Motor Court Blues
A prelude to Soulmates of the Fury starring Kim and Ron
"Can you at least stop and ask for directions?"
Kim crossed her arms, wondering exactly how Ron had managed to convince her to let him drive her car. She did let him drive it from time to time, but for the most part she was the one behind the wheel. It was her car, after all. Her car! He had one of his own, though it was doubtful it would ever run again. It stalled on him a week earlier and had to be towed home. He had yet to have anyone qualified look at it and it was likely he never would, especially when they could pretty much get wherever they needed to in hers. Occasionally he would complain about constantly being the passenger when they were making short trips in and around Middleton, but for their big vacation, he argued that it was wise for both of them to share the driving duties, especially since they would be covering a lot of ground some days.
Now after what seemed like most of the day driving through the desert she was really starting to regret giving into him. It was her graduation present, for goodness sake! No, that was just selfish thinking. They had been together (as an officially dating couple) for more than a year now and even before that they shared almost everything. Maybe some day, when he had access to his trust fund, he would have a reliable vehicle to call his own. Until then, Kim Possible and Ron Stoppable would share 'her' car.
That altruistic thought didn't help them too much in their current predicament.
"No need, KP, I've got it covered." He waved a folded map of the American Southwest in the air between them. She rolled her eyes slightly when she realized he was holding it upside down.
They were lost. She was convinced of it. Not just lost, but badly lost. She was hoping to at least clear the desert by sundown, but that didn't seem to be in the cards at all. The dry, arid terrain kept rolling past their window as the sun slowly sank toward the horizon. Kim had her fill of the desert when their missions took them there. Dry sand, scrubby vegetation and a hot sun threatening to bring out her very faint freckles were not her choice for their first real vacation together.
"Ron." Kim growled softly at him as she crossed her arms and glowered. She stayed that way, right up to the point they passed a mile marker. "Ron! That sign said twenty miles to Roswell? We're still in New Mexico?"
He stared at the sign as it went by, his jaw hanging open slightly. "Oh, snap! I knew I should have taken that left turn in Albuquerque!"
"Eyes on the road, Bugs." She grabbed his head and gently turned it forwards. "Besides, you did. We were supposed to be heading east on Highway Fifty Four." She watched as they passed another sign. "We're on Two Eighty Five South. Give me that map." Taking it from the console set between the bucket seats, she unfolded it, trying to figure out where they were at that moment.
"Maybe you should have gotten that navigation service thingy. You know, press the button and some nice lady comes on and tells you were you are, then starts giving you directions and all."
"Wrong kind of car, Ron. That's for a GM, this is a Chrysler." She patted the dash of her PT Cruiser. "Just stop at the next station, please?" There was a slight note of pleading in her voice.
"What for? We can always fire up one of the Kimmunicators and ask Wade. Plus I thought this thing had a pocket cold fusion generator. No need to stop for gas for, say, fifty years or so."
"The car is fine and I love Wade dearly, but this is our vacation. We're not going to call him unless it's an emergency and he's not supposed to call us unless the world is going to end in the next five minutes. It's just us for two whole weeks. Now please look for a gas station. I've got to return the rental on that Grande sized diet soda I had at the last Bueno Nacho!"
Ron pulled a face, "You've got to what? I didn't know you re…" suddenly his eyes lit up as the gears in his mind clicked into place, realizing what she was getting at. "Ohhhhh, check! No problem KP." His eyes narrowed slightly as his mouth curled into a devilish grin. "Just don't think of lakes and streams and waterfalls and babbling brooks…"
"…or babbling soon-to-be EX fiancés if they don't shut up." Kim growled, crossing her legs.
"I don't think you can get there from here." The old-timer behind the counter at the gas station said. "At least not the way you're talkin' about doin'. Still can't figure how you ended up all the way down here. Where'd you say you're from?"
"Middleton." Ron answered.
"That California or Arizona?"
"Colorado." Ron answered, a bit of pique creeping into his voice. "You know, where the Space Center is located?"
"Can't say that I've heard of that one. Been to the one down in Florida, back when they were still sending our boys straight to the moon. You know, if yer into all that space stuff, we've got a really great UFO center here in town, though it ain't quite as nice since that British fellah took over a few years back."
"Uh huh. So, how would you go to Amarillo?"
"I'd probably head up Clovis Highway and pretty much stay straight on that way. That's Highway 70 for folks who don't know. Just got to keep your eyes on the signs around Portales."
"It's that easy? How come you said we can't get there from here?"
"Well, you can't. Your little car is pointed the wrong direction and I ain't told you yet." He nodded toward the little sky blue Chrysler parked a little ways from the pumps.
"Told me what?"
"That you ain't gonna get there anytime tonight, unless you like sitting in that car for hours."
"If I'm reading this map right, we should be there in about five."
"That's if the road wants to cooperate with ya. They've got the road tore all up six ways from Sunday for about fifty miles between here and Portales. Now, you could follow the detours they have set up, but you've already gotten turned all around trying to drive from Albuquerque so I'm willin' ta bet you'll get so befuddled you'd be right back here again before midnight."
"Midnight? If we were careful we'd be there well before then."
"Son, when was the last time you checked your watch. It's near to eight o'clock." He pointed at an old black and white clock mounted above the screen door protecting the inside of the ancient station.
Holy cow! He was right! How had he missed so much time? It was even starting to actually get dark, though it did stay light just a bit later out here in the desert without the surrounding mountains to cut off the sunlight. Maybe that's why he had lost track of time so badly. That, or he was too wrapped up in what they would be doing over the next couple weeks.
"Okay, thanks. You've been a real help." Ron stuck his hands in his pockets and headed out to the car. Kim was there, half sitting, half leaning on the fender munching a bag of Bueno Nacho Nacos-On-The-Go! Chips they had packed as snackage.
"What did you find out?" she asked between crunches. She kept looking around every time she pulled a chip from the bag. Ron realized she was still in the habit of sharing the salty, spicy treat with Rufus, but the little naked mole rat had stayed with Wade for the trip.
"That my sense of direction is only slightly better than your ability to control a Cuisineart."
Kim tilted her head at him. Well, it was the truth, and sometimes the truth did hurt. It was bad enough when she tried using a mixer. With something as advanced as a food processor, well, the results would scare small children. Still, she got the point. "Told you we were lost."
"Well, we're not lost. Like the sign said, we're just outside of Roswell."
"Roswell, as in Hanger 18, space aliens and all?" She grinned at him. They had been to Area 51, where they had seen some of the great secrets of their age themselves, but they still kept up the pretense that the place didn't really exist. They didn't want any unwanted visits from Agent Smith and Agent Smith.
"That's it. The guy even recommended some tourist trap there. He also said the road between here and Amarillo is out of the question tonight."
"Okay, then we stay here tonight."
Ron made another face, looking around at the desert scrub surrounding the lonely gas station. "Here? In the middle of nowhere? Aw KP, this is the first night of our vacation together, I thought we'd stay someplace special." A bit of whine crept into his voice.
She took both of his hands and pulled him toward her, putting them on her hips. "Any place we stay tonight is special, Ron, because I get to be with you." She pulled him in for a kiss, one full of promise that more like it was to come and this time there was no curfew, even the one they still sometimes honored after her father stopped setting one. There was no taking Kim home after the evening. Home to them would be a motel of their choosing. Finally he broke away, keeping his hands where she put them.
"So, did you find the lady's room?"
"Let's just say I don't want to talk about it. Ever."
"Hover bad?"
"Hover bad. And that's all I'm gonna say."
Dinner that evening could best be described as interesting. For one thing, they seemed to have found the only city on the planet that didn't have its own Bueno Nacho. Not that it would matter, as Kim forbade Ron even mentioning the place for their dinners. Lunch was fine, but their evening meals were meant to be something out of the ordinary. She announced that her vacation rule was that their supper had to be something they couldn't normally get at home.
Not being a large city to begin with, Roswell didn't really offer too many choices. Out on the highway there were the usual fast food burger joints, as well as the national chain "Steak" houses (their definition of what a Steak is being rather dubious at best to a picky porterhouse connoisseur like Kim) but all of these fell into Kim's prohibition. That left two choices – a little diner downtown boasting a sign that looked like a flying saucer (hey, they were in Roswell – the locals went with their strengths!) and a Chinese/Tex Mex fusion place.
They thought the helpful locals were kidding about the place, but, after all, their dinner was indeed interesting, though Ron, owner of the Original Cast Iron Stomach seemed to enjoy it. Kim was just thankful they didn't have anything like that back home. It was edible, but the clichéd phrase "Nice to visit, wouldn't want to live there" really stuck in her mind.
The town really was much nicer than either had been expecting. The star filled night made a walk in the small, well lit park a romantic highlight. Despite being together for more than a year, they had not even come close to forgetting just how great it was to just spend time holding hands, simply living in the moment. They were still the best of friends and acted that way, chatting almost the whole time they were together, with Ron often acting like something, well, less than adult. Still, during their time together they learned something about themselves and about being a couple in love. There were times when nothing needed to be said and when that occurred just being together was all they needed.
They crossed the park in what seemed like half a moment, though they walked as slowly as they could. In the distance they could see the neon sign of the small motel they had chosen for the night. There were larger, better appointed places to stay at but Ron suggested they pick something simple, a place that ordinary, everyday people out on the road would stay.
A sly smile flickered across his face as he realized the beds in these places could be quite small…
…and therefore cozy!
Kim raised her head slightly from the pillow. The lights were off but the room was still bathed in the bluish glow of the television set. Ron was lying beside her on top of the covers, still dressed in his brightly colored boxer shorts and a T-shirt, holding the remote. She rolled her eyes, knowing that the combination of Ron Stoppable and Cable TV was not always a good thing.
"Ron, it's well past midnight. Don't you think you've had enough TV?"
"Just a little more, KP. The Mouse-ears channel has The Freedom Leaders on at twelve thirty! I barely ever get to see that at home!"
"What? I thought that was on at five in the afternoon or something. Why are they showing a kid's show this late at night?"
"Haven't got a clue, but I've got the mad love for the FL."
"Ron, I'm worried about you." Despite her eyes not wanting to rise above half-mast, Kim rolled onto her back and bunched up her pillow so she could see the TV. "What in the world is on now?"
"No idea. Some live action show about a girl. Listen to this." He turned the volume up slightly. "She sound familiar?"
Kim's eyes widened just a little. "Wow! She sounds just like Monique!"
"See, that's what I'm talking about!"
"Well, turn it down a bit until your show comes on."
"Shh, KP! It's starting."
Kim propped herself up a little bit more, watching the opening of the cartoon. Wire figures of the main characters, the Silver Knight, the Golden Warrior and their alien friend Sagan slowly turned solid as the music started. In moments all three of them were leaping around the screen as cut-scenes from various episodes flashed by. The Silver Knight was flying around while the Golden Warrior was almost dancing around with his sword, followed by Sagan with his shorter, broader sword wreathed in energy. The opening wrapped up and it went to the starting scene.
She looked over at her boyfriend, whose excited expression suddenly melted into a frown. "What's wrong, Ron?"
"Attack of the Killer Fem-Bots." He recited glumly. "I know that one from the first frame. Sixty-five episodes were produced and I wait up till half past midnight for one and they show the one I've seen maybe twenty times!"
"Which one is that again?"
"It's where the Golden Warrior has to take on a trio of Darkoth's female robots. We don't even get to see the Commander's lady-friend in this one. What a rip."
"Well, if you've seen it, turn it off and let's get some sleep!"
"No. I've waited this long. I'll watch the whole thing."
"Oy." Kim muttered. She was about to turn back over (planning to put the extra pillow over her head to cut out the sound) when she got a good look at the hero of the story. She watched the sword wielding warrior battling the three robots, which looked strikingly like Drakken's Bebes. It wasn't the robots that caught her eye, though, but the hero. "There is something really familiar about him."
"Maybe that's because I've got a bunch of the figures the hamburger joint was giving out with their fun-meals. He's all over my shelf at home. Along with the Commander's lady-friend."
"That must be it. She finally gave up and stuffed the pillow over her head, silently pledging to buy Ron a better computer so he could download the episodes and watch them at reasonable hours. She just dozed off when she realized he had killed the power to the TV and was pulling back the covers on his side of the bed. There was a surge of excitement.
Ron was getting into bed with her!
The notion of deliberately getting into the same bed with Ron, even if it was just to sleep through the night, caused a tingling warmth that permeated her whole body. They had been able to do that from time to time, especially since he had been living in the Possible's guest room while his mother endured a difficult, late-life pregnancy. Usually, when it happened…when her parents allowed it to happen…they were dead tired and fast asleep long before they could enjoy any other benefits from the arrangement. There was also the fact her parents and her brothers could appear in her room at any given time, so anything beyond some occasionally hot and heavy kissing was out of the question.
They both pretty much knew even that was not in the cards that first evening. Sitting in a car for hours at a time was not rest. Kim had already been dozing on and off since about ten and was ready for a good night's sleep. There would be plenty of chances for romance while they were away, especially when they could find larger, more comfortable lodging.
He kissed her gently on the lips, then faced away from her as he preferred to sleep on one particular side. She put her arm around his waist and snuggled close, spooning with him. He was so warm… and soft in the right places. He was so soft in the right places too. Kim gently squeezed the slim but firm muscles in his arms before pressing her silk clad body up against him.
Kim cracked open one eye. There was a digital clock on the table beside the bed so she knew instantly (well, as quickly as her eye could focus) she had been asleep for a couple hours. She was still cuddled up with Ron, who was sleeping soundly. He was still warm.
Very warm.
She realized suddenly that she was warm too! A thin trickle of sweat beaded down the side of her head. Slowly it dawned on her.
Maybe cuddling all night in the middle of summer wasn't all it was cracked up to be!
Slowly, carefully she slipped her arm out from around her fiancé's waist and eased out of the covers. Silently she padded toward the air conditioning unit under the single large window at the front of the room. It was blowing very slightly, but the thin trickle of air wasn't terribly cool!
Darn it! The coils were frozen! It was making the strange, deep thrum of a unit on the verge of overheating as the compressor choked itself on frost. She sighed and turned the temperature knob until the motor clicked off. Almost immediately the thick coating of white frost started disappearing as more air poured from the unit, though it wasn't any cooler and felt a good deal wetter. The room was going to be uncomfortable for some time to come.
She looked back at the bed in the meager light that leaked around the blinds from the porch outside. Ron had already kicked most of the covers off his body, though there wasn't any sign he was about to wake up. Carefully she got back into the bed, pulling only the sheet over her body. The bed was so small she couldn't help but touch Ron, who was now not only warm, but a source of extremely steamy heat (and not in a good way.)
She lay there on her back, wishing for sleep. She knew she was tired and knew that spending the night lying next to him was what she wanted but every time she thought her mind was clearing the thought of how warm and uncomfortable she was crept back into her head. The images she always had of spending life cuddled close with the man she loved were dashed, replaced with an image of her parent's bedroom and the large bed with each having their own respective part of the bed to sleep on.
If only that blasted air conditioner would work right!
She finally almost dozed off when Ron rolled over, wrapping his arm around her. That was enough.
"Ron!"
Snort, smack, mumble "I'm sorry Mister Barkin, I wasn't sleeping in your class" he muttered, not completely waking up.
"Ron, wake up and get on your side of the bed."
"Hwuh… KP?" He blinked slightly. How he could sleep so deeply in that August swelter was beyond her.
"Your side. Move it mister!" She pointed to the far edge of the bed.
"Wha?"
"It's too hot to snuggle." She gave him a none-to-gentle shove in that direction.
"Oh. Kay." He rolled flat on his stomach, sticking his arms under his pillow and was fast asleep again. Somehow he had managed to kick even the sheet down so it only covered his legs. Kim lay back again, staring at the ceiling.
This sleeping together thing is going to take some practice, she thought. Why was it so different tonight? Was it just the heat? When they had the opportunity to share a bed before she had some of the best sleep of her life, but that was always in a well air-conditioned room.
It didn't come quickly, but some time after that she finally drifted off to sleep…
…which, despite lasting several hours seemed to only be minutes!
Her eyes both popped open. It was light in the room, as the sun was streaming through the window despite the blinds being drawn. She was quickly aware that sometime during the night the compressor had kicked back in and now the room was properly chilly.
Chilly enough for Ron to need some extra warmth. He had rolled back toward her, draping himself half over her…
…and she was a little surprised where his hand was!
She was about to remove the offending hand, then she reconsidered. This was actually something she wanted to happen during this trip, and, after all, it really felt kind of nice.
Maybe she'd tell Ron he'd finally gotten to second base when he woke up. Maybe.
Kim Possible and Ron Stoppable © Disney