A/N: Takes place in the future in my Biology or Chemistry universe, and well that's about all that is important for this one. Oh, and the first two chapters are clean and good for everybody; the last chapter is the only chapter with a citrus flavor and it's not graphic.
Disclaimer: I don't own KP, if I did I'd be rich and my ideas would be on television. I'm pretty sure the Mouse has all rights to the characters.
I stepped into Bueno Nacho and made a quick scan for my best friend; it didn't take long, she was sitting where we always do, "KP. Thanks for coming." You have no idea how much this means to me.
"No big, Ron. You made it sound important, what's the sitch?" I was grateful for the concern in her voice, I really need a friend's support right now.
"I just needed some mid-morning snackage with my best friend." The look on her face told me she wasn't buying it. "I'm gonna do it." Four words, that's all it took to make her giddy, "I'm going to ask her tonight." And I'm sure Rufus is tired of hearing me rehearse all morning.
In a voice that seriously reminded me of Monique talking about a sale at Club Banana she squealed, "Ron, I'm so happy for you." At the same time she was diving across the table in attempt to glomp me, she kept going, "I can't wait to see everybody's faces. Monique is probably going to fly back from NYC just to squeal and jump up and down with Bonnie. Speaking of Monique, will the ring pass her inspection, I mean I know Bonnie will love it, but you know Monique and her fashion eye? And don't even get me started on the doting parents, you're going to hear more 'Back in my day…' stories than you've ever dreamed were possible. Ooh, do you have a date set in mind, who are you inviting?"
She finally stopped long enough to take a breath, and I took my chance to stop her, "Hey, it's my job to go off rambling. I'm glad you're excited about this."
"How could I not be excited," The reality of my serious face began to sink in, and she started to calm down, "and why aren't you jumping out of your seat?"
"I'm kinda nervous." My hand instinctively went to the back of my neck, "What if she says no? What if she never wants to… mmm." Another hand had found its way to cover my mouth.
"First off, she would never say no. You know that just as good as I do, so quit whining." Removing her hand she added, "So, why don't you tell me what's really bothering you?" How does she do that?
"Okay, so while her mom and I are finally on speaking terms, and I can sit and talk with Mr. Rockwaller about everything… well just about everything, we still leave my relationship with his daughter on the DNT list."
"DNT? I have enough problems keeping up with Monique, don't make things worse."
"Do Not Touch, he doesn't ask and I don't tell. We keep things civil that way. But that is going to make lunch really hard today, we're going to grill out by their pool while Bonnie and her mom are out shopping, and I'm going to ask him." And hope that he doesn't drown me in the pool… or put me on the grill with the burgers…
Apparently what ever I said was confusing, "What are you going to ask him? I thought you were going to ask Bonnie, tonight." I let out a sigh and was about to explain when her face lit up for a second, then turned a little bitter, "Never mind, I figured it out."
"What's up with you, that much of a mood swing makes me want to check for a Moodulator." What does she have to be bitter about?
"Nope, no Moodulator. Just a little tweaked that you feel it's necessary to follow some archaic 'rules' when society has finally accepted that women are equals and not property to be given away." Tweaked was a mild term for the look in her eyes.
"Call it ar- arcay-." Dumb school words.
Knowing my sitch, she automatically began to fill me in, "Old, ancient, my dad."
"Fine, call it whatever that word is if you want, but it's something that I gotta do." She wanted to say something, I'm almost sure, but when she held her tongue I continued, "Besides, don't tell me you wouldn't go goo-goo if a certain individual, that happens to be a genius with a great ride and a mean right hook on the court, faced the threat of a black hole to ask for your hand in marriage. Granted, he might be able to rewire the rocket to take him to your house, but that's beside the point." Her blush told me I was hitting close to home.
"Okay, point taken." Then after a few seconds she added, "I guess it is kind of sweet that you're being old fashioned about it." Finally, she gets it, "But I still say you shouldn't feel like you have to."
Knowing that was the best I was going to get, I changed the subject, "Now, for that mid-morning snackage I was talking about." I was in need of something to settle the eagle sized mechanical butterflies in my stomach.
KPKPKPKPKPKPKPKPKPKPKP
Knock, knock, knock.
It's okay, you've only been here a hundred times before…nothing to worry about, it's just Bonnie's house…I was giving myself a pep talk as I let myself in. Not only was I expected, but in the last couple weeks Mr. Rockwaller told me he was tired of having to answer the door every time I came over, and to just knock on my way in. "Hello? Anybody here?"
I maneuvered my way towards the back door, figuring the large man was probably waiting on me outside, when I heard a sound that made my blood run cold…
Cli-chink.
If it wasn't for my extreme control under pressure, I would have screamed louder than I did. As it was I didn't manage to break any eardrums or shatter any windows before the scariest sight in my 19 years of life, sitting in the living room, spoke, "Sorry, I didn't hear you come in. Sometimes when it's just me and my toys, I get lost in my own little world." His 'toys' just happened to be his service rifle and several other firearms, nice collection, just not something I really wanted to see today.
Trying to ease my nerves I forced myself to speak, "Yeah, I know what you mean. When it's just me, my bike, and the road it's the same story."
We both seemed to drift off thinking about our own little hobbies, when my stomach announced its presence, "It sounds it's time to fire up the grill." The idea of food cleared my mind of the previous awkwardness as we made our way out back, "You get the brats out of the fridge, and I'll get the coals going."
While I had my head stuck in the ice box, I grabbed a brew for him and a pop for me. He had offered to share one or two with me, but I hadn't taken him up on his offer yet. I stepped outside just as he turned around… I thought seeing him cleaning his guns was eerie, that was nothing to seeing him turn around with sweat on his brow, flames dancing behind him, and the not-so-little grill fork in his hand. Swallowing the lump in my throat, I handed him his beer, "Figured you'd want one. It's a bit toasty out here." Grabbing it, after he thankfully put down the oversized fork and lessening the demonic appearance, he nodded his thanks. We each plopped down in one of their many lawn chairs to enjoy the heat of the mid-day sun, and the cool refreshment in our hands.
I was sweating, heck even if it was the middle of winter, I would have been sweating, I was nervous as a piece of chocolate at fat camp. His dominant voice drew my attention back from it's little side trip, "So, anything new in your world? Any new villains you and that Possible girl have to stop?" Anything new?... why, yes, funny you should ask, I was going to ask if I could marry your daughter.
Taking the easy route out, I replied, "Yeah, some things are changing. And we haven't had any new fruit cakes to deal with in a while, just the same old stuff. Shego's still whining about that one time I accidentally beat her, and is still making me pay for it with monthly meals… not that I'm going to complain too much, her kitchen is out of this world, and she lets me bring Bon-Bon along, so we try and make the best out of it. Shego keeps us in line too, she's more strict than you are about PDA, I mean there was one time when I was in the kitchen and Bonnie came up behind me and started nibbling…" The sound of a throat clearing made me stop that line of discussion, great, just great Stoppable.
"Ireally don't need to hear what you and my daughter are doing in your free time, as long as it's not something that might have… consequences." The way he said that, I knew exactly what he meant.
"No worries Mr. Rockwaller, we haven't done that, er, I mean anything near that. Well, except that once you walked in, but…" Shut your mouth, he really doesn't need any reminders of that time. Giving me a funny look, he dropped the brats on the grill before setting back down. Well, I guess now is as good of time as any, "Mr. Rockwaller?" His right brow raised a little in acknowledgement, "W-w-" Come one, just ask, 'would you mind if I asked Bonnie to marry me?', "Would you like another beer?" I immediately berated myself,Coward.
A smirk crossed his face, "Sure, and you look like you could use one to calm down."
Not bothering with a reply, I stepped inside and about collapsed on the floor, "Come on, Ron. You can do this, just ask the mountain of a man sitting outside if you can marry his daughter." Taking another breath as I opened the fridge, I for the first time, seriously considered his offer of a nice cold barley pop to calm my nerves. I didn't take him up, but I seriously considered it.
About the time we finished this round off, he announced the food was done. Hardly a word had been spoken, the silence was mocking me. Fortunately, it wasn't an uncomfortable silence, I was starting to really get used to it when he startled me yet again, "So, what is it?" He drained the last swallow of the bottle before turning to me expectantly, "Well, what's on your mind? You've been unnaturally quiet for as talkative as you typically are." Why is everybody so observant when it comes to me? Am I that obvious?
"I've just been thinking."
"Dangerous thing, thinking is."
I smirked before continuing, "I want you to know that I respect Bonnie."
Before I could continue he shifted forward in his seat, "You had better be respecting my little girl, or you and me are going to have words." I visibly gulped before he finished his peace, "Don't tell me I'm a grandpa yet."
The strength in his voice made me clarify quickly, "NO! No, you aren't a grandpa. But that's kinda what I wanted to talk to you about." He shifted even farther forward in his seat, almost perching, waiting to pounce, "Bonnie and I haven't taken our relationship to that level, we haven't been ready." He shifted again, making me even more nervous, but I forced myself to continue knowing if I didn't get it out now, I never would, "I know we have never really talked about this, but I'd like to make her an honest woman."
I swear the man was channeling Barkin, "Are you trying to ask my permission to marry my daughter?" I nodded meekly and waited for the worst. A grin spread from ear to ear on the ex-military man's face, "About time you grew a spine." BOO-YAH!!! The thought went through my mind, but this was one of the few times I held the outburst in, "So, you got my little girl a ring yet?"
I reached into my pocket and pulled out the ring, "Yeah, I just got it the other day."
"This wouldn't happen to have been on Tuesday, would it?" He seemed to have already known the answer when he asked, "She was in a rather unpleasant mood that day, grumbling about missions and the like."
"Yeah, I knew Kim was going to be busy with Felix and figured claiming that there was a mission would be a safe excuse to get away for an evening."
I put the black box in his outstretched hand, after a few minutes of examining the ring he finally broke the silence, "Well, anybody that has good enough taste to buy a ring like this has my blessing to proceed."
Retrieving the black velvet cube, I began to speak my gratitude, "Thanks, Mr. Rockwaller, you have no idea how much this means to me."
My world was shaken to the core when he said, "Bill please, my name is William, you can call me Bill. We are after all going to be family." Today is a good day.