Happy 4th of July to all, and welcome to the next installment of my AU cautionary tale, where the altRon finally takes the bull by the horns, so to speak, and in more than one way. Like last time, plenty of action and romance, but now in the AU. But what will the final result be? Well, what are you waiting for?

But first, my thanks to last chapter's reviewers: Jimmy1201, Sentinel103, Eddy13 (who's just posted a rather touching KP wedding fic), Bookworm Gal, ajw1970, CajunBear73, EchidnaPower, Joyce LaKee (who's just posted a very entertaining Drakken/Shego engagement fic), Tito Mosquito, and Ivory Regan.

So choose your favorite beverage, sit back and relax. This one's on me...


Upset Cheerleader


I.

"No guts, no glory, Rufus."

Ron's now superintelligent naked mole rat merely wagged his head in disbelief.

"Once again, I'd advise against it. The fate of the world may rest upon the events of this evening."

Ron scratched his chin. "Now, we are talking about the same thing, aren't we?"

Rufus gave a rare roll of his eyes. "Yes, Ron. But the football game is in the bag. Just as long as you don't try to win it single-handedly at 300-0."

"No problemo, my friend. I'll give them, say, a fighting chance?"

"Riiiight. Like Germany gave Poland a fighting chance in 1939."

"Nah, I'm taking about…" He exhaled a deeply romantic sigh. "Kim…"

"Precisely. But is the destiny of the world worth your affections for Kim Possible?"

"It might be, Rufus, little buddy. It might be…"


II.

An hour later, Ron was at the high school suited up and ready to go. Ron rubbed his hands together in nervous anticipation. "Well, Kim, this is the big night. Our first game of the season, and my first as the team's quarterback. Boy, I'm looking forward to tossing around that old pig hide!"

Kim snickered, "I think you mean pigskin, Ron. But I'm really happy for you. I've been watching you out on the field, and I think you're going to do real well tonight."

He danced his eyebrows. "Ooh, so you've been watching me, huh?"

She sighed, "Yeah, and watching all the other cheerleaders watch you, too."

Kim added with a growl, "Especially Bonnie."

Ron waved a dismissive hand. "Yeah, but she's such a snarky tart. So not my type, Kim."

Kim grinned back, "Well, then, what is your type, exactly?"

With a twinkle in his eye, he gave her a mischievous smile. "How about we talk about that afterwards? Say, at Bueno Nacho, about 10-ish? I know we have a game, but it's still Ron night, right?"

She carefully replied, "Sure, Ron. But if we win, aren't you going to want to celebrate with your posse?"

He looked at her askance. "What, you mean with the other cheerleaders?"

"Sure! I hear Tara has the biggest crush on you."

He replied offhandedly, "Yeah, so I've heard. Well, it's time. And good luck with all of your cheer routines. You really inspire our team to do our best. And I mean it."

"Thanks, Ron. So break a leg, okay?"

He gave Kim a smile of thanks and a smart salute in reply as he joined the rest of his teammates. But he secretly hoped that the real victory of the evening would be off the field.

Kim wagged her head in wonder. "Wow. I would have bet the money from a year a babysitting jobs that Ron would be going absolutely ape over all the attention he's been getting from the cheer squad, not to mention anyone else of the female persuasion."

As she continued to muse over the possible reason, she felt a tinge of… what? Was it merely discomfort, or was it actual fear? She certainly didn't disapprove, but if the reason was actually… She wasn't ready to face that possibility yet, and shook her head to clear it, giving herself a little pep talk.

"Kim, you're the girl who can do anything, and that includes figuring out Ron…"


III.

The whistle blew on the football field. Ron Stoppable, quarterback, and the rest of the Middleton Mad Dogs proudly entered the football field for their first game of the season.

The announcer excitedly declared, "It's a beautiful night for Middleton's first game of the season against the Lowerton Lemurs. And there's been quite a buzz about our new quarterback, Ron Steppable."

The co-announcer quickly whispered in his ear.

"Ooh, sorry, that's Stoppable. But don't let that name fool you! From what I've heard, this guy's anything but stoppable, having replaced Middleton's legendary Brick Flag after five seasons."

The co-announcer again whispered in his ear.

"And after actually seven years in high school, to boot! Ironically, it was Stoppable himself that gave the Brickster the necessary tutorage that allowed him to graduate, at least according to the rumors. So our newbie has some pretty big pants to fill, literally and figuratively…"

The Middleton High cheer squad was excited as well, and began with the routine that had just won them the latest regional competition. To the furious pounding of drums and other percussion, they flawlessly executed their incredible routine, ending with an energetic, "Goooooo Mad Dogs!"

Even Bonnie was giving her legendary 130%, in spite of having been suspended for a week by Coach Barkin after clobbering Ron only a few weeks before.

But one particular cheerleader wasn't quite as happy as she ought to be under the circumstances. And sadly, it was the squad captain herself, Kim Possible.

Earlier that day, she had confided in her closest female friend, Monique.

"Monique, is it only me, or does something seem wrong about all this?"

The dark-skinned teen looked down at her lunch with a disgusted look, stirring the grayish plate of what appeared to be some kind of noodley glop in front of her.

"You said it, Kim. Mystery meat is one thing, but this stuff gives new meaning to the word unrecognizable."

Kim let out a dry chuckle. "Yeah, this stuff is so the drama, but I was really talking about, uh, Ron?"

"What, about him being the new quarterback? Surprising, yes. Make that incredibly, unbelievably surprising. But wrong? No way, girl! That boy's finally stepped up and gotten his act together! And tonight he gets to prove it to the world."

Kim frowned, "Yeah, and don't get me wrong, I'm really happy for him, and for the team. But I keep getting this weird feeling that this isn't supposed to be happening."

Shoveling another forkful of gooey pasta into her mouth, Monique chided, "Girl, you should be happy for him instead of second guessing whatever the reason is behind it."

Kim looked listlessly down at her half-finished salad. "Yeah, maybe you're right. But come to think of it, the feeling I'm getting isn't so much it's not supposed to be happening at all, but that it's not supposed to be happening yet."

Monique cocked a curious eyebrow at the blonde cheerleader. "Say what? Not happening yet, as in it's supposed to happen sometime in the future? Girl, did you get dumped on your head in cheer practice or somethin'? Cuz you ain't makin' no sense."

"Yeah, I know, but I just can't shake it. And now the way the rest of the cheer squad is looking at him and talking about him, especially Bonnie…"

Monique grinned back with a look that said she had it all figured out. "Kim, it sounds to me like you've got a real bad case of jellin.' Ron Stoppable has been your best bud for years, but now that he's stepped up, he's attracting all the ladies. Especially the ones on your own cheer squad."

A brief look of anger passed over Kim's face. "You think I haven't noticed, Monique?"

She continued a bit more calmly, "But the real funny thing is, it hasn't gone to his head, at least not yet. And he actually seems to be paying more attention to me than ever before, in spite of his cheer squad posse. Which is kinda weird, since we're really, well, just friends."

Monique gave her a sly look. "Just friends? Girl, I know you two a lot better than you think. I think that Ron has a little crush on a certain cheer squad captain, but he doesn't want to be too obvious about it. And he's going out of his way to be considerate of your feelings, which, heh, makes it totally obvious!"

Kim suddenly realized that this was at the root of her concern. "And that's exactly what scares me."

Monique looked stunned. "Scares you? Kim, you face bad guys and supervillains on an almost weekly basis, and Ron scares you?"

She replied with a self-conscious little giggle. "Well, maybe scare isn't really the operative word here. More like, concerned, maybe? But he does seem to be going out of his way not to freak me out by doing anything, y'know, overt?"

"Like asking you out on a date?"

"Yeah, exactly."

"Well, why don't you ask him out?" She added with a smirk, "This is the 21st century, you know."

Kim instantly paled. "You mean a real date? And not just 'Ron night' at the local Bueno Nacho? Sorry, Monique, but I'm not exactly comfortable with that right now. Maybe some other time."

With a roll of her eyes, Monique griped, "Oh, I see. Just gonna wait for some other hottie to snatch him up, and solve your little problem for you?"

Kim tersely replied, "It's not that at all, Monique, and you know it."

Monique smiled sweetly back at Kim as she replied in a singsong voice, "Dee-NIGH-al!"

This only infuriated Kim more. "So not the denial, Monique! It's just that I've always thought of Ron not so much as a boy, but just as, you know… Ron."

She sneered back, "And therefore, not dating material?"

Kim prevaricated, "Well, uh, not so much. But in my defense, I've never really given it a lot of thought, at least until now."

"What, dating? Or Ron? Or dating… Ron?"

"Both. Neither. I don't know, Monique! Now I'm really getting confused."

"But you are thinking about it, right? Kim, you're the captain of the cheer squad, and he's now the captain of the football team and its star quarterback!"

With a gentle wag of her head, Kim smiled wanly back at her friend. "Which I never would have believed unless I had seen it with my own eyes."

Monique shrugged, "Hmph. I'm with you on that, Kim. But it's true. And it's like, well, an unwritten rule that you two should be dating!"

Kim growled back, "Now you're beginning to sound just like Bonnie."

"Who might just step in and snatch the prize, if you're not careful."

Kim was still hesitant. "But I really don't consider Ron a 'prize.' He's my best friend, Monique! But maybe you're right. Maybe dating would be next logical step, as long as it didn't interfere with our friendship or our missions."

Monique exclaimed, "Friendship? Missions? Girl, we're talking high school romance here, and you're making it sound like a math problem!"

Kim fastidiously replied, "Actually, it's a matter of priorities. And dating anybody has to take second place to schoolwork and fighting bad guys. I may be the girl who can do anything, but I can't do everything. I've got to know my limitations."

Her friend tsked back, "Now you're sounding just like Clint Westwood. And making excuses on top of it."

She answered defensively, "It's not an excuse to be careful, Monique. I just don't want to make a snap decision based on what other people think I should be doing. Peer pressure can blow up in your face if you're not careful. And what if the new relationship didn't work out? I could lose him as a friend, too…""

Monique gave her an intense look. "But if you don't do anything, that can be just as big a mistake, Kim."

Kim sighed, "Yeah, you're absolutely right. But really deep down, I just can't shake this weird feeling that this whole sitch shouldn't even be happening at all. Well, not yet at least."

Monique wagged her head in disbelief. "So you're thinking that you can decide sometime in the future when every I is dotted and every T crossed? Uh, uh. Ain't gonna happen. So my advice, Kim? Carpe diem. Strike while the iron's hot. Tomorrow may be too late."

Kim was silent for a moment. "Well, I do have to admit that Ron seems tons more focused than this past summer. Or ever, for that matter. It's… it's like he's a totally different person, somehow."

Monique gave a dismissive wave of her hand. "Girl, he's just growing up and getting his act together. You should be happy for him. And besides, love makes people do some strange things sometimes."

She hooded her eyes and added with a purr, "So you should take full ad-van-tage of it."

After choking down the last of her mystery noodles, Kim's friend left the table, leaving her lost in her own thoughts.


IV.

Back in the present, Kim was again distracted. Bonnie flailed her arms and complained, "Kim, mind in the game, please? It's time for the kickoff!"

"Oh, heh-heh, sorry, Bonnie." As they prepared for their next routine, the Middleton Mad Dogs were in a huddle, Ron giving them all a final pep talk.

"Okay, team. Just like we rehearsed." They gave him an odd look. "Uh, make that, practiced?"

They broke the huddle and assumed their positions to receive the initial kickoff. At the far end of the field, Ron closed his eyes in concentration, subtly activating his Mystical Monkey Power. He smiled as he recalled placing the idea in Coach Barkin's mind to change their team's colors from purple to a bright blue, as well as installing new floodlights with a bluish tinge, thus helping to camouflage any errant use of his supernatural powers.

The ball was kicked, sailing into Ron's waiting hands as if by magic. As he began charging down the field, the cheer squad likewise shifted their routine into high gear.

"Gooooo Mad Dogs! Gooooo Stoppable!"

Easily avoiding the opposing team's best efforts to tackle him, Ron swept into the end zone for a touchdown, followed a minute later by a two-point conversion. The announcer was ecstatic.

"Wow! We're barely two minutes into the game, and the Mad Dogs have already scored and now lead 8 to nothing! This is totally amazing, folks! If the Mad Dogs keep this up, this should be one exciting game!"

The announcer's observation was no less than prophetic as the Middleton Mad Dogs proceeded to totally dominate their opponents.

"And there's the snap. The new Mad Dog quarterback is carefully assessing the situation and searching for an opening… he throws… and… yes! That's another 40 yard completion, and… another touchdown!"

The Lowerton Lemurs continued to reel from the Middleton Mad Dogs onslaught, ably led by Ron Stoppable. "Now the Lemurs have the ball. It's snapped, and there's the throw, and… wait! Stoppable intercepts! He's at the 40… the 30… the 20… and… TOUCHDOWN! STOPPABLE DOES IT AGAIN!"

As the crowd continued to cheer wildly, Kim and the other cheerleaders looked on in amazement.

Bonnie giggled, "Wow, Kim. I still think Stoppable looks like a sick chicken when he's running down the field, but he's winning this game all by himself!"

Kim was likewise pleased, but couldn't help but feel a little apprehensive over Ron's uncharacteristically amazing performance, and especially over Bonnie's uncharacteristic attraction to her best friend.

"Wow! He sure is… um, uh... yeah! Go, Mad Dogs! And go, Ron!"

As Bonnie continued to witness the Ronster's amazing performance, her mind began to wander, imagining what she'd like to be doing with him after the game.

"Mmmm. You may have been a loser before, Stoppable, but you're right at the top of the food chain now. Right next to your Bon-Bon. So goodbye Brick, and helloooo Ron…"

As she licked her lips in anticipation, Ron would have been extremely distracted from his game had he been picking up on Bonnie's current rather lascivious thoughts. But at that moment Ron was surreptitiously eavesdropping on the Lemur's huddle, whose own quarterback was not happy.

He hissed through clenched teeth, "All right, this Stoppable dude is making us look like total fools. Three touchdowns in the first quarter, and we can hardly even hold on to the ball! So we've got to take him out of this game completely before it becomes a total rout. Do whatever it takes. Everyone got it? Stoppable is toast."

Everybody nodded in agreement as they broke from their huddle. Ron smiled grimly in the foreknowledge of what the Lemurs were about to attempt.

He thought to himself with a smirk, "Ooh, real bad decision there, guys. And I have the bon-diggity feeling that you're all going to regret it real soon. Note… serious… face."

As the lines were formed, the announcer came back on. "It's the first and ten in Lowerton territory… the ball is snapped… and it's a blitz!"

Suddenly, the Lemurs broke through the Middleton defensive linemen, rushing fiercely toward Ron with murder in their eyes. Kim and the rest of the cheer squad held their breath in fearful anticipation of the impending impact. But wearing a faint smile, the redheaded quarterback firmly stood his ground, apparently unfazed by the oncoming tidal wave of linebackers. In an instant, nine huge players had smothered Ron in a crushing dog pile. Kim and Bonnie gasped, reflexively holding on to the other, fearful of Ron's fate.

The announcer warned, "Uh-oh! Looks like Stoppable has been sacked, and how! Better call for the medic, and quick!"

But now hidden from the spectator's view, Ron used a burst of his Mystical Monkey Power to repel his attackers. All of a sudden, players amazingly began flying through the air as Ron almost effortlessly broke out of the crushing pileup. The crowd broke into an uproarious cheer at the incredible feat.

The announcer suddenly exclaimed, "Holy cheese and crackers, he's okay! And not only that, he's still standing! And running!"

Kim stared in disbelief as Ron tore down the field, the Lemurs in hot pursuit.

As Coach Barkin looked on with incredulity, Kim and Bonnie began to chant, "Go, Ron! Go, Ron!"

Tara and Hope immediately joined in, quickly followed by the other cheerleaders, Crystal, Liz, Jessica, and Marcella. Soon, the entire stadium was chanting right along with them. All except the Lemur's cheer squad, who were now packing up their stuff to leave, even though the game wasn't even half over, much to the Lemur's chagrin.

As Ron once again victoriously entered the end zone, the announcer yelled at the top of his lungs, "It's another touchdown! Ladies and Gentlemen, Stoppable is ABSOLUTELY UNSTOPPABLE!"

The second half was almost an anticlimax as the Middleton Mad Dogs continued to thoroughly trounce the Lowerton Lemurs. And once he discovered that he had been personally singled out for destruction by the opposing team, Ron felt no compunction in subtly using his powers to cause the Lemurs to continually trip over themselves or fumble the ball for the rest of the game.

As the main announcer had finally yelled himself hoarse, the co-announcer had to finish as the commentator. "And there's the final buzzer ending the game. Final score in this incredible record-setting blowout: Middleton Mad Dogs 112-0 over the Lowerton Lemurs! Ladies and gentlemen, Middleton has a new hero, and his name is Ron Stoppable!"

Coach Barkin could barely control his excitement, but managed to stay cool as he addressed the hero of the hour. "Not bad for a first game, Stoppable. That was some shellacking you gave the Lemurs. And it almost makes up for that look you gave me in the ninth grade."

Ron smiled back sheepishly as he uttered a contrite, "Booyah!"

Barkin however continued with a condescending sneer, "But that's still pretty far from the all-time high school record of 256-0."

Laughing nervously, Ron responded, "Well, it was only our first game, Mr. B. And by the way, that record has stood since, what? 1927? But I promise we'll do better the next time."

As the cheer squad ran up to congratulate Ron, Kim breathlessly said, "He did it. He really did it!"

Bonnie agreed. "Yeah, I know! That was unbelievable!"

Kim still had a few reservations however, and mumbled back, "Yeah, a little too unbelievable, if you ask me."

But Bonnie laughed it off, saying, "I guess all that running away from bad guys finally paid off, huh?"

Not quite convinced, she intoned, "Yeah, but it is kinda weird, isn't it?"

Aggressively reaching Ron first, Bonnie leapt into his arms, wrapping her own arms and legs tightly around the surprised sports hero. Before he knew what was happening, she followed up with an intensely passionate kiss, which lasted only several seconds in reality, but an eternity for Kim.

Finally breaking the smooch, Bonnie purred in Ron's ear, "Congratulations, lover boy. You've just stepped up right to the top. So how would you like to come by my place later and… celebrate?" She gave a playful nip of his earlobe. "And since everyone else at home is gone for the weekend, we'll have the place to ourselves. Oh, and don't bother to shower. I'd like to see you glisten, just the way Brick used to."

His face turning a bright red, Ron quickly extricated himself from her smothering embrace. "Uh, thanks, Bonnie, but I have kind of a prior engagement…"

He smiled inwardly. And make that literally, please and thank you.

But he stopped short as he took one look at Kim, who was staring at them both with a look of furious anger that he had rarely, if ever, seen on her face before.

As Ron's mouth hung open in embarrassment, Kim angrily growled, "Marking your territory, B?"

Bonnie turned to Kim with an unrepentant smile and taunted, "Oh, did you want to say something to my hero too, K?"

Clenching her fists, the blonde spat back, "Yeah, and I have some choice words for you too, Bonnie! But I may not be able to stop at just words, slut face!"

Ron could tell from her body language that Kim was about to attack. And if she did, Bonnie had better pray that her medical insurance was paid up to date, and maybe her life insurance as well. Fortunately, fate gracefully intervened as several teammates suddenly dumped a huge cooler of Gator-Aid on the hero, splashing all over him but drenching Bonnie as well.

She instantly screamed, "Ooh! You idiots! Do you have any idea how much it costs to dry clean this uniform? Now I've got to get out of these sticky clothes right now!" Her hair now plastered to her head, she stomped off to change, as the rest of the cheer squad tittered with pleasure.

Ron lifted his eyes in thanks to the powers that be, relieved that the potentially explosive confrontation had been averted. Furthermore, he hardly noticed the rest of the cheer squad and his teammates swooning over him and congratulating him, having eyes for only one person: Kim Possible. But before he had a chance to say a single word, he was lifted up on the shoulders of his teammates and triumphantly carried off the field.

But even as he was whisked away, he cried out, "KP! Bueno Nacho at 10! Just you and me!"

He added with a pantomime that he would call her.

Kim's heart caught in her throat, touched that in spite of all his own accolades, he had still singled her out.

"Oh, man. What's gotten into me? I'm not ready to turn into a crushing sheep…"


V.

Kim had decided to go home and change first. On a whim she called her dad, who was still at the lab.

"Dad, could I talk to you? I have kind of a, well, a problem."

He immediately recognized not only the tone of her voice, but also what her problem was undoubtedly about.

"Ooh, ah, Kimmie-cub? I think boy trouble is more your mother's department, isn't it?"

"Well, good news. This isn't about a boy, it's about Ron."

Relieved, he muttered, "Oh, well, that's different."

"So anyway, Ron has really stepped up his game, literally. He won the football game tonight, single handed. But I never thought he had it in him to do something so ferociously athletic before."

James chuckled, "Well, maybe he's been eating his Wheaty-Oh's. Builds strong bodies, uh, any number of ways."

"Yeah, but now the rest of the cheer squad is going bananas over him, especially Bonnie. And I'm, uh, not sure if I should be too. He's always been more than just a friend, but I'm not sure I want to cross the line yet."

"And what line is that?"

"The date line, Dad."

"Hmm. Are we talking the International Date Line, or zero degrees Greenwich Mean?"

Kim placed her head in both hands at her father's cluelessness. "No, Dad, dating. As in, dating Ron?"

Now sounding quite abashed, James mumbled, "Oops. Like I said, that's your mother's area of expertise. See previous."

"But I'd really like to get your insight on…"

"CSHHHK! Sorry Kim, the line seems to be… KRSHHH! …breaking up…"

Click.

Kim sighed heavily. "Wow, that actually sounds like something that Ron would do. Maybe all men are like that? Oh, well. Time to call Mom, I guess."

But the line remained unanswered, going immediately to voicemail.

"Rats. Another emergency brain surgery, no doubt."

As she dejectedly hung up the phone, she resolved to face her newest challenge on her own. "Well, time to tough this one out by myself. But somehow I'd rather be facing Drakken, Dementor, and Monkey Fist, rather than be facing what might be coming up…"


VI.

With all the hoopla finally over, Kim and Ron were finally able to relax for a bite to eat at the local Bueno Nacho.

"Well, what did you think, KP?"

Kim simply shook her head in amazement. "Ron, what can I say? I'm nearly speechless. But I can say one thing for sure: I'm so proud of you, Ron. I never knew you had this in you. Ever."

Ron reflexively scratched the back of his neck. "Thanks, KP. That means a lot, coming from you. Heh… and like you, I'm just full of surprises! Heh-heh, yeah…"

Kim toyed with the remains of her salad. "But you know what impressed me the most tonight?"

He self-consciously babbled, "Uh, yeah! Who knew my mad running away skills would have real world applications?"

In spite of herself, she had to chuckle. "Not quite. You do me proud, Ron Stoppable, by just being you."

Ron seemed to melt into his seat at that observation. "Really? And you're not being sarcastic, like, say, Bonnie would?"

Kim gently smiled back at him. "No. Not at all. And I'm glad you brought Bonnie up."

Ron looked immediately apprehensive. "Uh, really, KP?"

"Yes. Because of your innocence, and purity of heart. Especially in comparison to…"

She had to immediately suppress a gag reflex. "Bon-Bon…"

Ron merely offered a shrug in response. "Well, you know, in her own way, she's more evil than any supervillain, KP. Maybe not in a take-over-the-world kind of way, but definitely in a high school sort of way."

This elicited the first warm smile of the evening from Kim. "Ron, you've changed. Not only have you resisted the…" Her hurl factor was rapidly approaching its limit. "…charms of sweet Bon-Bon, but ever since the start of the school year, you seem less goofy, and more, well, ferociously focused. Even our missions seem to have gone a lot more smoothly, in no small part due to you."

She fixed him with a curious stare. "So that begs the question: what's the sitch?"

Ron hesitated for a moment, wondering if he should come totally clean at this time. No, not just yet

"Well, I guess I've just tried to step up and get my act together." Which is no lie… "I know we've been really tight as friends since pre-K, but things are different now that we're, uh…"

He stopped short before accidentally saying, married. "Now that we're sophomores. I really want to earn your respect, KP. After years of being a goof-off, I've realized there are much more important things that I need to be doing." Like save the world, and our very lives

Kim nodded, "Yeah, that's what Monique said at lunch."

Ron raised one eyebrow. "Oh, so you've been discussing me with Monique, huh?"

"Yeah. And she thinks a certain someone is crushing on a certain cheer captain."

Blushing slightly, one corner of his mouth turned up. "Ooh, guilty as charged..."

"And don't think I haven't caught you giving me the once over during some of our missions. Which brings up another point. These days, you seem to have this sixth sense about danger approaching, and have outthought and outfought any bad guys we've come up against over the past few months."

Hope rising, he tried to answer as evenly as possible. "Just watching your back, KP."

Her visage softened at that remark. "Thanks, Ron. Really. And all of this does mean a lot to me. Plus, you seem to have matured a few years, almost overnight. But that game tonight? That was almost scary to the max the way you blew away the Lemurs, and nearly all by yourself."

Ron folded his hands and looked down at the table, praying for the right words to say. "Kim, we've known each other for a long time, and we've really grown to know each other pretty well, and become best friends. And because of, or maybe even in spite of, our individual strengths and weaknesses. And all this time, your incredible focus and your fantastic crime fighting skills have inspired me. But what's really amazing to me is that you've never let it go to your head. You've always been absolutely sure of yourself without becoming overconfident or cocky. And I respect that more than you can possibly know, Kim. And that's one reason we're… we're such close friends."

He then heard a tiny voice in his mind, barely perceptible, but absolutely clear. "Don't waffle… don't give up… you're very close…"

Kim smiled back, "Thanks, Ron. And I appreciate the fact that you've always had my back, and had my best interests at heart. And as goofy as you've been in the past, I've always considered you my best friend."

In the back of his mind, though, he heard an unspoken 'but.' But we're only just friends…

He looked up at her with a gaze that was part intense, part pleading. "But will we always be, well, just friends? Or is there something more? Over the past few months, I've grown more convinced that there is. And I suspect that maybe, just maybe, you might feel the same way?"

Kim was rendered speechless at that insight, keeping her sudden feelings under a frozen mask of control.

He carefully continued, "So that means that someone has to be the first to, uh, break the ice, I guess. And I guess that means… me."

Something immediately broke inside Kim. She instantly realized that as brave, as focused, and as totally Type A she was in contrast to his easy-going laid-back Type B personality, that it was now Ron who was making the first fearful, tentative step toward what could be the next level in their relationship.

Kim let out a tiny whoosh and looked down at the table herself. She dared not look up into those deep brown eyes, for fear of what she might now say or do. But she knew deep in her heart that he was absolutely, positively, irrevocably correct.

She thought to herself, "I'm the girl who can do anything. So why can't admit that I'm feeling the same way?"

Monique's words from earlier that day sprang back unbidden into her mind. "Strike while the iron's hot. Tomorrow may be too late..."

Not wanting to eavesdrop on her thoughts, Ron patiently waited for a response, holding his breath in anticipation. But then, when he had nearly given up, Kim looked up at him. Not with a lustful glance of desire like Bonnie would have, but with a tender, almost fragile look of hopefulness. She imperceptibly moved her head a fraction of an inch toward him.

Ron leaned over the table, hesitating for just a moment. But Kim did not pull back, closing her eyes in anticipation of their very first kiss. As their lips touched, it was as if an electric current shot through each of their bodies. At the edge of Ron's mind, he thought that he might have accidentally activated his Mystical Monkey Power, but a quick check showed that he was still his normal pink-skinned self.

For a moment, their kiss continued even more urgently, but Kim suddenly broke it off, bringing one hand up to her mouth with a confused look on her face.

Concerned, Ron reached out and gently placed his hand over her other hand. "Kim, is something wrong?"

Kim looked stunned for a moment. "No… well, yes, kind of. That… that kiss seemed so right, and yet so wrong at the same time."

Ron looked perplexed. "What do you mean, KP?"

She looked thoughtful for a moment. "Well, the kiss itself was, well, just spankin." Her breath caught as a dreamy look came over her face. "Make that ferociously spankin.' But the timing… it seems, well, it just seems… wrong somehow…"

Ron gave her a warm smile and hooded his eyes ever so slightly, trying to alleviate her doubts. "Well, it seemed perfectly badical to me."

He breathed a little sigh as he recalled the previous timeline, in which Kim had bitterly complained that it had taken him twelve stinkin' years to kiss her.

"And now I'm two years early, and my timing is STILL off…"

But even as she basked in the warm afterglow of that kiss, she couldn't shake the strange feeling. "It's like, I'm about to take my big final in geometry, and I'm totally and completely prepared for it, but I've shown up for it, well, a day early. No, make that a month. Does that make any sense?"

He mumbled under his breath, "Actually, more than you can possibly know."

Suddenly, a tiny mole rat mind touched his. "Take it slow… don't push it…"

Taking a deep breath, Ron calmly rose from the table. "Let's go home, Kim. It's been a really fantastic day, but I can tell we're both totally exhausted, and we've left each other with a lot to think about. So let's just enjoy the moment, and get together tomorrow after we've both had a good night's sleep."

Kim relaxed, smiling back at him. He gently took her hand and led her out of the restaurant. Suddenly she stopped, softly placing a finger on his lips.

"Now, you're not the type of boy to kiss and tell, are you?"

He looked up into the air and gently chided, "Hey, I'm no longer just Ron, I'm a boy now…"

She couldn't help but blush at his observation. "Yes. Yes, you are, Ron." She frowned slightly as she continued, "But don't change the subject, please and thank you?"

He confidently smiled back, "Got it, KP. And the answer is, no way. In another time and another place, I might have been tempted to give in to big-headiness and brag about it, but not any more."

Oops.

"Uh, better make that, not now, as in our current time reference, and…"

Another tiny mole rat thought brushed his mind. "Focus, focus…"

Now it was Kim's turn to look a bit perplexed. But her face hardened a bit as she continued, "So, you're not going to tell Bonnie? Maybe in person, and maybe later tonight perhaps, over at her place?"

Ron looked perfectly stunned. "Absolutely no way, Kim! Bon-Bon may like to climb all over me like a cheap suit, but I've already made it clear to her I'm not interested in her, now or ever. And where would you get an idea like that anyway?"

Kim quietly snarked, "Uh, try when she was grinding up against you after the game and inviting you over to spend the night?"

Ron gave a gentle roll of his eyes as he wagged his head. "Yeah, I thought she whispered that kinda loud. And you did hear my answer, that I had a previous engagement, which is the bon-diggity one we're enjoying right now?"

Kim began to relax ever so slightly.

"But seriously, I think she was just jerking your chain in her oh-so-obviously competitive way of hers. She really wanted you to hear that, and, by the way, no matter what my response might have been, just so she could get your goat and turn you into a green eyed jellin' monster."

He smiled as he took Kim gently into his arms, softly caressing her beautiful face. "But it backfired on the little tramp, didn't it?"

As Kim gazed deep into his chocolate brown eyes, she began to melt again inside. "Yeah, it kinda did."

He drew her into another tender kiss, this one even deeper and longer than the first. As he did, he recalled a similar kiss from his past which he hoped to relive sometime in the future: their first kiss as husband and wife. That was however still quite a ways away, but tonight was at least a very pleasant first step.

Finally releasing her, he suggested, "Hey, I've got an idea. I'm not one to kiss and tell, but I'm not holding you to that. And maybe if you gave Bon-Bon a call tonight, you could sorta let it slip that we, uh, kinda…"

Kim giggled mischievously. "Ronald Stoppable, you are evil. And I think some of those villains we've been fighting lately have rubbed off on you just a little."

He smirked back, "Oh, so you like the bad boys, huh?"

She offered a little shrug in response. "Not much, but a little. And I think you've just struck the right balance."

And with that, she gave him a quick peck on the cheek.

"G'night, Ron. See you tomorrow."

As she left for home, Kim left a goofily smiling and ecstatically happy Ron Stoppable walking seemingly on air back to his moped.

"Pinch me, Rufus, I must be dreaming…"

Ron immediately felt a sharp pain in his behind. "Ow! Rufus, what the heck?"

He immediately heard the snicker of a naked mole rat, as Rufus popped out of the side pocket of his cargo pants. "Surprise!"

"You little scamp! You've been there all along, haven't you?"

"Of course! I just wanted to make sure you didn't make an absolute fool of yourself like you have in the past. Besides, I got kind of a vicarious thrill out of watching you two do your little dance around all these emotional issues."

Ron clucked his tongue. "My own pet, a little spy. What's this world coming to…"


VII.

In his secret lair located in Bavaria, Professor Dementor made a few final adjustments and cackled softly to himself, fondly patting his latest invention.

"For too long, Kim Possible has been the thorn in the side, but no longer! With my newest device, the Transportulator, I vill simply call her up on the phone, and she will be converted into pure electrical energy and transported directly to my lair. I vill then torture her mercilessly mit hours of my favorite yodeling recordings, on a loop no less, until her brain is the consistency of warmed-over oatmeal! She vill then pose no further threat to my quest for verld domination!"

He gave the Transportulator another tender rub. "Yes, I have had zis idea for a long time now, but only mit the extraordinary funds provided through that financial grant from that dear Senior fellow, have I been able to fully develop this invention. Without that money, it would have taken me years to perfect. But now, victory is within my grasp! Ha-ha-ha-hah! But first, I need her telephone number."

He picked up the phone. "Hello, International Directory Assistance? I vould like the number of Miss Kim Possible in Middleton, Colorado, in the USA."

But as soon as the operator began to respond, Dementor's face began to grow ever redder with anger. "VAT!? Fifty dollars for this so-called directory assistance!? I vill not pay such highway robbery! Good day to you!"

And with that, he furiously slammed the phone down, mumbling, "Ach, highway robbery. There ought to be a law…"

After a heavy sigh he continued, "But now how to locate Kim Possible's telephone number?"

He snapped his fingers as a possible solution suddenly sprang to mind. "Ah! I have the idea!"

Quickly walking over to his computer, he typed in 'Kim Possible dot com.' In another moment, he had retrieved the greatly desired number.

"Perfect! Und now I make the person to person call with which I shall snag that blonde busybody, and deal with her once and for all! HA-HA-HA-HAH!"

He scratched his chin in thought. "Now, should I use my red villain light, or would that just be overkill?"


VIII.

As she walked through her front door, Kim felt as if she were walking on a cloud of gossamer. She quietly closed the door and blissfully leaned back against it.

"Wow. Who would have ever thought that Ron could be such a good kisser? This is a whole new side to Ron that I never even knew existed. And when he said that he was full of surprises, he wasn't just kidding around. He said all the right things tonight, in just the right way, and at just the right time."

A troubling thought then entered her mind. "But maybe just a little too right…"

She recalled a recent episode of Captain Constellation that her father was all agog about, where an alien entity had taken over a crewman's body, subtly seducing the female security chief and gaining access to the starship's controls. Only through the concerted efforts of the Captain and his Chief Medical Officer was the ruse discovered and the ship saved once again. However, she had never been more thankful to hear her father proclaim that irritating tag line, "Missiles Are Go!" which meant she could now watch the newest episode of Agony County in peace.

As she perused that line of thought, Jim and Tim bounded down the stairs. "Wow! Cool game, Kim!"

Tim added, "And those totally wicked plays Ron made? Frankly, I didn't think he even had that kind of stuff."

Kim lowered her eyebrows in displeasure. "Hey, Tweebs. Ron did a great job, just like he always has. And besides, how would you two know about the game?"

Jim gushed, "New super-silent drone we just built. It's got hovering ability…"

"… and it's got a range up to ten miles!" Tim finished.

Jim slyly continued, "Not to mention infra-red technology, suitable for low-light situations outside of certain fast food restaurants, say, like Bueno Nacho about a half hour ago?"

Aghast, Kim's eyes shot wide open in horror. "TWEEBS!"

Scrambling back upstairs as quickly as possible, they slammed their bedroom door right in her face. She began pounding furiously on the door.

"If you Tweebs breathe so much as a single word of that to anyone, especially Mom or Dad, you'll both regret the day that you were born, even if I earn myself a life sentence in Cell Block C!"

A piece of paper was quickly slipped under the door. Kim picked it up and began to read it.

"I, the undersigned, hitherto known as Kim Possible, do solemnly swear to be at the beck and call of the signatories below, hitherto known as Jim and Tim Possible, in perpetuity…"

She crushed the paper in her hand and yelled, "This is blackmail!"

Jim's muffled voice could be heard through the door. "That's right! And unless you want the whole world to see that juicy kiss you just had with Ron, you'll sign it and slip it back under the door. We'll even make a copy for your records! You have sixty seconds. Tick…tick…tick…"

She angrily responded, "No deal! And I warn you: if you follow through with your threat, I will find you, and I will kill you."

And with that, she stormed to her room and slammed the door behind her, forcing herself to calm down. Whereupon, she began to reconsider bragging to Bonnie about her very first kiss with Ron.

"Hmm. As much as I'd enjoy turning the tables on Little Miss Snark, do I really want to stoop to her level?"

She thought back over the countless times Bonnie had derided either her and/or Ron in an attempt to build herself up, and mercilessly tear them down, along with anyone else that stood in her way. The top of the food chain was a hallowed place to her, and there was nothing she wouldn't stoop to in order to maintain her place in the spotlight of absolute popularity.

Kim snickered as she made her final decision. "Well, you know what they say about payback being. So if the shoe fits… And besides, once the Tweebs put my kiss with Ron on MeTube, everyone and their grandmother is gonna know about it anyway…"

Kim dialed the number and heard it ring twice before someone picked up.

Bonnie answered in a sultry voice, "So, Ronnie, reconsidering my little offer?"

Kim couldn't help but burst out in a fit of laughter.

A very flustered Bonnie babbled, "Hey, wait a minute! Who in the heck is this?"

Wiping her eyes, Kim replied, "Try the captain of your cheer squad, you snarky tramp. Oh, and by the way, Ronnie won't be coming by tonight. He's actually been with me, and I gotta say, he's one heck of a kisser."

Nearly beside herself with incredulity, Bonnie yelled, "You mean he's staying with you tonight?!"

Kim chuckled, "No, you loon. I do have my standards, unlike some cheerleaders I know. By the way, how are those antibiotics working?"

"Oh, just fine. The doctor says I'll… hey, wait! How did you know about that!?"

Kim snickered, "Remember that my mom's on staff at the Middleton Medical Center. She can find out almost anything about anybody."

Bonnie began to blush, and nearly hung up out of spite. In retrospect, she would deeply regret not doing so at that very moment. But after a beat of silence, she continued sarcastically, "So, you and Ron are dating?"

Kim triumphantly replied, "In a word, yes."

The teal-eyed cheerleader roared with newfound laughter. "Ha-ha-ha! Oh, that's just too rich! Give it up, Kim. You are so far below him now on the food chain that you couldn't possibly be…"

Just then, Kim heard a buzz on her phone. "Hold on, Bonnie. I've got another call."

"Hey, wait a…"

But Kim had already switched over to the new contact. "Hello?"

But the only reply was a soft cackle, followed by a distinctively recognizable voice. And one with a distinctively German accent. "Do you know who this is, Kim Possible?"

Kim gritted her teeth before replying. "It better not be who I think it is, or else I'm tracing this call and sending over Global Justice to throw your sorry butt into jail, Professor Dementor."

"Ha-ha-hah, you are so funny, Kim Possible! But it vill actually be the last phone call you vill ever try to be making!"

And with that ominous threat, he pushed a button on the Transportulator, instantly activating its diabolical circuitry. In a scintillating flash of light, Kim Possible simply disappeared, her cell phone clattering to the floor. But as it did so, it landed directly on the button reconnecting her previous call.

A very flustered Bonnie griped, "It's about time, Kim! So what's the big idea of putting me on hold and…"

But her tirade was cut off by yet another bright flash, as she too was reduced to her composite atoms and sucked into the telephone wires. Soon, both phones were beeping their ubiquitous warning.

"If you'd like to make a call, please hang up and try again... If you'd like to make a call, please hang up and try again…"


IX.

The phone rang, and a very sleepy Ron answered. "Hello, Kim? *yawn* Wow, I was just having the coolest dream about you…"

"Ron, it's Wade."

His friend's deeply serious tone instantly snapped Ron fully awake, now fearful that something extremely serious had happened.

"Wade? What's going on, dude? It's like, what, after midnight?"

But the grief in his friend's voice left little to the imagination. Or perhaps, too much. "Ron, I… I think Kim's been kidnapped."

Ron buried his face into his hands, "Oh, Fuji…"

Rufus could only whimper in dismay, "I was afraid something like this might happen…"


Oh, snap! Well, the plot thickens a bit, and to the consistency of strudel, no less. So it's Ron to the rescue for both his new girl and her snarky competition in this latest cliffie. Stay tuned for the continuation of this bump in the road (with a promise of even bigger bumps to come) in two weeks…

TBC…