Hi and welcome back for another tale with Unheard Flipper's characters from his AU, 'The Truth About Kim and Ron'. But before we get to the After-Action-Non-report from that one, we'd like to thank the following for their Reviews, Faves, Alerts, Follows and so forth: Sentinel103, pbow, Taechunsa and Jimmy1201, thanks to one and all.

In our last chapter Roman had some 'splainin' to do about how he took out Ron's old nemesis, Gil Moss, when Gill was out of his mutated mind with revenge and plans on taking over the little corner of his world with mutated minions he had snared at the latest Cheerleader Competition. Once that was cleared up, an off the books mission crept into their midst when their mission personas got manipulated by a villain for some payback, which was thwarted by their training and instincts as Spec Ops Soldiers. Since this was 'after hours' from any school briefing options, our intrepid heroes, in their bug out disguises, met with an equally disguised CO for a 'debrief' at Roman's favorite non-BN site in neighboring Lowerton where the sitch was explained and further considerations were made amongst steak and libations. In the end, status quo for the mission, but both are edging ever closer personally.

And before we start this one up, Larry and I have starve the sharks: Kim Possible and the characters from the show are Disney's to own and make residuals from, if they ever decide to continue to do so, we're just borrowing them for non-money purposes in our tales. Roman Stopblaski has been graciously loaned to us by Unheard Flipper from his AU. All others included are our own creations. So enjoy with no threat of suits with briefcases invading your reading pleasure.

20

Ron's Got a Fan

Laughter rang out in the late afternoon sun as two familiar individuals walked along the sidewalk to the Mecca of all things Cheesy in Middleton, Colorado. But if you looked a little more closely, you would see it was the laughter of only one of the two and the laughter was not of general amusement or fun, or that of the friendly ribbing of a colleague or that of teasing a pal, but rather…oh let's just call it for what it was: Ridicule and Mocking Laughter, Long and Loud.

"Awww, that was so sweet Ronnie, my twelve year old cousin seems to have a crush on you.", Kim's sugary chortle furthered her partner's embarrassed dismay. Then to rub it in more, "It's going to be sooo much fun to chaperone you and Joss when you take her to the junior high school dances in Montana.", she snarked before she burst out in a full belly laugh.

"And how many calls and emails has she sent you since we came back from the Lazy C, two days ago?", she teased, her eyes alight with amusement, "Oh that's right, Wade kept count for me..I mean you, so let's see…", Kim paused in faux drama, a finger beside her jaw while 'pondering' the answer, "Oh yeah I remember, ten phone calls and forty emails, so far…and counting.", she guffawed.

Stiffly walking, avoiding even a glance at his partner, "Ha, ha, ha, laugh it up chuckles. You know she's jailbait.", Roman replied, at his limit with Kim's teasing since they returned from her Uncle Slim's ranch. "Heh, who'd have thought after a summer in Russia, where I had more fun by the way, I'd return to find you'd have an ambush set for me to go riding horses the morning I get back.", he groused as he jammed his hands deeper into his pockets.

His lament now hitting passing gear, "I was so ready to just chill and take in some sun, but noooo, you had to set me up for something I've avoided ever since I learned my Great-Great-Great-Poppa was in Czar's Dragoons…", he burst out.

Curious of this bit of family history, "Oh and what was that Roman?", Kim cut in.

"When you're on a horse, you make a great target!", Roman shot back, his hands thrust up in exclamation, "It makes me nervous sitting that high up like that."

Not letting up on her tease-festival, "Aww, were you worried? You know we didn't have that problem there.", she taunted. "I know I bet you were just tired after your long flight back! Such the big tough Special Forces Grunt you are.", Kim teased. "But hopefully you're not so tired that you can't help me carry my shopping like you promised when we leave Bueno Nacho."

"Da, big and tough I am, en dumb, too.", he snorted as he played along with her, but his eyes told her a different story as she realized his summer was anything but routine for the blond Russian. Though she wasn't aware of the details, yet, his summer had been full of training, travel, two missions he was called out for and just plain old boring downtime during which he pondered the bigger mission he had volunteered for with this team.

Kim though, caught the look in his eyes, "Dammit, you didn't just go back for training did you?", she lightly snapped at him. Then softening her tone, "I bet those three months were pretty crappy for you Roman.", she said.

"Almost as crappy as it was for you, I'm sure.", Roman shrugged. "But after I left did you find out any more about our little friends?", the blond asked with a gleam in his eye, "I have to pay one back for cutting me."

Shaking her head, "Not much, but I have Wade tracking them..and we were able to put bugs into their houses, they're in college now.", she replied. Then changing the subject away from something that might cause them problems with various law enforcement agencies, "Now I want to really compliment you on your English.", Kim told him. "It's much better than before you left in June."

Beaming, "I was able to take more English classes back home so I am better now. It is better, right?", he asked.

Nodding her agreement, "So much better than before, Roman, I can tell. Oh, and just so you know I took some Russian too, so we can take turns speaking each other's language to keep in practice.", she informed him.

Then tentatively, "Ah how are Alexander and Vanya doing?"

"Better, but I wish I had more money to send to them.", Roman sighed, "Natasha's father allowed me to visit them, but only once over the summer."

"Well that's better than it had been. At least they know who you are now.", Kim patted him on the shoulder.

Sighing, "Yes they do, but I wish I could get them over here. Maybe when the mission is over and I finish my obligation to Mother Russia, I could come back and bring them here to start a new life.", Roman told her softly.

"Well how are you going to make a living Roman?", Kim asked, now very interested in what his plans might be.

"I put some money away and I have enough to start a restaurant.", he replied simply.

"Well it's going to take a lot of work, it's going to be pretty tough trying to do that all by yourself, Roman...Unless you've found a woman to share this with you.", she said. "So have you found anyone?", she asked in a mix of dread and flickering hope.

Sighing as he shrugged, "No I haven't KP, no luck there. Maybe I'll get lucky.", a goofy smile at the question.

Airily responding, "Yeah you never know…maybe one of the cheerleaders might like to be your girl.", the red head nonchalantly said with a suggestive smirk.

Roman's eyes opened wide, "Ugh, not Bonnie...Eh couldn't live with myself. I couldn't do that to Vanya and Alexander...That would be crime against humanity. A firing squad. En Eh vould deserve et.", his English lessons breaking down in panic at the concept of married life with the snarky brunette.

Waving her hand dismissively to stave off a panic attack from the blond, "Ok, ok...maybe not her, but there might be someone else...", Kim's voice rose slightly.

"Da maybe someone else, but et es not worry now...", he continued lowly, his accent still overriding the lessons.

"Oh, end Eh spent time et Seniors Island too.", Roman suddenly remembered. "He es working on something. He had many lawyers and accountants on Island too. Hes Colonel Barkein gotten information?"

"Not that he's told me.", Kim said as she thought back. Then in exasperation, "But you know how he is.", she replied as their favorite eatery came into sight.

After walking a bit in silence, "Now what was the real purpose of us going to Montana?", Roman finally asked, a slight smile after he caught a whiff of Kim's perfume.

"Well Shego knew Drakken was up to something and she wanted to make sure no one got hurt...And Barkin wanted to test Joss to see if she could be considered for a scholarship in the future...since they've had such good luck with me and all.", the red head related to her partner.

"So that kidnapping of your Dad and me was a setup?", Roman inquired.

"Well we wanted to see what Dr. D was up to and it just worked out.", Kim replied. Then turning to him, an eyebrow raised, "And just what were you packing on the trip", she asked, concerned of his preparedness on that trip with family involved in the plot.

"I wanted something small, so I packed my Uzi and pistol. You?", he said to her relief.

"The Glock, just in case.", she said to which he nodded.

"Good, at least we would have been prepared if something really went sideways there.", Roman said. "And the entire time I felt, between Drakken and those robotic horses, something would have really gone badly…I just couldn't get my mind around those metal nags, the live ones are bad enough.", the blond mock-shuddered.

Then turning to her with a mischievous grin, "I wonder if they bought me screaming?", to which Kim rolled her eyes.

"Yeah they did. But Dad knows a couple of things about us and the 'mission'.", Kim air quoted, "I mean...I haven't clued him in about what we're really doing, but I know that Mom and Dad and Mr. And Mrs. S were told some things so they wouldn't be blindsided by what we can tell them about our mission."

"But I know that they've been instructed to tell everyone that you really are Ron.", Kim said when her voice caught, "The hurt I saw in their eyes when I call you Ron...I can really feel it.", Kim lowered her voice to almost a whisper as she paused to wipe a tear away.

"Wade knows to keep the history of the real Ron hidden and I know that Joss remembers a little about him, but when it happened she was like in first grade. So...I...I just hope she doesn't blab if she figures it out. Who knows what would happen. Heck, even Shego's life could be in danger.", Kim said in concern.

"I thought you didn't like her."

"I don't, but I could see Drakken and a couple of others laying a trap for her and us.", Kim explained, "Then you'd never see your kids again.", Kim shivered. "It's just a good thing Joss is up in Montana. Even after Drakken's last caper, she's kind of 'out of sight, out of mind', to them. But not to us."

"Yes I see that, even though, we must be careful.", the Russian replied, then silently added, 'They won't get to you KP, I'll make sure of dat.'

The two finally made it to the Tex-Mex eatery, entered and placed their order. After receiving their food they quietly took their place in the booth they had laid claim to a couple years before.

Their brief peaceful moment was broken by, "Well if it isn't the loser twosome.", the teal-eyed brunette loudly called out from her booth flanked by some of her posse'. "You know K you could get out of the swamp that is your social life if you got rid of the clumsy buffoon.", she sarcastically continued her barbs.

To which Kim shot back, "Oh and date a hottie who's probably going to be fat in about five years…", she snarked. "Oh yeah, and don't forget how well brain dead will play out for staying with you for that long.", Kim said to Bonnie's reddening face, "Then have everyone remember that at our tenth class reunion? No thanks, I think I'll stick with the thin, more intelligent guys if you don't mind.", Kim laughed, "Like Ron here."

Bonnie Rockwaller fumed, "Are you saying that Brick is going to be fat?"

"You forgot about the other part Bonnie, you should really get your ears checked.", Kim smirked to Bonnie's ever deepening complexion. "What I'm also saying is that you have a habit of latching onto guys that should know better but don't, so until they wise up, their loss. But remember those you cut down today may someday end up being your Dad's or your husband's boss.", her grin ever widening in direct relation to Bonnie's 'outrage'.

At Bonnie's hesitation at that pronouncement, "The food chain won't make a difference then will it?", Kim said knowingly.

Bonnie, now in overload, stammered, "Well I...uh..."

Continuing to press the brunette Queen B who seemed about to implode under her 'assault', "You never know Bonnie, Ron here could end up being a multimillionaire.", Kim sniped, "What would you say then?"

After watching Bonnie squirm, the memory of Ron's first Naco Check still fresh in their minds, "Sometimes it's a good idea to keep barbs to yourself.", Kim advised, "They could come back to haunt you later in life, leaving you to be at the mercy of that loser you tormented in high school."

The snarky brunette, still unable to retort, "Oh and speaking of high school, the way you're going it could be the high point of your life…I mean most people have more far reaching expectations than that, but the way you're going, you're just setting yourself up to be, at best, some flunky for a loser who rose above your station in life in high school.", now Bonnie seemed on the verge of grinding her teeth into dust.

Finally Bonnie hit her limit from taking all that wisdom from her most hated rival, she rallied and gave the rebuttal that said it all, "You losers!", shrieking throughout the restaurant.

Never one to let a good opportunity pass to get a shot in on the brunette either, "Hey Bon-Bon I see you got rid of the itch. Did they ever find the cause of why you were scratching your big butt like that last spring?", Roman deadpanned as he did his best to see if Bonnie would spontaneously combust from teen social pressure going into overload.

Wrinkling his nose, "I mean it was sort of disgusting, so I hope the rest of the squad didn't catch it over the summer." Then pointing to his partner, "Of course Kim couldn't, she spent most of the summer at that national cheer camp, and now she has moves you can only dream of.", he smirked before he caught the beaming smile of his partner.

Seeming to recover her haughty demeanor with the inclusion of the 'lesser of the two' targets, "As if, you dork! She can only dream of moves like I have.", Bonnie sneered. "And speaking of summer, I don't remember seeing your loser cheese-eating butt here since June. So where were you this summer?", Bonnie snarked back, "Taking classes on how to look up to us from your place in the basement of the food chain?", a shark-gleam in her eyes at the possibility of finally scoring a hit after all the shots she took earlier.

Shrugging nonchalantly with a mischievous gleam in his eye, "Me? Oh I didn't do much more than go on an overseas student exchange trip. I spent most of the time in Russia and Japan, the rest of the time I was in Israel..."

Then reaching into the wallet he produced, "Annnddd during all of that I also earned my rotary wing pilot's license to go with the fixed wing I also got. So I'm now instrument and multi-engine qualified.", Roman replied as he held them up; Bonnie's eyes widened in shock at this revelation, while Kim's eyes took on a hard glare for a moment.

Waving them at the snarky brunette, "Well that pretty much covered my summer, so what did you do during yours? Sit on your fat butt down at the beach taking in more ultraviolet rays which could cause cancer down the road instead of doing something useful?"

By now the Queen Bee of Middleton High School was almost catatonic; Ron's licenses the tipping point of her dismay over hearing just how much her rival and the 'lapdog' had surpassed expectations the brunette had 'set' for them at school. Her rival may now be better than she as a cheerleader and was probably nationally ranked to boot, but the sidekick now seemed to be poised to pursue a pretty exciting profession if he wished, forget about his studying abroad to broaden his horizons.

His satisfied smirk interrupted when, "Roooon.", Kim whispered quietly. While she enjoyed watching Bonnie Rockwaller entering full out meltdown mode, she decided to let him know she had questions about his 'summer', too. "When did you plan on telling me all of this?"

Stumbling, "Uh..."

Frowning, "Then you were leading Bonnie on?", she asked with an edge in her whisper. "Though I enjoyed seeing Bonnie go into full freak out mode from you shooting her down like that, you'd better be able to back that up or face humiliation at school if it's not true."

Grinning widely, Roman handed Kim what he had been waving so mockingly at Bonnie, green eyes widening in surprise that what he had boasted about was actually true.

After scanning the licenses, her head snapped to him, "Jet engine too?", she said and received a nod in answer. "Very nice.", Kim said approvingly as she handed them back. "Not many high school students have these."

"Don't even have a driver's license, but I can fly all kinds of aircraft.", his grin got massive.

A little miffed, "You didn't tell me you went to Israel, what did you do there?", she frowned at learning he'd spent the summer in an area teeming with terrorist activity; and of the memories it brought of a visit by a long-gone loved one.

Whispering as he leaned in to her, "A little more than what we did there, meh little Kimika." Roman's smile all but disappeared as he got nose-to-nose with her. Kim's heart nearly stopped at the information, yet fluttered at the close proximity to the Russian.

Leaning forward herself, Kim kissed him on the cheek, quite aware that Bonnie would probably blow a gasket at this. "Say no more about it till we get to the tree house.", the red headed cheerleader purred after smiling coquettishly at him.

Whispering, "Gotcha KP.", Kim shuddered in delight as his breath danced lightly on her ear when he noticed a stunned Bonnie, her mouth soundlessly gaping like a fish out of water, struggling to hold herself up at her booth.

'Good ole Bon-Bon, by now she's got to be reassessing her designation of me as a loser in her food chain.', Roman smirked.

A little louder in her teasing, of just who was the question, "You do that again and I'm gonna kiss you at the risk of both of us being put in Detention until we're in a retirement home.", Kim said suggestively.

A suggestive grin in return, "But we're not on school grounds, KP.", his statement of fact almost sounding like a dare to the red head. "And remember the school year hasn't started yet."

Kim's smirk carried a bit of demure in it, "So, do you want to test that with 'Mr. Tough-but-Fair Barkin?"

Cold water now thrown on his part of the game they were playing at BN, "Uh..not this time. He hates me, you know, ever since…", Roman stuttered.

Silencing him with a finger on his lips, "Sssshhhh, not here..Security.", Kim whispered with a knowing eye lowered to him. Meanwhile Bonnie was at sea trying to figure out the context of their 'foreplay' and sat there in stunned silence.

Nodding solemnly, Roman agreed and then assisted Kim in setting out their food order which they attacked immediately. Small talk about family and friends made up their conversation as they ignored Bonnie and her posse'.

A bit miffed that her 'audience' with the two losers was now at an end, though not because she had 'dismissed' them, the brunette and her clique packed up and left BN with their collective noses raised ten degrees above the horizon as they ceremoniously exited the restaurant.

Peace reigned once again at Bueno Nacho as Kim and Roman made short work of their afternoon snack and the booth cleanup. Satisfied of events at their unofficial HQ, arm-in-arm they strolled out of the Tex-Mex restaurant to the tree house, putting the shopping trip off to another day, to continue the discussion of the summer each had before the Lazy C Mission.

And for a moment during their slow meanderings to their sky-hideout, Kim snuggled into Roman's arm before sighing and going back to her regular gait as they walked along. A moment more passed before Roman looked warmly to Kim, and then squeezed her arm in reply.

XXXX

Well no action today, other than slapping Bonnie down a notch or two in front of her posse'…But a very enlightening day all the way around. Some catching up to do, especially when Roman's 'summer break' was a bit busier than Kim's; and for the foreseeable future his English will be improving, but with random misfires every now and then.

Now in the homestretch of these two as the year will progress into their 'Junior Year' at MHS, a few more missions to go and then the point Unheard Flipper alluded to in his anchor tale. But Larry promises we'll explore that night a bit more than that; when it gets written (?)… LOL!

Hope those of you who have read these tales enjoyed them, and to those who've chimed in, we thank you.

And with the upcoming holiday events nearly upon us at this tale's posting, we wish all of you a Very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!