Disney owns the characters, I'm just taking them for a test drive.

--

Marcus Mann was learning firsthand how disheartening Murphy's Law could be. First he learns that one of his own "business transactions" had come back to haunt him, then he had to call Bradley O'Shea about it and get blamed for the whole thing, and now he had to deal with this mess. Truth be told, "mess" was a gross understatement. "Total disaster area" was more appropriate. Pancake batter and oatmeal were splattered on the walls and the ceiling, some of the skillets had the charred remains of bacon and sausage practically bonded to them, several blenders had burned out motors, and the stench of a grease fire still hung in the air. Then Mann saw the cause of this carnage; Cadet Agent Kim Possible wearing the look of a cat that just ate the canary. Mann looked over at head cook Gabriel Hill, an older, lanky man with a shaved head. "How?" Mann asked.

"Damned if I know, Chief," Hill shrugged. "She comes in, warns us that putting her in the kitchen is like giving a chimp control of the world's nuclear arsenal, and proceeds to do this."

Mann scowled at Kim. "I thought you could do anything, Possible?"

"I can't cook," she innocently replied. Hill was trying to keep from busting up laughing. He knew that Kim had hammed it up a bit, partially at his urging. For as state of the art as Fort Campbell was, its cooking facilities left a lot to be desired; much of the kitchen hadn't been upgraded since the 1970's. Due to Kim's intervention, Hill knew that the changes he had asked for last year would finally be implemented. He gave Kim a discrete wink.

Mann rubbed his temples. The last two days had been a nightmare and today didn't look like it was going to get any better. "Possible, you're confined to quarters until further notice. Get out of here." As Kim walked off, Mann pulled a small flask from his pocket and took a swig.

"A bit early in the morning for that, isn't it, Chief?" Hill asked.

Mann ignored him. "How long until you get this mess cleaned up?"

"Two weeks, at least."

"Two weeks!?"

"I didn't stutter." Hill said in an even tone. "It's not just the clean up; we need to have ovens replaced, maybe repaint in here to get rid of some of the scorch marks. Chief, this place needs overhauled, and I need two weeks to do it. Maybe more. And before you ask, yes we do have some rations, but those will only last a few days, especially since we already had to get into them this morning. I mean, today's breakfast wasn't exactly fit for human consumption. Looks like you're gonna have to send the troops home a little early and give them a real vacation."

"Perfect," Mann muttered as he took another drink from his flask.

--

Smite looked down at his left arm; it had taken awhile, but his self repair systems had eliminated all signs of damage. Gone were the dislocated joints, torn artificial skin, and exposed circuitry. It was still inconceivable that Ron Stoppable had dished out that much hurt. What really bothered Smite was what Possible had said, that Stoppable would have given him more trouble had he not been sick. "Was he holding back?" That question chilled Smite to the core.

Smite hadn't returned to Omni-Tech since the fight at the Go City Neurological Research Institute. Instead he was holed up in a makeshift lair he had set up in the outskirts of Go City. He was also setting up another one in Middleton, a lair from which he could truly launch his revenge. He looked around the small chamber; there were a few super computers, as well as several variations of the flight wing and infiltration suit he had used the night before. It was all gear he had been lifting from Omni-Tech over the last several months under the old man's nose. It was all equipment scheduled to be recycled, all equipment that wouldn't be missed. That's the only thing he would miss about his little "arrangement" with Bradley O'Shea; now he would have to take a page from Dr. Drakken's book and steal all the weaponry and gear he needed. "Looks like I've arrived on the super villain scene," he said to himself.

Smite ran his hand through his thick, dark hair. Revealing his identity to Mann had been a calculated risk, and he knew that O'Shea had probably already been informed. Smite was glad that he had removed his locator beacon months ago; there was no way the old man could find him unless he wanted to be found. Smite knew, however, that he would have to face O'Shea sooner or later; he still had a few things at Omni-Tech that he was going to need, as well as a keepsake he wanted to pick up.

--

Dean Stoppable watched with worry as his son packed a lunch to take with him to his first day back on the job. It had been over a day since Ron's last mission, and Dean knew his son had barely slept since. Ron was basically going through the motions right now, but there was more to it than that. That spark that made Ron Ron had been extinguished. It was like watching the ghost of Ron Stoppable.

"See you tonight," Ron said in a neutral tone as he headed for the door.

"Ronald, are you going to be all right?"

"Fine. See you later." He didn't even make eye contact.

"Brother sad, Daddy," Hana said from her playpen. "Brother not 'posed to be sad."

Dean leaned down to pick his young daughter up. "No, he's not supposed to be sad," Dean sullenly replied. He knew he needed to have a father to son talk with Ron when he got home, but getting Ron to talk wasn't going to be an easy task.

--

"Possible residence," Tim Possible said as he answered the phone in the living room.

"Hey, Tim, are Mom or Dad there?"

"Kim? Since when do you call on the phone? I thought you only got to use the video transmissions."

"Well," Kim said, "this is a bit different. I mean, I did blow up the kitchen."

"You blew up the kitchen?!" Tim had never heard anything so cool in his entire life. "Hoosha, Kim! How did you do it?"

Kim had to laugh at her brother's enthusiasm for things that went boom. '"I'll tell you tomorrow after I get home. That's why I need to talk to Mom or Dad. I'm being sent home early because of the kitchen."

"Dad!" Tim yelled. "Kim blew up the kitchen at Fort Campbell so she's coming home early! Man I can't wait to tell Jim about this!"

"I've got it, Tim," James Possible said as he took the phone from his son. "Kimmie-Cub, what's this I hear about you destroying Global Justice property?"

"Maybe 'blew up' is too strong a term," she said in her defense. "But the place does need fixed up now. And before you say anything, I did warn them that I can't cook when they gave me KP duty."

"So you're coming home early? When?"

"Tomorrow at noon," she replied. "Can you or Mom pick me up?"

James winced. "Oooooh, sorry, no can do, Kimmie-Cub. I've got an all day meeting about the guidance system for the Keppler III, and your mother is meeting with the chair of the neurology department at Upperton U about being a guest lecturer next semester."

"Maybe we can help you out," Sheila Gordon-Lipsky said as she enteered the room. "I'd love to hear about Kimmie's little kitchen mishap."

--

Ron Stoppable was numb. That was the only way he could describe how he felt, or how he wasn't feeling. He didn't even panic when he was told that Martin Smarty himself was coming to the store tomorrow specifically to talk to Ron. It was just another cruel trick fate was playing on him, and Ron didn't care. He couldn't even feel any sort of surprise when he came home that evening and found both of his parents waiting for him with a plate full of nacos.

"We really need to talk, son," Dean Stoppable said in a somber tone. "Sit down and have a naco."

"Not hungry and don't wanna talk," Ron replied as he went for the stairs. "See you in the morning."

"Ronald Dean Stoppable you stop right there!" his mother bellowed. "This has to stop, Ronnie. This isn't like you. You've just given up on life and that isn't like you."

"I think you're about a decade too late for the pep talk, Mom."

"Okay," Dean sighed. "We deserved that. I admit, we haven't been the best parents in the world."

"That's an understatement," Ron muttered. "Just promise me you won't pull the same stuff on Hana that you did with me." Ron again attempted to go up the stairs, only this time Rufus leapt from Ron's cargo pocket and climbed up the front of his shirt until he came to Ron's collar. He grabbed hold with one paw, and proceeded to smack Ron with the other, just like he had when Ron locked himself in that panic room, all the while using every profanity known to mole rat kind.

Ron simply pulled Rufus off his collar and set him on the bannister. He was about to go upstairs when he heard a sad little voice say "Brother not 'posed to be sad." That's when Ron noticed that Hana was sitting on Dana's lap, clutching her favorite Flippies book to her chest.

"I'm not sad, Han," Ron finally said. "I'm not anything."

"And that's the problem, Ronnie," Dana declared. "Even after everything you've gone through, you've never just given up before."

"Yeah, well," Ron leaned against the wall by the stairs. "I guess I've finally had too much."

"Son," Dean stood up and went over to Ron. "I'm not going to start spouting cliches to you. I'm just going to tell you the truth. You're one of the strongest people I've ever known, son. You're a lot stronger than I am. I know for a fact that I couldn't have handled even a tenth of what you have."

"What do I have to show for it? The only people who remember my name are a bunch of faceless bloggers who like to bust my chops, then there are the guys in charge of super secret spy training programs who think it's fine to just screw me over, and bad guys who won't even admit I've beaten them." Ron wiped away the few tears that had managed to sneak put of his eyes. "I've got nothing, Dad."

"Brother has Hana," the youngest Stoppable said. "Brother has Roofus and Mommy and Daddy and Sister."

Dana smiled at her daughter. "She's right, Ronnie." Dana stood up with Hana and joined Dean at Ron's side. "You have us, even though we haven't always been there when you've needed us. And I promise you that's going to change." Dana herself was getting teary eyed. "And you have Kim. That girl is the best thing that ever happened to you, Ronnie; how do you think she'd feel if she saw you like this?"

"Responsible." Ron said in a faraway voice. "She'll think that this is her fault because she wasn't here." Almost on auto pilot he reached into one of his cargo pants pockets and took hold of a small bundle that had been resting there since Ron purchased it on the way to work that morning.

"Did you get it?" Dean asked. Ron nodded and pulled the small bundle out. Dean and his wife opened it and gazed at its contents.

"It's beautiful, Ronnie."

"Nice and simple, like Sheila suggested." Even with the funk he was in, this was the one thing he never doubted.

"She'll love it, son," Dean said. "But not because of how it looks. She'll love it because of who is giving it to her. The way your mother and I see it, we have three children; a son and two daughters. Kim's always been like a daughter to us, just like you've always been a son to Anne and James. The important people remember your name, Ronald. The important people know what you've done and who you've helped. If the rest of the world is too stupid to see that, then that's their problem. There's always a solution to any problem, Ronald. We can figure out a way around this college thing, and just maybe we can find a way of holding Agent Mann accountable for this. You know how James is always saying that anything is possible for a Possible? Well, there is no stopping a Stoppable."

"Booyah!" Rufus shouted as he jumped on Ron's head.

"I thought you said no cliches." Ron said with a bit of a chuckle.

"I couldn't resist that one." The Stoppable clan huddled together in a family hug.

"You're going to be all right, Ronnie," Dana said with a sniffle. "Everything is going to be all right. We'll get you through this."

--

If anyone had ever told Kim Possible that she would willingly get into any vehicle operated by Dr. Drakken, she would've told them to get their head examined. But there she was, loading her duffle bag into the back of the Lipsky min van. Out of the corner of her eye she saw Sheila wince.

"You okay?"

"Fine," the former villain replied. "Your godson was just using my bladder for a soccer ball, that's all."

"Godson?" Kim's eyes lit up. "You're having a little boy?"

"Joseph Theodore Lipsky!" Drew grandly proclaimed, punctuated by bright yellow flower petals erupting around his face. "That was mildly irritating the first hundred times, but now it's infuriating!" Sheila proceeded to calmly pluck the petals from around her husband's face.

"May I?" Kim's hand was hovering over Sheila's belly. As soon as her hand made contact, her godson rewarded her with a mighty kick. "I think he's using your bladder for a punching bag, Sheila, not a soccer ball."

"You're telling me," Sheila grunted.

"Taking after his mommy already," Drew chuckled. "By the way, Kimberly, I believe you asked us to bring this." He handed her the Kimmunicator. "Now, let's get you home, shall we?"

"Actually, I was hoping you could drop me off at Smarty Mart. There's someone I really need to see."

--

"Download complete," the computer monitor read.

"Perfect," Smite chuckled. "Well, Agent Mann, as of now all of your dirty little secrets are mine." He now had both O'Shea and Mann right where he wanted them. They just didn't know it yet.

--

There was a time when Kim Possible wouldn't be caught dead in Smarty Mart, and to a certain degree that was still true. It's not like she was actually there shopping, after all. After the Lipskys had dropped her off, Kim went to Ron's station wagon and had Wade remotely unlock it so she could stow her duffle bag in the back seat. From there she made a beeline to the pet department. Kim was a woman on a mission, and the object of that mission would be found there. She just hoped that Ron was doing better than he was the last time she saw him. The defeated look he had on his face when he left Go City that night was one she would remember till the day she died, no matter how badly she wanted to forget.

--

All in all Ron Stoppable was having a good day. He was feeling a bit better after that little intervention his 'rents had staged, and the customers were all being really nice, despite how close Christmas was and how frantic the last minute shopping crowd could be. The only thing weighing on him was the fact that Martin Smarty was coming in to see him today, and a visit from the boss usually meant someone was getting fired.

"I'm looking for something in a Monkey Master," a familiar voice behind him said, shaking him from his thoughts. "I want one that's your height with blond hair, freckles, and really sexy ears." When Ron turned around he was practically tackled by a redheaded blur who silenced him with her lips before he could say anything.

"KP?" he gasped when Kim finally released him.

"Surprise!"

"I'll say!" Seeing Kim again was just what the doctor ordered. "Not that I'm complaining, but aren't you five days early?"

"Agent Mann put me to work in the kitchen for standing up to him," Kim explained.

"The poor fools," Ron said with mock seriousness. "They knew not the carnage they were going to unleash."

Kim couldn't help but laugh. Ron joking was more than she had hoped for. "You look better."

"I feel better."

"Ah, there you are, Ronald!"

"At least I did." Ron swallowed hard. Martin Smarty was strolling leisurely into the pet department.

"Kimberly!" Mr. Smarty exclaimed. "Good to see you again."

"You, too, Mr. Smarty." She took a good look at the look of terror on Ron's face. "If you want I can-"

"Nonsense. You can hear this." He gave Ron a stern look. "First of all, Ronald, it's good to see you back on your feet."

"Th-thanks, Mr. Smarty."

"No more working yourself to death, Ronald. Now, down to business."

"Shouldn't we be doing this off the sales floor?" Ron was sweating bullets.

"Whatever for?" Mr. Smarty replied. "Praise in public, and all that."

"Praise?"

"Of course!" Mr. Smarty slapped Ron on the back. "Ronald, this pet department has the highest sales of any store in the company! And those numbers started climbing after you were hired."

Ron let out a visible sigh of relief. Mr. Smarty never blew smoke at people before giving them the boot. "Well, you know, I try, sir."

"You succeed. Look around you, son. All the animals are healthy and happy. A happy pet is more likely to go home with a customer." Mr. Smarty gave Ron a million dollar smile. "You're a real go getter, Ronald. I need people like you in the company. As you know, we have a new Mega Smarty Mart opening in Upperton this April. I want you there to help me open it."

"Really?"

"In fact, I'm putting you in charge of the pet department there. Congratulations, son, you've just been promoted."

"Booyah!" Ron hadn't yelled that particular word in what seemed like an eternity.

"'Booyah, indeed." Mr. Smarty shook Ron's hand. "You'll be starting after construction is complete, probably in February. And of course, we will be giving you a moving bonus as well as a raise."

"You hear that, KP? I'm getting a raise!" A look of confusion crossed Ron's face. "Moving bonus?"

"Well, you could commute form here to Upperton, but I thought it would be easier for you to just move there."

"He'll take the moving bonus." Kim said, the wheels in her head turning.

"I will?" Ron was even more confused.

Mr. Smarty gave Kim a wink. "Excellent. I'll get the ball rolling. Oh, and one more thing." He pulled an envelope from the inner pocket of his sport coat and handed it to Ron.

"What's this?"

"Invitations," Mr. Smarty proudly stated. "I expect to see you two at my New Year's Eve party."

"Bopyah squared," Ron said. "Wait, I'm working the closing shift on New Year's Eve."

"Not anymore you're not," Mr. Smarty replied. "Be sure to bring one of those culinary delights you're so famous for." Mr. Smarty turned and shook Kim's hand. "Kimberly, it was nice seeing you. Congratulations again, Ronald. And Happy Hanukkah."

--

Rick O'Shea knew when it was best to keep out of his father's way, and this was definitely one of those times. His dad was ranting under his breath, every other word punctuated by a string of obscenities. It had been like this since Rick walked into his dad's office. In fact, Rick's presence hadn't even been noticed yet. It wasn't until the elder O'Shea finally put the phone down that he noticed his son standing there.

"What the hell are you doing here, Richard?" he demanded. Then he saw the bandage over his son's nose and his two black eyes. "What happened to you? Did you walk into a wall or something?"

"Nice to see you, too, Pop," Rick muttered. "The kitchen at Fort Campbell got messed up so we all got sent home early, remember? And this," he pointed at his broken nose, "is from a mission we went on."

"Whatever," the old man said with a wave of his hand. "Go do... something that doesn't involve bothering me."

Rick sighed. His dad was in one of his moods. "Where's Mrs. Casey?" Rick would spend hours at a time with Jenn Casey when he would visit the Omni-Tech tower. She was the only person who treated Rick like a person and not their boss's son.

"Gone." Mr. O'Shea sat at his desk and started ruffling through some papers. "She tried to rip me off and I had her brought up on charges." He dropped the papers and looked up. "Now leave me alone. I have more important things to do that play twenty questions with you." Like figuring out where the hell Smythe is hiding.

--

Forty five minutes after the meeting with Mr. Smarty, Kim and Ron sat in their usual booth at Bueno Nacho. While Rufus burrowed through a burrito, Ron was dealing with the full weight of what his promotion meant.

"I don't think I can do this, KP," he said. "Maybe I should tell Mr. Smarty I changed my mind."

Kim wasn't having it. She took another bite of her salad and looked at her boyfriend. "Look at it this way, RS," she said in all seriousness.

"RS?"

"This is like, a once in a lifetime opportunity." She was flailing her arms around as she spoke. "And do you know how often a once in a lifetime opportunity comes around? That's right! Once! Well, maybe twice but that's only if you're really lucky. This is a big deal, RS. You'll kick yourself later if you let this go."

Ron's jaw was practically on the table. Rufus was rolling on his back laughing at Kim's little speech, as well as his person's reaction to it. "KP, do you have another mind control chip or something?"

"What, you don't recognize a word of what I just said?" She crossed her arms. "Aside from the 'RS' part, that was word for word what you said to me when I was on the fence about joining Fast Track."

Ron hung his head. "Look at how well that turned out."

"Will you stop blaming yourself?" Kim reached across the table and took Ron's hands. "I don't. I mean, it's not your fault that Agent Mann turned out to be such a tyrant. This is a chance for you to make a new start in a new place. And if Mr. Smarty didn't think you were up to it, he wouldn't have given you the promotion. You're ready for this, Ron. You are so ready." Ron gave her a weak grin. "Now why don't we talk about what's really bothering you. Leaving Hana."

Ron closed his eyes. Kim knew him too well. "I don't know if I can just leave her behind, KP. She's the second most important person in my life."

Kim smiled at her guy. "Ron, if there was a 'World's Greatest Big Brother Award,' you'd win it every year. But look at it this way, if we had gone to college in another city or state, you would've had to leave her behind then, too. Look, Upperton isn't that far away. We can visit her or she can visit us. Tell you what, we can look for a two bedroom apartment so she can stay with us overnight if she wants. Besides, we can use that room as a home office when she's not there."

"Thanks, KP," Ron said with his usual lopsided grin. Then what she said registered in his brain. "Wait, 'we'?"

"Why not?" Kim asked. "I'm leaving Fast Track soon. I hope. And I've been thinking about trying Upperton's prelaw program. Now if I have my choice of sharing a dorm room with a roommate on campus, or living with my boyfriend off campus, well, the choice if obvious."

"Y-you really want to live with me?"

"Duh, Ron. I love you." She squeezed his hands. "We've been apart for five months. That's too long. I don't ever want to be separated from you again."

"Your dad will blow a gasket," Ron said with a bit of fear, remembering the black hole threats.

"It's not his decision, Ron, it's ours. We're nineteen years old; we're adults now. If Dad doesn't like it, that's his problem."

Ron's smile stretched from ear to ear. "When do you want to start apartment hunting?"

"Later." The smile faded from Kim's face. "Now what's the sitch, Ron? Why did you decide to quit saving the world?"

--

Kim walked through the front door with a satisfied grin on her face. "I'm home!"

"How's Ron doing, honey?" her mother asked from the living room.

"Better. I think I got through to him." At least, I hope I did.

"What did you say to him?"

Kim sat beside her mom on the couch. "I told him the truth; that I can't save the world without him. And," Kim took a deep breath. "We made a decision today."

Anne Possible's face lit up like her house on Christmas Eve. "James! Kimmie and Ron made a decision!"

"Well, Kimmie-Cub," her father said as he hurried in from the den. "What would you like to tell us?" His face wore a look of eager anticipation.

"Well," Kim was confused by her parents' reactions. "Ron got promoted today. He's going to run the pet department at the new Mega Smarty Mart when it opens in Upperton next spring. And he's going to be moving there. I'm moving in with him."

"That's it?" The excitement on Anne's face quickly faded.

"And before you say anything, Dad, it was my idea! No threatening Ron with black holes!"

"No, no threats, honey." Even her dad seemed crestfallen.

"Is everything all right?" Kim was more than a little confused. "I was at least expecting a lecture about separate bedrooms with multiple locks on the doors." Or getting fitted for a chastity belt.

"Nothing's wrong, Kim," her mother said quickly. "Nothing at all." Anne decided to change the subject. "There's pasta in the fridge if you're hungry."

"Okaaaaaay." Kim grabbed her duffle bag. "I think I'll go upstairs and unpack."

As soon as Kim was out of earshot, Anne let out a disappointed groan.

"Be patient, honey," James said. "There's still plenty of time. Until then, maybe I should have that black hole talk with Ronald..."

"James, don't you dare."

--

All files were backed up, as were all traces of his presence at Omni-Tech. Smite allowed himself a small grin as he took a final look at what had been his home and work area for the last eleven months. It was time to go. He was taking a chance by coming back to Omni-Tech, but it was well worth it. He wanted to see O'Shea's smug face when he delivered his ultimatum.

"Smythe!" a grating voice bellowed. On cue Bradley O'Shea stormed in like a bull in a china shop. He saw that Smite was getting ready to leave. "Just where the hell do you think you're going, Smythe?"

"Wherever I want, you old blowhard," Smite retorted. In the blink of an eye he had grabbed the elder O'Shea by the collar and slammed him up against a wall. "I'm done here, old man. And there's nothing you can do to stop me."

"Nothing, huh? How soon you forget." O'Shea withdrew a keychain sized device from his pocket and pressed a blue button. After Smite was fully restored the previous year, he had tried to escape. O'Shea's people made sure that if Smite ever tried anything that the boss didn't like, he could take immediate action. Only this time, when the button was pressed a current of electricity shot from Smite's hand and through O'Shea.

"Oh I'm sorry," Smite taunted. "I forgot to mention that I've been rewiring that little kill switch you had built into me. Try to shut me down, and it'll shock you instead." Smite released his former captor, letting him fall to the floor like a sack of potatoes. "I assume Mann ratted me out?" O'Shea only nodded. "By the way, Mrs. Casey was innocent. I just wanted her out of the way. And in case you're wondering, I took the nanotronium power cell."

"Why... t-tell..."

"Because there's not a damn thing you can do to me, old man," Smite laughed. "Reveal me, and reveal yourself. I have all of your dirty little secrets right here." He tapped a finger against the side of his head. "I can out all the skeletons in your closet to the media and law enforcement within a minute if you try anything. I'm sure Global Justice would love to hear about how you've been buying up weapons and equipment they've taken from super villains over the years. I mean, that's how you got me in the first place. As well as this," he picked a CD-ROM up off his desk. "Plans for some of the lame brained stuff Drakken came up with. I'm sure I could make some of it work though." He put the CD in his jacket pocket.

"You won't get away with this, Smythe," O'Shea feebly added.

"Don't call me that!" Smite practically screamed.

"What should I call you then?" O'Shea was pulling himself to his feet. "The name Drakken gave you? Or your designation? Are you going to go around calling yourself Syntho-drone 901 again?"

"Thanks to you, I think Syntho-droid 1 would be more appropriate," Smite said with a sneer. "But you're right, 'Erik' just doesn't sound threatening enough, so I decided to take a page from your book. From now on you can call me Smite. Which is exactly what I'll do to you if you get in my way." Smite gathered up the briefcase that held the remains of his old body and looked behind him. "Thanks for the android body, by the way. It's nice to know that a simple puncture won't take me offline again." Smite was out the door in the blink of an eye, confident that never again would he be Bradley O'Shea's slave.

O'Shea took out his cell phone, hit the speed dial, and gingerly held it to his ear. "Mann, we have a problem."