As with every chapter to follow, Kim Possible and all related characters (other than those of my own creation for the purpose of this story) are the property of The Walt Disney Company. Everything else is all mine.
"I mean, I know it's not a big deal for you, little buddy. After all, you're naked all the time. But for Kim to do what she did for me last night, that was special. Other than when she was a baby with her parents, maybe her grandparents and her doctor, I'm the only one to see her like that."
"It's not that I haven't thought about it, especially since we started dating. How she'd look like that, I mean. But I wasn't expecting to see her that way until we got married. That is, assuming we ever get married."
"The only problem is, now that I've seen her like that, it's sure going to be hard to wait until next time."
"Well, here we are. I hope she's ready to go. The GJ hovercraft is supposed to pick us up in about five minutes."
As if on cue, Rufus scampered down Ron's arm and pressed the doorbell button.
Inside, Kim was frantically pulling herself together. While she knew she was "only" going to GJ for her fight simulation with Dr. Director, she wanted to look nice for her BF on the trip there. She had just finished brushing out her hair and applying a touchup coat of lipstick when the doorbell rang.
"I'll get it!" she yelled down the steps from her bedroom.
Grabbing her gym bag that contained her mission outfit, Kim bounded down the steps two at a time, knowing that, as always, she was in a race with her twin brothers for the front door.
"Tweebs!" she yelled again, seeing Jim and Tim had beaten her and were about to open the door. "If either of you so much as touch that doorknob, you are so busted!"
Wisely, the twins gave way before their big sister's wrath. It sounded like she meant what she said. Besides, there would always be more opportunities later to torment her.
Kim momentarily gathered herself together, and then opened the door.
As soon as Ron spotted Kim through the doorway, he let out a low whistle.
"Well, hey there, beautiful."
"Hey right back at you, handsome."
Kim stepped out the door, making sure to close it behind her, and then stopped right into Ron's embrace for a long kiss.
Unexpectedly, Ron broke off the kiss after just a couple seconds.
"What's wrong?" Kim asked, surprised.
"It's Jim and Tim. They're staring at us and making all kinds of stupid faces through the window."
"Tweebs!" Kim yelled. "Haven't you two got anything better to do?"
Jim opened the door and poked out his head. "No, not really," he replied.
Kim turned and glared at her brother. "Find something! Now! And it had better not have anything to do with me and Ron!"
As Kim took a step toward him with clinched fists, Jim ducked his head back inside and slammed shut the door. He and Tim gave Kim a parting pair of raspberries through the window and then disappeared from view.
Sighing, Kim turned back to face Ron.
"Now, where were we? Oh, yeah," and she wrapped her arms around him and planted an even bigger kiss on his lips. This one lasted until Ron desperately needed to come up for air.
"O-h-h, m-a-a-a-n. You sure know how to take a guy's breath away."
Kim smiled at the compliment. "Just trying to keep my BF satisfied, that's all."
"Believe me, KP; you've got one satisfied BF!"
Taking Kim's hand, Ron walked with her across the sidewalk and down to the end of the driveway.
"So, ready for the big day at GJ?" Ron asked.
"Ready as I'll ever be, I suppose," answered Kim.
"Got your mission gear?"
"Yep. Right here in my bag. I see you've got your backpack along. Mission gear?"
"Yeah, I talked a little with Wade this morning. He thought I should bring mine along too, just in case. Hopefully it won't be needed."
"Kim, are you sure you want to go through with this? I mean, it's only been a day and half since the taser attack and you haven't even been out of the hospital for twenty-four hours. I'm sure everyone would understand if you changed your mind and decided to back out."
Kim bristled. "Ron, I'm not going to back out! I feel fine, and if doing this simulation is the only way I can get Dr. Director to grant me her blessing --- not that I really need it; it's just that we rely pretty heavily on GJ for rides now --- then I'll do the simulation. Besides, I've never fought Dr. Director and I'm looking forward to it."
"I don't know, KP. Dr. Director's been freak fighting a lot longer than you have. She's likely to give you quite a battle."
"Look, Ron. I've freak fought practically every freak on the planet. I've fought Monkey Fisk. I've fought Killigan. I've fought Shego so many times I've lost count. I've even fought Gemini, 'Betty's' twin brother…"
"Uh, it might not be a good idea to call her 'Betty'," Ron interjected. "Remember how upset she got when Sheldon…err, I mean, Gemini called her that?"
"That's her name, isn't it?" Kim shot back. "She calls me 'Kim', and I think I'm old enough now that we can be on a first-name basis."
"Still, you might want to avoid using it. No telling what might happen. I'm just saying…"
"O-k-a-y! I won't call her 'Betty'! I'd hate for anyone to think I'd stoop as low as 'Sheldon' in a fight. Anyway, as I was saying, I seriously doubt Dr. Director can show me any moves that I haven't seen before."
The sound of a hovercraft interrupted Kim and Ron's discussion.
"Right on time," Kim observed, glancing at her watch.
"So you're going through with it?" Ron asked one more time.
"Yes, Ron, I'm going through with it," Kim firmly answered. Embracing Ron, she added while looking straight into his eyes, "and I would greatly appreciate my BF supporting me, not questioning me."
Kissing Kim on the forehead, Ron tried to assure her, "Kim, you know you can always count on me to support you. I'm just concerned about you, that's all."
Kim pressed her head against Ron's shoulder. "Thanks for being concerned. I know it's because you love and care about me. It's just that I need to do this. Okay?"
Ron sighed. "Okay."
Giving Ron a quick squeeze, Kim turned and grabbed the first rung of the hovercraft's ladder dangling above them.
"Let's get going. The last thing I want to do is be late."
Dr. Director truly dreaded this time of the year.
On a perfectly beautiful Sunday, when she yearned to be outside, cruising around the countryside in her convertible, marveling at the sumptuous fall colors, she was stuck at her desk, putting together the GJ annual budget report that she was required to present to the international oversight committee that funneled funding to Global Justice from the U.S., Canada, the E.U. and Japan.
She hated paperwork. Unfortunately, due to pressures on the oversight committee by the contributing nations for greater "fiscal accountability", what used to be a relatively painless project to compose an eight to ten page Executive Summary --- something she typically cranked out in a day or two --- was now an itemized down-to-the-last-penny two hundred and fifty odd pages tome that required the better part of a month to prepare.
Not that she was under any delusions that anyone would ever read it cover to cover. Most likely, the recipients would scan the Executive Summary at the beginning --- if they read it at all --- and then have their executive assistant run it through the shredder. Four long weeks of number crunching and bureaucratese writing turned into a bag of confetti in less than five minutes. A monumental waste of taxpayer money and time --- her time, primarily --- that could better be spent actually directing GJ or, better yet, spent out in the field training agents and keeping her own skills sharp.
Staring bleary eyed at a spreadsheet, a half-eaten sandwich in her hand, Dr. Director was fondly recalling her early days at GJ, when she was an agent in the field and the only paperwork she had to do was her mission reports and annual self-evaluation, when the sound of a throat being cleared abruptly ended her daydream.
"Yes, Agent Du, what is it?"
"I was just checking to see if Kim Possible finally came to her senses and backed out of the simulation."
"As I've already said twice, it is not your concern," Dr. Director replied. "This is a matter strictly between me and Miss Possible. However, if you must know, I got word a few minutes ago from the GJ hovercraft that they picked up Kim and Ron Stoppable and are headed back to headquarters. So, I think it's safe to assume that no, she hasn't backed out."
"I'm not surprised. Miss Possible is so terribly headstrong, in my opinion," Will Du observed. "A bit too headstrong for her own good."
"Strong-willed, Agent Du," Dr. Director corrected him. "There's a huge difference."
"Alright, 'strong-willed'," said Will. "Either way, this whole simulation wouldn't have to take place if she simply accepted your directive instead of challenging it. She acts as though obeying your instructions is up to her."
"Technically, Agent Du, she doesn't have to obey me. Kim isn't formally a member of Global Justice, at least no yet. However, for the last year or so, I've been slowly trying to bring her into the fold; unofficially, of course. For one, I've worked it out so that most of her mission transportation is done via GJ. She's a bright young woman, and no doubt she's fully aware of what I've been doing. I would expect her willingness --- however reluctantly --- to do the simulation is at least partly because she's grown accustomed to the fast and convenient rides we provide, and she'd rather not go back to hitching rides in hot-air balloons or crop duster planes."
Will Du shook his head. "I don't think it's just that. I think she actually wants to fight you."
"Perhaps," replied Dr. Director. "And, to be honest, I can't blame her. Were I in her shoes, I'd jump at the opportunity to take on the head of Global Justice one-on-one."
"Don't you think you're taking a risk?" asked Agent Du. "I mean, while it's highly unlikely, what if she wins? What sort of message would that send to everyone in GJ?"
"What are you getting at, Agent Du?"
"I'm merely concerned that if by some odd chance you did lose, that might encourage others within the organization to challenge your authority."
"Since I already have at least one agent who questions my decisions on a regular basis," Dr. Director paused for a moment, implying just who she was referring to. "I don't see how losing a simulation to a young woman who is one of the best if not the best fighter in the world is going to make any difference."
The not-too-subtle implication was not lost on Will Du, who thought it best to back off --- for now.
"So, I understand the simulation will be done without protect gear. Is that correct?"
"That was the original plan, but after sleeping on it, I've decided that we will wear the gear. It's light enough to not hinder either of us, so I should still be able to come away with an accurate assessment on which to base my decision," said Dr. Director.
This news came as a bit of a surprise to Agent Du, and a disappointment, as well. While he didn't dare express it openly, he had hoped to witness his chief rival finally take a few lumps for her brashness.
"I see. Well, you obviously know best."
"Yes, I'd like to think I do, when I know anything. After all, Kim and I are allies, not enemies. There's no point taking a chance on either one of us getting seriously injured. There will always be plenty of opportunities for that when the two of us have to do battle with my brother and WWEE, Drakken and Shego, Monkey Fist and the entire world's other villains."
Dr. Director turned her attention back to the loathsome spreadsheet.
"Is there anything else, Agent Du? If not, I have lots of numbers to crunch before Kim and Ron arrive."
Will shook his head. "No, nothing else."
"Oh, there is one more thing."
"And that is?"
"May I have your permission to watch the simulation from the observation room?"
"Yes, you have my permission; only keep quiet. There will be recruits and other agents in training there to observe and learn, and I don't want your comments and opinions to distract them. Who knows? If you pay close attention, you might actually learn something."
Soon after climbing aboard the hovercraft, Kim and Ron excused themselves and made their way to the rear cabin. As expected, the fridge was well-stocked with soda, bottled water and other drinks and the cabinets with plenty of "snackage".
Making themselves comfortable, the two teens resumed their conversation. Rufus, meanwhile, decided to curl up in one of the cabin chairs and take a nap.
"So, KP, any regrets about last night?"
"None whatsoever. You?"
"Me? I didn't do anything! You're the one who decided to go 'au natural'. Not that I'm complaining. Seeing my GF in her birthday suit was quite a surprise."
"A pleasant one, I hope," said Kim with a grin.
"Uh, yeah! Only now that I have, I'm not sure what to do."
"What do you mean?"
"Well, for one, do I still have to cover my eyes every time I'm around when you get dressed?"
"Only if you want to."
"What about Rufus?"
"Sorry, but he still has to."
"Then I guess I will, too. I can't ask him to do something I don't do."
"That's up to you, Ron."
After a few moments of awkward silence staring out the hovercraft window, Ron swallowed deeply and took the plunge.
"KP. Kim. Last night… up in your room… did you feel… something different?"
Kim sensed immediately what Ron was trying to say.
"Different in what way?" she asked.
"Oh, I don't know. It's hard to explain."
Taking his hands in hers, Kim looked into Ron's eyes.
"Try."
"Well, when you had climbed on and was giving me that massage, I felt something deep down, in my gut. It hurt, and yet it didn't hurt. At the same time, it seemed like my whole body was being stuck with lots of little pins. And… "
"And?"
"…and after you got off, I rolled over, you climbed back on and I opened my eyes, I felt this rush, kind of like after downing a Slurpster, only a lot bigger and more intense."
Looking deeper into Ron's eyes, Kim put her hands behind his head, pressed her lips to his and gave him a deep, warm kiss.
Once breaking the kiss, she explained.
"Ron, I think what you were experiencing was something called 'Eros'."
"Eros?"
"It's a Greek word. It means 'passionate love, with sensual desire and longing.' It's the root of the English 'erotic'."
"Erotic? Like in porn films and stuff like that?"
"That's how many people view it, but 'Eros' has to do with a lot more than just sex. I did some extra reading last spring during that class we took together. I found out that 'Eros' was just one of four kinds of love the Greeks defined. The others were 'Philia' (a virtuous love, like that toward family or between friends), 'Agape' (sort of a general term for love, like when we've 'loved' a good meal, song or movie) and 'Storge' (which is usually the love of a parent toward a child)."
"So you're saying what I felt was 'Eros'?"
"Yeah, that's what I think it was."
"And it wasn't just about sex."
"Well, yes and no."
"Huh?"
"It's a little hard to explain without getting all text bookish."
"But what I was feeling was okay, right?"
"What you were feeling was perfectly natural."
Ron breathed a sigh of relief.
"And here I was worried what I felt was sick and wrong."
"Well, I sure hope it's not sick and wrong, Ron."
"Why?"
"Because, you were feeling it toward me --- or at least I hope you were --- and because I was feeling the same thing."
"You were?"
"Yes, Ron, I was."
"Seriously?"
"Seriously."
Ron sat there shaking his head in amazement.
"W-o-w. We were both feeling the same thing."
"More or less, yes," Kim added. "Ron, I really didn't want to push your hands away. I had to. It just wasn't the time."
"Or the place, for that matter," Ron observed, laughing. "You sure flew behind that dressing screen when we heard your dad and mine come in the front door."
"You weren't exactly a pink sloth yourself. I've never seen you throw on your shirt, socks and shoes that fast," Kim said in reply as she too broke down laughing.
The two teens proceeded to laugh themselves to tears, flopped on the couch, Kim's head nestled on Ron's shoulder.
Once he was able to gather himself back together, Ron looked at Kim, caressed her hand in his and smiled.
"Now I think I understand a little better just how hard it was for you to do what you did last night. You must really love me."
"I do love you, Ron," Kim said, tightly squeezing his hand.
"You know, Kim, there's just one slight problem."
"Oh? What's that?"
"It's sure going to be hard to wait until the next time I can see you like that."
"Well, it's up to you to decide whether you want to see me that way."
"And what about the whole 'Eros' thing?"
"Ron, there's nothing wrong with those feelings. It's what we do with them. Believe me. It's going to be just as hard for me to wait as it is for you. In the meantime, like I said last night, there are plenty of other ways we can show our love for each other."
"Speaking of which, KP, do you have any suggestions on how to keep ourselves occupied the rest of the flight?"
"Oh, you know me, Ron. I'm just full of ideas," Kim replied with a mischievous grin.