Disclaimer: I own nothing of Kim Possible all belongs to Disney. This story is just for my enjoyment of writing.
Ann Possible walked through the cancer filled children's room observing the kids with a sadden expression. Most kids were too weak to leave the comfort of their own beds. The few that could didn't beam with bright smiles or encouraging enthusiasm. It hurt her. Life was unfair it was a cruel rule of life. The auburn also wept crossing the room it always made her feel uncomfortable inside with a pinged of guilt residing beside her. There were no happy faces none. Not one in sight…
"Hey Miss are you ok?" The soft sound of a curious voice unexpectedly interrupted Ann from her deep thoughts.
Interrupted- Ann turned around to see a little girl who looked no more than 6 tugging at her doctor's coat. She had blonde gold hair resting on her shoulders with mid-ocean blue eyes. Immediately Ann recognized the little girl. Ashley Rays a cancer patient known to be a ray of sunshine always helping the nurses or helping the other children in ECU. Her time was close, but even now she beamed smiles especially when helping the other children. Even in the standard baby blue hospital gown she found a way to make it look adorable. The little girl looked at her curiously tilting her head.
She kept tugging Ann's coat, "Are you ok Miss…you seem sad?" A very simple question from a 6 year old yet it yearned a feeling deep inside the auburn woman.
Ann tried not to frown while putting on a brave face, "Yes sweetie I'm just fine." She looked around the room seeing some doctors looking at her nodding, "I see Ashley did you help those doctors with something?" Ann asked.
Ashley nodded with a bright smile that could melt butter, "Yea they were all so nice!" She then twirled her fingers, "But compared to my hero it was nothing special…" She added a little low.
Her hero? Ann wondered kneeling down to her level, "And who exactly is your hero? Is your hero a special person like you sweetie?" Ann asked, "Maybe I know this hero of yours?"
The little girl rubbed her hand, "My hero is a special person who goes all around the world…" Her nervous exterior brighten as her eyes twinkled, "…My hero stops bad guys and never ask for anything in return, but still deals with school and junk!" She eagerly responded.
Her hero goes around the world and stops bad guys? And her hero deals with school and junk? Ann thought the little girl meant her daughter Kimberly. She fit the profile to a tee. Happily Ann nodded agreeing with her that her hero was a hero.
"Oh really sweetie?" Ann wondered. "So does this hero of yours have a name?" Ann then poked her stomach making her giggle a little. Ashley gently laughed before smiling off a great warmhearted smile.
"Yea! My hero's name is…" She curled up ready to shoot to the sky, "…RON STOPPABLE!" Ashley practically jumped with excitement.
Ann almost fell back from Ashley's announcement, but not from the sudden outburst. She had twin geniuses so dealing with unexpected loud sounds was quite common to her. No, it was the little girl's hero that startled her. Ronald was her hero; her daughter's best friend was her hero. Ann had expected Kimberly but Ronald it was just too bizarre. What could Ronald have done to make her want him as her hero? Ann wondered…
"Ron Stoppable is your hero?" The auburn woman asked the little girl while kneeling still at her height.
Ashley jumped small jumps, "Yea! He's the best hero ever! He goes around the world helping people all the time. Fighting bad guys and never asking for anything in return." She stopped jumping, "I know Kim Possible is a hero too! She's the one everyone knows…" Suddenly she looked down, "…while everyone forgets about him. Barely anyone knows his name…" Yet again she changed moods this time looking determined with her little fist balled in fist, "But not me! I will never forget him. Even when everyone forgets about him he still goes around the world helping people never asking for anything! He's my hero! And that's why I help everybody! I want to be just like him!" She proclaimed within earshot to all the doctors and patients listening in.
Ann couldn't believe it- What this little girl said was true. Anyway she saw it Ronald was indeed a forgotten type of hero. Well almost forgotten. Was he a hero? Ronald was her hero. The auburn woman couldn't hold back her small tear as it gently fell on her cheek.
She lightly grabbed the little girl's shoulder, "Tell me Ashley would you like to meet Ron Stoppable?" She asked already knowing the answer.
"You bet I would!" She happily yelled before she looked downed again, "But that's never going to happen. He has better things to do than meet me." The tone from her voice almost broke the neurosurgeon's heart.
Ann grabbed both her shoulders, "Well what would you say if I could get him to meet you?"
Immediately Ashley's sad exterior vanished, "Do you really mean that?" Her mouth was open wide with some traces of drool appearing. She shook with hope.
The excitement in her voice made Ann smile beyond her control, "You bet sweetie just you wait. Tomorrow I'll bring Ron here so you can meet your hero face to face." Ann picked her lip, "Who knows maybe he can take you out to get some ice cream or something." The little girl was beyond giddy. Ann looked around to see the happy faces from many of her fellow doctors.
…
"Ronald I want you to know you're doing an unbelievable sweet thing for this little girl. I can't begin to tell you how much this means to her." Ann informed Ronald as they walked through the hospital walls closing in to Ashley's room. She smiled kindly to the blonde.
Ron waved his hand, "Aw shucks Ms. P you know I'm all about the helping. I'm just surprised I'm her hero and not KP. I am just the sidekick and all…" He questioned but immediately Ann stopped him in his tracks looking at him dead straight in the eyes.
"Ron I use to believe that to…" Ann sighed before her voice grew firmer, "…but that little girl in there proved me wrong. You are way more than a sidekick you're a partner to my daughter." Ron didn't expect this, "You go all around the world…scared to not only help but also protect my daughter. Just because people don't know your name Ron doesn't mean no one notices you. That little girl in there does. To her you are her hero." Ann suddenly died down, "And with her current charts right now I'm not sure she can beat her cancer, but maybe if you with you brighten up her day…it might give her the strength to pull through." Ann looked at Ron seriously, "She a lot like you Ronald always helping others and asking nothing in return…She got that from you and that's why you're her hero, not my daughter you!"
Speechless the blonde couldn't come up with much, "Oh really…" He asked still not sure if what Ann said really came out at all. It was true was it?
Ann had shimmered down, "Yes really…so please make her happy." She then pointed to the door to Ashley's room. Ron nodded with his signature goofy Ron smile as he stepped into the room waving bye to Ann.
Upon entering the first thing he noticed was a little girl drawing a picture on her bed. The window to her room blew fresh air in. She was the only child in the room and from what the blonde could tell she was very happy with her drawing. Scribbling away the little blonde was beyond content. She still wore her hospital gown as her golden haired draped over her shoulders. Ron couldn't help but take in the sight it was beautiful. Quietly he tip toed over next to the girl's bed standing beside the rail and watched her draw. What she was drawing surprised him.
It was a picture of him fighting some baddies. The lines were crooked and the color past the borders, but he could tell it was him. She was drawing away still not noticing his presence- yet.
"Whatcha ya drawing there?" He asked as he leaned in closer to her face.
The girl didn't look at him yet, "Oh this! This is my most favorite person in the whole wide world Ron Stoppable! He's the best!" Ashley told him still not yet looking at him.
Ron grabbed the bed rails, "Ron Stoppable? Who's he?" He playfully asked waiting for the moment, "Is he a goofball or something? No wait maybe he's a buffoon?"
The girl stiffened a bit, "He's not a buffoon! He's my hero!" She turned to look at him still angry with her hands in small fist, "He's the best-est person ever and…and…ah…" Her voice simmered down as her expression followed. Was her mind playing tricks on her? Was it really who she thought it was?
The girl continued to look blankly at Ronald, "Hey there my name is Ron Stoppable it's a pleasure to meet yo…Ummmphh!" Out of the blue Ashley sat up on her bed and hugged Ron crushing him with her small arms.
"Oh my gosh oh my gosh do you know who you are!" She yelled not letting him go.
Ron lightly chuckled, "Hehe well I hope I'm Ron or otherwise I've been getting the wrong name in the yearbook for the past 2 years now." The blonde happily joked letting Ashley finish her hug.
After a few minutes she finally let go but continued to lightly jump on her bed throwing her hands in a fit while her smile couldn't be any brighter. Clearly she was excited to meet Ron, "Oh my gosh it's Ron Stoppable in my room here now! This is a dream come true! There's no way this is happening!" She challenged.
Ron smirked, "Way…" The blonde sat on the bed, "So what's your name?" He asked already knowing the answer from Ann, but he wanted to see the joy in her eyes again.
She sat beside him grabbing the rails and kicking her feet not being able to reach the floor, "My name is Ashley; Ashley Rays!"
"Well Ashley you already know who I am so we can skip that part." Ron happily said with Ashley giggling, "So a friend of mine says I'm your hero?" The little blonde nodded, "So then…" The blonde jumped off the rail, "…what do you wanna do? Well do anything you want."
The little blonde girl's eyes twinkled as she gasped. She leaned over still clutching the bed, "Really! Anything I want!" Ron nodded extending out his hand. The little blonde jumped out of her bed and quickly hugged Ron, "Can we go get some ice cream please?" Strangely enough the little girl intimated the puppy dog pout Kim did to Ron.
He crumbled like a stack of playing cards under her adoring gaze, "Of course anything you want…" The little girl smiled following Ron outside the room. Unexpectedly she reached out and grabbed his hand holding it. Ron didn't expect it, but smiled as he returned the gesture. Walking to the nearest ice cream storage room the little blonde talked a storm to the bigger blonde as she practically skip each step. Unknowing to the two Ann Possible watched from the sidelines unable to stop the warm feeling she felt.
…
Returning back to Ashley's room they sat on the edge of bed excitedly enjoying their frozen treats. The little blonde giggled when Ron dropped some of his ice cream on his cargo pants. She laughed even harder when he said 'Aw man…' So far this day to her was her favorite and couldn't get any better or so she thought.
"Hey Ashley?" The little blonde stopped licking her vanilla flavored treat, "Why am I your hero?" She looked at him confused, "I mean I'm just the sidekick. The funny guy, the goofball…the joke, I'm no hero…" Ron shoulders fell as he downed himself.
The girl's eye burned with passion, "You're not a joke!" Her sudden fierce voice echoed through the walls, "You're the greatest!" He looked at the 6 year old intensely, "You go around the world helping people and stopping bad guys!"
Ron rubbed the back of his neck, "Yea but so does Kim…"
"Uh-uh!" She interrupted, "You're different! Even when you barely know how to fight you still go even if you're scared! I could never do that!" She hugged him closely, "You love to help people and make them smile, but don't care when they don't remember your name." She pressed against him harder, "It's not fair, but you still help anyways…And that's why you're my hero!" She finally finished letting her ice cream drip on the floor.
Ron tossed his ice cream missing the trash but not caring in the slightest. Instead he rubbed the little blonde's back, "Is that why you help all those doctors and other little kids?" Ron asked puzzled slightly.
Ashley nodded, "Yea I wanted to be just like you!" She let go tugging his shirt, "Whenever I help someone I get this nice warm fuzzy feeling inside 'cough' I like it…" The little blonde coughed a few more times making Ron a little worried, "It makes me happy to see them smile 'cough'…Just like how you make your best friend smile. Does making Kim happy 'cough' make you have the same warm fuzzy feeling?" She asked.
Ron almost didn't hear the question through his concerning thoughts from Ashley's coughing. He smiled looking away, "Yea whenever I see Kim smile I get that warm fuzzy feeling inside to…it's one of the reason I go with her on her missions. So I could see that smile whenever we finish a mission. I like the feeling too!" He answered looking back at her to only find she fell back on the bed.
She looked sicker than before- Her eyes looked tired and her skin paler than before. Her hair scattered across her pillow and her ice cream fallen on the floor. Ron could see she was struggling to keep her eyes open and swiftly he picked her up cradling her in his arms.
"Ashley!" He called out…nothing, "Ashley can you hear me!" He called out once more…A slight nudge came from the little blonde.
"Ron…" She called out very weak, "Today was the best day ever…"
Ron held her breathing slowly. A second he thought- something clicked. Holding her tightly Ron smiled weakly, "Ashley…" He called out only for her to lightly nod her head, "Do you have a wish?" Her eyes found some fire in them again.
"Yea…I wish everyone…everyone could be just as happy…as you." Ron chuckled, "What's so…funny?"
"No Ashley do you have a wish for yourself?" He asked more calmly this time. The little girl tried very hard to stay awake looking quite sad.
"It wouldn't be nice to…wish for myself…it would be…selfish of me." She answered weakly.
Ron rocked her in his arms, "You know Ashley it's not selfish to wish for something for you. Sometimes It's those wishes that come true when we least expect them." The little girl in his hands nudged a little, "Come on you got to have a wish for yourself?"
She nodded...her eyes closed, "My only wish is…that I could…grow up to be…a big girl and…do big girl things…That's all I want." She closed her eyes her breathing becoming very shallow- barely awake. A small tear trailed down from the bigger blonde. He could feel it. She was soon.
He leaned in close to her ear hoping she would hear, "I promise to try my best…" Ron whispered in her ear getting only an 'Ehhh' reaction.
Breathing deeply Ron feared for what he was about to do. Fear always had a grip on him since his young child like days, but it was also fear that drove him to do the things he did. The fear of losing his best friend if he didn't follow her on her missions, the fear of his mystical monkey powers that gave him an edge when needed, and now the fear of losing a girl as sweet as sunshine. Her sunshine was just as powerful as his Ronshine and it made him feel good inside. But now wasn't the time for his fear to take control now was time for him to do the impossible.
Running his fingers through her strands of hair Ron gently laid Ashley down giving the little blonde a quick kiss to the forehead, before reading up. He inhaled deeply before exhaling the same. Cautiously the blonde hovered his hands above her body. Ron closed his eyes calling out- his closest ally and his greatest fear…His mystical monkey powers. Afraid he focused hoping for a miracle.
Just once he wished he could be the hero this girl saw in him. Just once things would work out in his favor. Just once.
Ron didn't notice until he opened his eyes. A soft blue aura escaped his fingers entangling the little blonde. He almost gasped but held it in trying not to lose focus. The blue magic entered every pore of Ashley's body and she welcomed it unknowingly. The color in her skin and motions of her breathing slowly but surely bettered and Ron could see it. He could see her relax.
Finished- the blue aura disappeared leaving no trace it ever existed.
Ron smiled knowing full well what he hoped to happen actually did. For once the odds were with him- not against him. Quietly getting up Ron walked over to the picture she drew of him and wrote a few words and then he walked out the room leaving one final smile behind, already looking forward to what tomorrow brings.
…
Doctor Ann Possible walked through the halls heading straight for Ashley Ray's room. She looked sadden she knew the little girl time was coming to an end. She brought such joy to the other doctors and patients. And thought positively…at least Ronald was able to give her one last day of happiness. Still she tried to feel happy, but the emotion didn't come so easy. Ann was so lost in her thoughts that she didn't notice the amounts of doctors running into Ashley's room. When it dawned on her the auburn woman ran to her room hoping the worst hadn't yet happened. Pushing through the other doctors Ann came across a sight she didn't expect.
Holding their daughter was Mr. and Mrs. Ray with tears flowing down their eyes and returning that hug was Ashley Ray- only difference she looked better?
"Can someone tell me what's going on here?" Suddenly one her colleagues presented her with Ashley's latest charts. Checking through the medical info Ann scanned the documents several times. The clip board in her hands shook. Ashley's cancer cells were vanishing. Her cancer cell count had dropped and looked like to be dropping at a large rate. The sitch was unbelievable, "What? How?" That's all she could say.
"It was my hero!" Her voice startled everybody in the room. Ashley jumped on the bed, "Ron Stoppable!" Ann looked confused, "He asked me what I wished for…" Her parents had tears streaming down their face listening to their daughter, "…and I wished that I could grow up! And he made it come true! I'm feeling a lot better"
Ann scratched her head confused, "But that's impossible wishes don't come true…just like that."
"No! Wishes can come true look!"Ashley grabbed the picture she drew of him from under the sheets and handed over to her.
Ann looked at the picture intensely re-reading over the words scribbled down on it over and over again. How could she forget the very thing she taught that boy, 'Anything is Possible!' Tears almost escaped her- almost. She held her emotions in very well. Nothing could cause her to cry…almost nothing.
"HEY ASHLEY!" A voice echoed from outside the window and quickly the little blonde jumped off the bed and headed to the window. Ann recognized that voice and followed right after to gaze outside.
Outside- Ron Stoppable was hanging on a rope ladder while Kim Possible was already in the helicopter preparing to take off towards a new mission. How they didn't hear the roar of the helicopter escaped them. The blonde waved to her with his signature Ron smile added. As the copter took off Ron continued to wave with Ashley waving right back.
"I'LL COME VISIT YOU WHEN WE GET BACK!" He screamed over the roar of the engine. Ann couldn't believe it! She didn't want to believe it! She was a woman of science sure she had faith, but she wanted an explanation to why and how Ron did what he did. She wasn't sure if she could rest until she knew. There had to be some logical reason behind all this…
The copter suddenly tilted due to a strong gush of air and Kim fill out. Ann gasped as she watched her daughter fall and not prepared to pull out her grappling gun. Time slowed down for a brief second. It was all over- Kimberly was as good as…
"I got you KP!" Amazing Ron caught Kim with his one free hand pulling her in by the waist. Kim clutched onto Ron, holding her the blonde just saved Kim Possible right in front of her mother's own eyes.
Ann couldn't believe it as her jaw hung loosely. Did Ronald just do that? He did! He just saved Kimberly, but where did that come from?
"See I told you he's a hero!" Ashley yelled out right beside Ann.
Ann looked at the little blonde. She was filled with hope and believed. She believed. And right there and then her questions received there answer and Ann smiled warmly. Some things were unexplainable and should stay that way, but one thing was now for certain in her mind as she let tears flow down her cheeks.
Ron Stoppable is a hero…
A/N: The only way to beat writer's block is to push through. This story idea has been stuck in my head for many months I just never got around to writing it. This is my first one-shot and I'm glad I wrote it.
It's a little sad, but I wanted to write it. I know it's not me, but oh well.
Now time for a break...till then Imyoshi
