this name, and I think I will talk to Brick Flagg. He does so much; maybe when he helps me we can help him with research money too. I will talk to Papi about this."
XX
"Ron?", Kim whispered into his hair.
"Hummm KP?"
"I love you so much, let's never forget about little Barb as long as we live."
"I won't even if we have ten kids….all of them just like you were…"
Kim sat up, picked up her pillow and hit Ron over the head laughing, "There is no way…"
XXX
There you are, and I hoped you liked it. CB is getting ready to post more of the 'Roman' tales under Bearsent 176, and I have two major ones in the works. Of course one of them is 'The Hunter' which promises to be interesting along with another for Bearsent. 'T H' looks to be about 400 to 600K in book one and I have 376K done so far (yes there is a book two, I had to break it up before I went insane) and 'S C' looks to be about 150K (it is not nearly involved.)
So I'm posting again after a hiatus where I spent a lot of time at the keyboard. 'The Hunter: Metatron' is out and it should get some of the really smart guys scratching their heads for a bit and it is a background piece. I still feel when you deviate from canon you should be able to explain why you did so to give the reader a reason to go along with your idea. The meat of 'T H' should start about New Year's eve.
Anyway Merry Christmas….. even if you are a non-believer, Happy Holidays.
ST-103