A/N

Chapter 10 is up and running!

Sorry for the delay folks, but I've hit a few rough spots in my personal life recently. But now that they are taken care of, I should be able to get back on schedule. Now, on to the story:

Allison reveals what she knows, and plans are made for payback. At the same time, an unknown connection is revealed.

Wade tries to figure out the common thread in recent events while reminiscing a little.

Kim and Ron face the backlash from their "break-up", including a surprising reaction from unexpected sources.

The girls share a bonding moment over a shopping trip.

And then it's time for some football!

Ready or not, here's the sitch!

And here is the necessary stuff:

Kim Possible and all related characters are (c) Disney, Bob Schooley, and Mark McCorkle.

Original Characters are my creations, and I would appreciate if you ask before you use them. Thank you.

A clearing of Monique's throat quickly reminded them there was other business to attend to that evening.

Kim turned to Allison. "Now then, I want all the information you've got on the people who put you up to this, Allison. I need to know exactly who it is that's trying to split me and Ron up."

The brunette shrugged and looked at the ground. "All I know is that one of the senior football players has been coming up to me these past few weeks and telling me that Ron was interested in dating me. The first few times I told him that I thought you two were still together, but he kept saying that it was just a show you two were putting on to get the media to leave you alone about your social lives. And he kept insisting that you would never make a move on me, Ron, because you were shy around girls, and that if I wanted to get to know you better, I'd have to be the one to get things started. That's why I kept making sure I was the one who tended to you."

"Makes sense," Ron replied. "Do you know his name?"

Allison shook her head. "No, but I can tell you he's big, has dark hair, hazel-green eyes, and is one of the starters."

Ron thought hard for a moment. "Well, that could still be a number of guys on the team, though I don't know eye colors on most of them. Is there anything else you can tell us?"

The girl closed her eyes for a bit. "Well…I think I might have heard one of the other guys call him…'Double D,' maybe?"

Ron's teeth immediately gritted together. "Dack Daniels," he snarled quietly. "Vinnie was right."

"Vinnie James? The quarterback?" Kim asked, slightly taken aback. "I thought you said he was a nice guy. What's he got to do with this?"

Ron's free hand was clenched tightly, and his eyes were hard. "He is a nice guy, more so than I realized, evidently. Vinnie tried to warn me about something exactly like this right after we got done with practice today. And he specifically mentioned Daniels and Nate Highland when he told me about what he suspected."

Allison shook her head. "No, I'm sure Dack acted alone. As a matter of fact, Nate actually disapproved of me going after you," she said confusedly. "Said you wouldn't want to do anything without discussing it with Kim first since she was your best friend. Why would he do that if he were part of it?"

Kim put her hand to her chin. "Maybe Vinnie only though Nate was in on the whole thing because he's friends with Dack. Guilty by association, and all that."

Ron nodded. "I don't know why Nate would act like that, considering we aren't anywhere close to friends. But Dack pulling something like this doesn't surprise me in the least. There's been several times during practice lately that he's intentionally missed a blocking assignment just so I'd get flattened by the defense. Doing something like this is sounding more and more like its right up his alley."

Monique looked suddenly worried. "Uh, Ron, you don't think he'll try anything in the game Saturday, do you? I mean, its one thing to get hit by your teammates in practice, but SEE to get smashed by another team."

"SEE?" said Allison, scratching her head.

"Something Else Entirely," explained Kim. "Monique uses a lot of acronyms when she talks."

The brunette's smile grew about ten sizes. "Oh…okay. NBD. IJDUWYSAF."

Monique's eyes went wide, and her smile got huge. "NW. ICBY."

Allison grinned. "YBII. HSYSIM, girl."

The two girls immediately squealed and hugged, leaving both Kim and Ron slightly…no, completely lost.

"Uh, Mon, what's going on here?" Kim said with a puzzled look.

Monique smiled. "It's a small world, TWGO, girl. You remember me telling you about Allie, the girl I was best friends with back when I lived in Cincinnati?"

"The one that moved to Atlanta when you were in fifth grade? This is her?" Kim said as it suddenly dawned on her.

"The OAO," Allison said as a laughing smile spread across her face. "Me and Monique lost touch when she moved to Middleton a few years ago, which is where I'm guessing she met you. I happen to be the one who introduced my girl here to the fine fashions of Club Banana, and am probably one of the reasons she normally speaks in her acronyms."

Kim grinned. "I smell a major shopping trip in the works."

"Definitely," Monique said with a smile.

Ron shook his head. "Ohh-kay, so you know her and all three of you are Club Banana girls. Listen, I don't want to spoil this moment, but we do still have an issue to deal with here."

Allison nodded. "Hate to say it, but he's right. We need to figure out some way to get back at Dack for playing us like that."

Kim grinned. "I think I may know a couple of people who can give us some suggestions."

Ron smiled, but his eyes showed a trace of nervousness. "KP, I know you're pretty tweaked at him, but do you really think we need to call them on this?"

Kim's wink was fully of mischievous deviousness. "Just for suggestions, Ronnie," she replied as she pulled out her cell phone.

Wade sighed as he went over the numerous information bits and caches he was currently running through his system. One computer was crunching all the data Team Possible had on the movements of Monkey Fist's monkey ninjas since the crazed villain had been encased in stone. Another was analyzing the information he'd received from Andy Lipsky about Heathcliff and Sheridan Godfrey. A third machine was currently running through its daily task of scanning all media throughout the world for mentions of Team Possible's regular villains. And a fourth device was going over random crimes that had occurred recently that might be of interest to them on future missions.

For the past hour, he'd been feeding information into the first computer, trying to find some sort of correlation between the known movements of the monkey ninjas and their recent break-ins at the Stoppable house and Ron's dorm room. But so far, nothing had come up. Looking at the data again, it seemed to make no sense whatsoever. Leaning back in his chair, he sighed and put his hands behind his head, looking up at the ceiling. It was times like this he missed having Monique around. During the summer, when she and her brother Jamal had been staying with him and his family, she'd often times brought a lemonade or an energy drink down to him, especially when she wanted to talk. Jamal was still there, but discussions with him were nothing compared to the chats with his attractive younger sister. Those talks had been welcome breaks in Wade's searches and data compilations, and had often been thoroughly enjoyable, even when they talked of nothing. They also had the effect of helping the tech genius refocus, allowing him to re-attack a problem from a new angle and find solutions that had evaded him.

Now, as he struggled through this task, Wade realized he'd actually come to rely on that recharge. He imagined Monique coming down the stairs, a pitcher of ice-cold lemonade and a pair of glasses in her hand, that beautiful smile of her beaming at him—and suddenly he was hit with an idea. He quickly leaned forward, and set up a quick search of all the recent random crimes that might involve ancient texts or primate-related research. When it got several hits, Wade couldn't help but smile. However, when he began reading the results of his search, he frowned again. So far, none of the crimes had any leads as to who had committed them. All they had in common besides the "ancient monkey text" aspect was that every single text, book, or writing had been stolen out of a locked room with no signs of forced entry. Or at least, there had been nothing that a human or a monkey could fit through. Wade scratched his head, the mystery puzzling him.

Who could be after monkey texts besides Monkey Fist and his simian underlings?

Friday came and went with relatively little incident—well, relatively little if you didn't count the numerous students who approached either Kim or Ron and asked if they were okay. Evidently, the news of Team Possible's "break-up" had spread like wildfire through the campus rumor mill. Even Felix, who neither of them saw until that morning, needed confirmation that Kim and Ron were still together. More surprising than that, however, was the sheer number of people who looked even the littlest bit disappointed that either Kim or Ron wasn't suddenly available on the dating market. Neither of them had ever really considered how many people would want to date one of them simply based on their status, particularly Ron. While it was a change of pace to get a relative gauge on a celebrity status they couldn't care less for, the whole experience left them both feeling a little bit under the microscope. So after their practices that day, the two of them decided to hit the Upperton Galleria Mall to get away from it all for a bit, inviting Monique, Felix, and Allison to come along.

At the mall, they also met up with Zita Flores, and she and Felix headed off on their own for a bit, promising to meet up with the rest in a few hours. However, that was not before Zita herself had to confirm that Ron and Kim were still together.

"What is the deal?" Kim complained. "Why is it such a big story that me and Ron 'might' have broken up?"

Zita pointed over at the mall's newsstand. "Whoever set you guys up also reported it to the tabloids. I know there's at least two or three over there singing the headline that you two are through with each other."

"Well, we aren't" the red head replied with an unintentional ice to her voice. At Zita's slightly hurt look, she smiled at her friend. "I'm sorry, Zita. I've just heard way too much about Ron and me supposedly breaking up today, and I'm ferociously tired of being asked about it."

The Hispanic girl nodded. "It's okay, Kim. No apology necessary. To be honest with you, if they were saying that about me and Felix I'd probably feel the same, especially on a day like today. And that reminds me: Happy Birthday, Ron!"

"Thanks, Zita," he replied with a grin.

With that, Felix and Zita headed off alone for some couple time, and Kim let out an annoyed sigh as Ron insisted on buying a copy of every single tabloid that Zita had mentioned having an article about the break-up.

"Ron, there is no need to look at those trash rags," she said as she attempted to snatch at least one of them and chuck it in the trash.

"C'mon, KP, I only bought them for the laughs. Besides, you gotta admit some of these headlines are pretty inventive," he defended as he pointed at the covers of the periodicals.

Rolling her eyes, Kim glanced at the titles of the articles, and had to admit some of them did involve a certain amount of "creativeness" in their wording. Love Impossible for Team Possible: Kim and Ron Call it Quits. Possible/Stoppable: Could It Be Heartache? Possible Breaks the UnStoppable Heart.

Monique elbowed her gently. "Oh, c'mon girl. You knew even a hint of something like this was gonna make headlines."

Kim sighed. "I know. I just wish it were already December so we could put this whole speculation thing about the two of us breaking up to complete and final rest."

Allison blinked a few times. "Why December?"

Kim frowned. "Ron and I both have relatives we know are going to object to the two of us getting married, so we're waiting to break the news of our engagement to the press until we can confront all of both families face to face. We're supposed to meet with the trouble in my family towards the end of October, and we're getting together with the objectors in his family over Thanksgiving."

Ron, who had been reading one of the articles about their supposed break-up, suddenly slammed the paper down on the table. "KP, look at this article."

Kim stood and put her hands on her hips. "Ron, I am not going to read some made-up junk about us shattering each other's hearts."

Ron shook his head. "Not that. This," he said thrusting the paper at her."

Kim glanced at the article, her focus quickly zoning out after a few seconds. "'Giant Cat-Snake Invades Museum.' Okay, I'll bite," she said with a smile. "'Police say Irene Small, a librarian at the National Museum of Natural History Library in Washington, D.C., claimed a giant snake with the head of a common house cat broke into the rare books room and made off with the last remaining copy of a text from the World Literature section. The book has been dated at sometime around 800, and was thought to have been penned by Chinese monks who were known for their fanatical worship of gorillas. However, Miss Small's report was discredited by the police when her co-workers claimed that she often makes up wild stories to entertain herself during the long and lonely hours that librarians must work. However we at the Standard,' yadda, yadda, yadda. Okay…and the point of this is?" She shook the paper with a bored expression.

"Kim…cat-headed snake," Ron said with a pointed voice. "Think about it."

"Ron, D.N. Amy doesn't go after dusty books that pre-date the printing press by six hundred years. It's ferociously outside her normal operating style. She's more concerned with modern science and perverting it with genetic modifications. Plus, these are the same magazines that covered the snow beast on Mount Middleton when we went on that school ski trip a few years ago."

"That was due to D.N. Amy and her experiments too, if you remember," he said with a smiling smirk and a cocked eyebrow. "And what about her going after the PDVI?"

"Again, against her normal M.O," Kim countered. "Besides, these tabloids rarely get all the facts right."

"Can we at least have Wade check on it?"

"Ron…" she began, but Monique cut her off.

"You know, girl, stuff like this is why people were more inclined to believe you two really had called it quits," the young African-American woman said with a serious tone.

"Gotta admit, Kim—it does sound harsh," Allison agreed.

"Please, KP," Ron said with a pleading look at his love that she hadn't seen him use in a long time. "It's not just you and me involved in this, it's my family too."

Kim smiled and conceded. "Okay. The minute we get back to the dorms, I promise I'll call him. But right now I just want to relax and do some serious shopping. My Club Banana Card hasn't seen this long a break since the weeks following me getting my braces at thirteen."

Ron scratched his head a bit. "KP, you didn't even have a Club Banana Card back then. Your mom wouldn't let you get one until you were fourteen, remember?"

Kim smiled. "No, she wouldn't let me use it without her present at the purchase until I was fourteen."

The young man grinned. "Well, while you ladies do that, I'm going to go check out some of the other stores here. Meet you back here in about an hour?"

Monique flipped her hair. "WTM, Ron? Don't want to see three fine sisters trying on clothes?"

He was about to reply when Kim beat him to the punch. "Oh, the trying on he likes just fine. It's the waiting while we decide what to try on he has trouble dealing with."

Allison laughed. "And he probably doesn't want to get stuck carrying all the bags."

"Ha, ha, very funny," Ron retorted with a smile. "I just figured I'd give you girls some bonding time. After all, I got plenty of bonding time with KP last night while we were making up."

"RON!" Kim squeaked as she blushed to her roots.

"Have fun, ladies!" he called with a laugh as he quickly disappeared into the crowd.

Allison's smile nearly busted off her cheeks as the girls headed for the Club Banana store. "Sounds like someone had fun last night."

Kim's blush deepened significantly. "We didn't do anything beyond kissing. Honest."

Monique grinned. "Which is why you're going redder than your man's favorite jersey right now. C'mon, girl, spill. TUE."

"Not doing this," Kim said with an airy voice and smile as she began picking through the racks.

Allison joined her at the same rack, nudging her lightly in the shoulder. "C'mon, Kim. I promise I'm not as bad as Mon-Ton about working the gossip chain on both ends." She pronounced the nickname like the Chinese side dish.

"Mon-Ton?" Kim said with an amused cocked eyebrow at the girl. "Where'd that one come from?"

"Allie-Cat, if you know what is good for you, you will CIO right now," Monique interrupted with a friendly glare. "Unless you want Kim to learn where your nickname comes from as well."

"Fine," the brunette consented with a smile. "So Kim, what did you and Ron do last night after I left?"

Monique grinned. "All I know is he stayed in her room all night long, and that they almost overslept this morning."

"Hey, how'd we get back on this topic?" Kim complained good-naturedly.

…
…

An hour later and a half later, the three girls were still giggling as they waited at the register. As they checked out, Kim leaned over the counter towards the sales girl.

"Hey, would it be alright if I changed into one of these and left the store in it after you removed the tag?"

The clerk smiled. "Sure thing, Miss Possible. If you'll tell me which one, I can go ahead and remove the tags and you can change while I ring up the rest of your ticket."

"Go for the pink one, girl," Monique said with a smile. "Ron'll love it."

Allison shook her head. "No, go for the dark red pants and crop jacket. Get his blood pressure up."

Kim grinned. "Actually, I'm going for both. Why do you think I spent so long picking out the color of the shoes I bought?"

A few minutes after she walked back to the dressing rooms, Ron made his presence known. "What's hanging, ladies? Where's KP?"

Monique smiled. "She's just changing into one of the outfits she bought."

Kim chose that moment to come out, and Ron's jaw dropped at the sight of the outfit. The whole thing looked great as a complete ensemble, accenting her perfectly, but this was the first time he could ever remember seeing her wear a shirt with a peek-a-boo cutout. Add to that little tidbit that the pants showed off her butt perfectly, and he couldn't form a coherent thought to save his life.

Allison giggled again. "And to answer your first question, from the looks of it, your jaw would be what's hanging."

Kim came up to him and kissed him full on the mouth. "I take it you like this look?" she said as she pulled back.

"KP, you look badical," he breathed out. "So is my birthday present that I get to see what that hole is offering?"

The red-head smiled. "Ronnie, I told you that your birthday present would come after the game tomorrow," she said with a flirting tap of his nose with her finger.

Monique grinned. "Speaking of this boy's birthday, you two got any special plans for it tonight?"

Kim shook her head as she turned around, though she made sure to stay in the loving confines of Ron's arms around her waist. "Nope. We're actually doing the celebratory dinner date thing tomorrow after the game. Besides, Ron needs to rest up for tomorrow. And I probably need to as well. So I'm making sure we both get to bed at a decent time tonight."

"Aww man," Ron complained good-naturedly.

Allison nodded. "She's right, Ron. I've got a friend who's a trainer over at Upperton, and he said the Wildcats aren't to be taken lightly this year. Plus, if you guys beat them tomorrow, it'll be the first time G.V.U.'s won their season opener in nearly eighteen years. And the first win in the home-opener in ten."

"Oh, so no pressure then," he replied with a nervous grin.

The next afternoon turned out to have the perfect football weather. The sun was shining brightly, and the temperatures were setting around that just perfect not-too-warm, not-too-cold feel that seemed to announce to the masses in no uncertain terms that it was football season. Kim and Ron drove down together to G.V.U. Stadium, even though Kim didn't have to be there for at least another half-hour. When Ron asked her about it just outside the door to the football team's locker room, she merely smiled as she leaned over and kissed him.

"Just felt like giving my guy a couple good-luck kisses right before he goes into the locker room."

"Boo Yeah," Ron replied after the second scorcher. "So I'll meet you in this hallway after the game, right?"

"You bet. Good luck, Ronnie."

"Thanks, KP."

With that, he turned and entered the Guardian locker room. Once inside, the first thing Ron noticed was the difference in mood from his high school days. When he'd been a member of the Middleton Mad Dog football team, Coach Steve Barkin had always insisted that his players prepare for the game in quiet dignity. Thus, he had forbid everything noisy apart from necessary talking. However, Coach William Devereaux appeared to come from a different mold entirely. The locker room was abuzz with activity, and there was rock music from the 80's, 90's, and 2000's blasting away over the speakers. It wasn't deafening, but it was most certainly a noticeable difference. As he looked around the room, Ron took notice of the various ways his teammates were getting into focus.

The starting offensive linemen were all huddled off in a corner, all of them fully dressed out and their heads bowed in what appeared to be prayer. Vinnie James, the quarterback, was wearing only his football pants and cleats as he went through footwork routines that made him look more like a boxer than a scrambling field general. Jean-Luc Brissart, one of the linebackers, had taken up a meditation pose, while Viktor Tretiov, a cornerback, was doing stretching exercises that were putting his body into positions Ron was sure the human body was never meant to assume. Other players had towels over their heads, or were sitting back in their lockers with headphones on and eyes closed. And then Ron's eyes saw the one person he didn't want to see right now: Dack Daniels.

The senior slot back/receiver was sitting in a circle of other players, still dressed in his street clothes, apparently playing some sort of card game. Ron was tempted to walk over and start pounding on the jerk with fully unleashed Mystical Monkey Power, but he kept his temper in check. Despite how good it might feel to unleash a payback on the guy for the hell he'd just put Kim through, Ron knew that wouldn't be wise right now. Even if you threw out the trouble Ron would invariably find himself in, the team would still suffer a major blow. As much as the blonde young man hated to admit it, Daniels was a big leader on the team, and several of the other players looked up to him. Still, if they knew what he'd done to Kim and Ron, they might not be so willing to follow him.

Forcing his mind onto other things, Ron changed out of his street clothes and slipped on his football pants. Then he went out to the trainers' tables to get his ankles wrapped. Three games in to his one year of high school football, Ron Stoppable had discovered the benefits of getting his ankles taped. The extra support around the foot joints helped cut down on his ankles swelling up like grapefruits, especially if one were to consider the amount of juking and spin-moves he pulled out on the field. As he emerged into the trainers' area, he found only one table open: the one belonging to Allison. After it had been revealed that she'd been played like the rest of them, any hard feelings had instantly evaporated. They smiled at each other as he climbed up on the table and stretched his legs out.

"What'll it be, Ron?" the brunette asked as she pulled out the non-adhesive and adhesive sports tapes.

"Standard ankle support if you don't mind," he said with a grin.

As she began the figure eight around the ankles, her smile grew. "Speaking of support…"

Ron groaned. "Allison, you didn't…"

"Didn't what?" she said innocently yet deviously.

The young man sighed. "Look, Kim's brothers have a prankster streak a mile wide, but sometimes they don't think about the effects of the jokes they pull. Besides, you've heard what Coach Devereaux's been saying this week: we need everyone at top form if we're going to beat Upperton today."

Though she continued wrapping his ankles, the young woman got a thoughtful look on her face. "But don't you agree that a little Icy-Hot hidden in his jock strap would teach him a lesson?"

Ron shook his head, but couldn't stop the smile. "Allison, I'd love to get back at him for Thursday night too, but not today."

She nodded in defeat. "Fine. I haven't done it yet anyway. But I still say he deserves it." She finished up his wraps. "All set."

"Thanks," Ron replied with a grin. "And hey, I'm not saying don't do it, just that it probably wouldn't be a good idea to do it right before this particular game."

…
…

Over in the cheer team's locker room, Kim smiled as she changed in to the G.V.U. uniform. It was cut just a little higher than the Middleton one had been, exposing more of her stomach, but it felt good to be in one of these again. As she was tying up her tennis shoes, Nina Arroyo came over to sit down next to her. The co-captain had pulled her long black hair into a ponytail that hung down at least a foot past her shoulders.

"Nervous, Kim?" she said with a smile.

"A little," the red-head replied. "Mainly because I don't think I've ever been in front of this big a crowd. Middleton never did really have a good shot at any sports championships, so the biggest crowd I've ever cheered in front of was at the State Finals this past May."

Nina nodded. "Don't worry about it. To be honest, I was just like you my first time out, but it's really not that different from cheering for your team back in your hometown. The only real difference is the noise level, but that's helped a little by the fact that we're on the field separate from the fans."

Kim smiled. "I figured that. My mom's an alumnus of Upperton, and I actually went to a few games with her and my dad when I was younger. Watching those Wildcat cheerleaders was part of the reason I wanted to join the Middleton squad."

"Just remember, we're not allowed to fraternize with the players under any circumstances. And if something happens to Ron on the field, you have to wait until he's on the sidelines to go check on him."

Kim took a deep breath as she adjusted her top once more. "To tell the truth, I'm actually more concerned about what Ron's going to think of me in this uniform. These have a bit less to them than the Middleton ones did, and I'm a little worried he's going to have trouble focusing on the game instead of me."

Nina laughed. "Well, if what Vinnie's told me is true, Devereaux is going to have Ron so focused on the game he won't even notice what you're wearing."

Kim looked at the young woman. "So you and Vinnie James are dating?"

Nina shook her head. "Hell no! Me and Vinnie are way too close for that." At Kim's giggle, she turned a questioning eye. "What?"

"Nothing. It's just that I used to say the exact same thing about me and Ron."

Nina was about to reply when Coach Leslie Williams came over.

"Possible, can I talk to you in my office for a moment?"

"Sure thing, ma'am."

Once they were inside, the blonde woman shut the door and drew the blinds. "Possible, I know this is your first game in the Guardian uniform, but I've been asked to relay a message from the rest of the team. Something that quite frankly took me by surprise."

Kim was slightly confused. "What's that, ma'am?"

Williams smiled. "Kim, they've asked if you would mind being the lead on the tunnel rush today."

"Me?" Kim's voice squeaked a little. "But Coach Williams, that's reserved for one of the seniors. And the only way someone of less rank gets that position is if a junior manages to make Captain or Co-Captain. Why do they want me to do it?"

Another smile. "To be honest, Kim, I think it has something to do with how you helped out Paulette's boyfriend a few weeks ago. The rest of the team was evidently really impressed by that, even Garreth and Lambert."

Kim was taken aback by that. Upon joining the Guardian cheer squad, she'd discovered much to her dismay that there were people who could be snarkier and more concerned about social status than Bonnie. Both Rachael Garreth and Bricin Lambert had shown an almost instant dislike for Kim and her "unearned" status on the campus. As a result, they'd taken practically every opportunity to knock her down both physically and mentally. Well, Rachael had at least; Bricin's attack had definitely been much more subtle, almost hidden, and employing the kind of false congratulations and fake support that Kim's high school rival had been so fond of. If it hadn't been for the leggy brunette's use of the tactic, Kim might not have realized what her fellow red-head was trying to do. The fact that even these two wanted Kim in such a position of prominence was nothing short of surprising.

"Okay," she replied with a smile. "But only if they make it the only time this season. I still don't want special treatment just because of what I do."

"Agreed," the older woman said as she shook Kim's hand. "Oh, and Kim? Good luck out there."

"Thanks," the teen answered with a grin as she exited the office to finish getting ready.

…
…

The football team was gathered in a group around Devereaux. The game was less than twenty minutes from kickoff, and they had already done all of their pre-game warm-ups. Now they were back in the locker room for one last pre-game pep talk. Devereaux scanned them all with a look that was a cross between a dissatisfied drill sergeant and a proud father.

"Gentlemen, those of you who were here last year know that I'm not big on the 'win one for the Gipper' speeches. I will however, say that you need to go out there and win this for yourselves. You have worked too hard for this to walk away knowing you didn't give everything you had to win this game. Defense, you know you can keep them off the board, and offense, you know you can own that field. For you seniors, this is your last year to prove how good you really are. And for you freshmen, it's time to show us all what you've got. I won't lie, the Upperton Wildcats are a tough bunch, and they're going to give you one hell of a fight. But I also know that if they put their best out there and we put out our best effort, we're the ones who will come out on top. Now, I'm going to turn it over to your captains. The assistant coaches, trainers, and I are going out to the tunnel. Daniels, Brissart, James, gentlemen the floor is yours."

As the coaches left, Brissart stood up, his impressive frame towering above the rest of the kneeling players and his dark blue eyes flashing brilliantly. When he spoke, his French accent enhanced his words.

"Guys, I know Coach told us to win this for ourselves, but I say we say hell with that. We've got some of the greatest coaches in the world, and every year they get overlooked. Well, I don't know about you, but this year I'm giving everyone a reason to look at them more closely, and that's starts as soon as that coin is tossed. And I promise you, if I think any one of you, especially you freshmen, aren't giving everything you've got, I will personally put you through the ground myself. THIS IS OUR HOUSE, AND IT'S TIME WE DEFENDED IT LIKE THE GUARDIANS WE ARE!"

The primal roar that last line elicited from the rest of the team, Ron included, would have made anyone who heard it either proud or worried. The team surged forth out of the locker room, pumping their fists and smacking their palms against a lucky sign that read "Guardians Protect Their Home". As they charged out on the field, the crowd let up a roar that shook the stadium. Up in the press box, the commentators, Rick Shield and Wally Spear were just getting into their intros.

"Hello, Guardian fans, and welcome to the 'Shield and Spear Show'. Welcome to another beautiful season for Guardian Football. I'm Rick Shield, and with me as always is my partner in crime, Wally Spear. We're coming to you live from G.V.U. Stadium, where today the Guardians will take on the Wildcats of Upperton U. If they can pull off a win they'll become the first team in over a decade to take down the Wildcats, and the first in two decades to win their home opener."

"That's right, Rick. Coach Topper's Wildcats are looking tough this year, but Devereaux assures us his boys are at the best he's ever seen. He's confident that this will be the team to pull off that championship that still eludes him in an otherwise brilliant career as the skipper of the G.V.U. team. He also says that this group of boys has the talent to surprise a lot of people, and that especially includes Stoppable."

"Wally's referring to the one and only Ron Stoppable, the male half of world-famous heroic duo Team Possible. After he shattered all sorts of Colorado State High School football records during his one and only year on the Middleton Mad Dogs squad, Guardian fans were ecstatic this past July when we learned that this young man would be joining our favorite team. We expect big things from this young man, and are looking forward to what he shows us today against what was ranked as one of the better defensive cores in the nation this pre-season. Wildcat linebackers Hammer, Sampson, and Harris have all said they'll be gunning for Stoppable, and defensive ends Blake and Matlack have guaranteed they're not letting him get to the outside and use his speed. It'll be interesting to see what the speedy freshman can manage to pull off."

Spear laughed. "It'll be like avoiding henchmen all over again, especially considering that Blake and Matlack weigh nearly five hundred fifty pounds with just the two of them, Rick."

"We'll just have to see what happens then, Wally. And the referee is signaling that the Guardians have won the toss, and Devereaux has deferred…wait…no! It appears that Coach Devereaux has broken his streak of constantly deferring to the second half, and has opted to go for the first strike today. This is very unusual for the old war dog, people."

"Maybe he wants to show everyone just what he's got up his sleeve this season, Rick. Or maybe he's just decided to change up his game plan to throw Topper off his."

"Whatever the reason, the constant receiving team of Tretiov and Daniels are back deep."

…
…

As the kickoff sailed through the air, Devereaux came up to Ron. "Stoppable, I think it's time we show these fans what they're going to see for the next four years. Are you ready?"

Ron took a deep breath and nodded. "Yeah, Coach."

Devereaux smiled. "Good, cause we're calling your number right off the bat. Tell James I want a Halfback Sweep to the strong side out of the Georgia I. Once you get past the line, go for it all. Put those legs to some good use."

"Yes sir," Ron said with a grin.

Unfortunately for the Guardians, the kick return didn't go anywhere, as Tretiov only managed to get back to the twelve. As the offense headed out on the field, Ron relayed the message. In the huddle, James looked at everyone.

"Alright guys, Coach D. wants to send a message right off the bat. Call is a Colorado Sweep on two. Highland, left, Stoppable right. Ready, Break!"

…
…

"Looks like we get to see what Ron can do right off the bat, Kim," Emily said with an appreciative glance at the field.

Kim couldn't resist a grin. "Guess so."

…
…

Up in the stands, Gene Stoppable and James Possible watched in excited anticipation. James had nearly had a coronary at how revealing the G.V.U. cheerleader outfits were on his Kimmie-cub, but he'd recovered quickly when he noticed his daughter looking directly at him while she smiled and waved her pom-pom at him. He smiled as he leaned over a little towards Gene.

"You didn't tell me Ron was already starting, Gene."

Gene smiled. "Didn't know myself, to be honest. I think Ronald might have forgotten to mention to me or Jeanette."

"Probably just excited about it," remarked James. "How do you think he'll do?"

The elder Stoppable just grinned. "As long as he does his best, I wouldn't care if he's the worst player in history. Though I do suspect those Wildcat players are about to get a good conditioning workout."

…
…

Ron bit down on his mouthpiece as he took up his position in the backfield. In his mind, a mantra he'd developed while playing in high school was already going.

Just like avoiding henchmen. Just like avoiding henchmen.

"Blue! 42! Blue 42! Set…Hut! Hut!"

In one fluid motion, Vinnie countered out from under center, faking to Nate before planting the ball in Ron's stomach in a perfect handoff. Ron took off as fast as his legs could carry him, slowing up just enough to let a defenseman over-pursue. Then, behind an essential block from Daniels, he cut up field, looking for the seam that would mean open field lay ahead. As he did, Ron could almost picture the red and white of the Upperton uniforms shifting over to the dark red of Drakken's henchmen or the gray of Dementor's flunkies. Dodging left and right, he ducked under more than one pair of outstretched arms. He was very nearly free when a pair of beefy hands managed to get a hold of his shoulder pads. Thinking quickly, Ron planted his feet, braking instantly in a complete stop for a split second and letting the would-be-tackler's momentum pull him out of position. The minute Ron felt the guy's grip loosening, he fired the jets back up, dashing forward and breaking the hold. The rest of the field was merely a foot race, and it was clear after the fifty that no one else was going to touch him. That didn't stop Ron from dashing the whole way, but it made for one spectacular play that left every supporter of G.V.U. dumbfounded yet cheering.

…
…

Up in the booth, two commentators were trying to figure out what the hell had just happened.

"And Stoppable will score! TOUCHDOWN, GUARDIANS! On the first play from scrimmage, Stoppable goes all the way!"

"Rick, I'm in awe here! Did the laws of physics suddenly not apply there for a few seconds?"

"I don't know, Wally. Guardian fans, I don't know how, but after it looked like Stoppable would go down after only seven yards, he pulled what I can only describe as a complete breach of Newton's Laws of Motion by going from top speed to a complete stop and back to even greater speed, all in the span of about two seconds! Upperton Wildcat linebacker Heath Sampson, who had Stoppable practically wrapped up and on his way down, can't believe it either! A sure tackle turned into an eighty-eight yard dash for the Guardian's first score of the season! I'll tell you, Wally, if this is what Stoppable is capable of, I hate to think what kind of day these Wildcats are in for."

"Forget Upperton, Rick. Think about what the rest of the nation and the college record books are in for! We may have another potential candidate for the Heisman on the field. Daniels is already on that list, and after today, I wouldn't be surprised if Stoppable starts making a case for his own candidacy."

…
…

As she watched Ron scamper for the score, Kim couldn't help but laugh to herself. Apart from the missing flailing arms, she'd seen that style of running more times than she could count. As he crossed the goal line and the G.V.U. band and cheer squad started in on the customary celebration, she made an amused mental note to ask which villain's henchmen he was seeing the other team as. As the cheer ended, Emily leaned over and smiled.

"If he's that fast, how in the world do you keep up with him?" she said with a laugh as she noticed Ron looking over at them from the bench and giving Kim a smile and a thumbs-up.

Kim giggled. "Simple. I know how to get him to stop running away and run towards me."

…
…

Over on the bench, Ron did his best to hide his anger at Daniels as he thanked his teammate. "Thanks for the block, man. Wouldn't have made it more than a few yards without it."

Dack did not return the young man's smile. "Just doing my job, Freshman. And don't go getting any delusions of grandeur, Stoppable. I've been here three years longer than you, and I'm still the big man on this team."

Vinnie grit his teeth. "Daniels, don't even start on that. And don't you dare try anything out there."

"And what if I do?" the senior sneered.

"Hey, c'mon guys, we're all on the same team here," Ron interjected. "Besides, I can't do that every play, and Devereaux knows that. I'm sure he's gonna call your number too, Dack."

"Whatever," was all Dack replied with as he left the bench and returned to the sidelines.

"Losing battle there, Ron," Vinnie said with a grimace. "Trust me, I know. I've been trying to make friends with him for three years now, and he still thinks of the rest of us as his little supporting cast. Just play your game, and let him do what he will."

Ron nodded as he stared at Daniels back. He hadn't told anyone apart from his friends and Allison what had happened Thursday evening, and this wasn't the time to bring it up. But he did find himself wishing he hadn't stopped Allison's plan to coat the jerk's jock strap with Icy-Hot. As he replaced his helmet on his head, he made a mental note to give her the go-ahead the next time he saw her.

The rest of the game was pretty much all Guardians, although the scoreboard showed a much closer game. Part of that had to do with some miscommunications between Vinnie and the O-line that led to a couple of pretty hard sacks and fumbles for the Guardian quarterback inside their own thirty. Although Brissart, Tretiov, and the Guardian defense battled valiantly, playing defense on such a short field is no easy task, and both series ended in touchdowns for the Wildcats. It would have been a third as well, but Nate scooped up the loose ball that popped out in the third quarter at the last second, taking it all the way down to the Upperton forty-one before being dragged to the ground.

Ron didn't have any more big runs like his first, but he still turned in some very respectable twenty-plus yard scampers. It would have been farther, but after his initial dash, the Upperton defense put a spy back on him, and unluckily it happened to be Heath Sampson. The Upperton linebacker evidently hated being made a fool of, because the rest of his tackles on Ron probably could have pushed the boundaries of unnecessary roughness had they been any more brutal. After one particularly vicious hit, Ron got up with his helmet turned slightly to the side and his facemask stuffed with grass-and-dirt chunks. After that one, Devereaux sat him for the next series to give the young man a bit of a breather.

Ron noticed that for his part, Dack Daniels seemed like man shot out of hell for the rest of the game. Several of the slot-back's carries were more bulldozing efforts that punished would-be tacklers and blockers who got in his way than any sort of dodging, juking scamper the blonde was pulling off. Once or twice, he actually shoulder-blocked Ron out of the way, sending the blonde crashing to the ground as he plowed into the defense. Seeing this gave Ron an idea, and he walked up to Devereaux and made his suggestion. The grizzled coach smiled, and called the offense together to explain the next play.

…
…

Kim couldn't help but smile as the game progressed. By her reckoning, Ron had already racked up over two hundred yards rushing, and the game wasn't quite over yet. Her smile was made even bigger by the fact that the rest of the squad had opted during half-time to pull out the old Middleton chant of "Go Un-Stoppable". She glanced over at him, a grin on her face as she watched him grabbing a cup of sports drink from the football team's cooler. She still felt that it wasn't necessary for a cheerleader to "date a jock", but she had to admit that knowing she was with a guy who was the rising star of yet another football team was a nice stroking for her ego.

However, one thing was bothering her. Like Monique, she was worried that Dack Daniels was going to attempt something underhanded during the game. So far he hadn't tried anything, but that didn't stop Kim from worrying about her man as he kept running behind the larger player's blocks. As the team headed out on the field, she noticed something off about the way that Daniels was walking, and right before the players settled into position, she saw it. Ron was talking to Vinnie, so she was sure he didn't see it, but Dack made a gesture of firing at Ron's back. Her senses quickly went on full alert, but unfortunately there was nothing she could do. As the play began, she waited with nervous, bated breath for what the senior slot back was about to try.

I swear, Ron, if he hurts you…

…
…

"Well, Wally, with the score 38-28 and less than two minutes left, it looks like the game is the Guardians' to lose now. Ball is on the Guardian thirty-two, and G.V.U. is coming out once more in the tried and true Slot-I formation that's been so good to them all game long. Both Stoppable and Daniels are leading the pack with just over 200 yards apiece, and Highland looks like a one-man wrecking crew, registering at least fifteen pancake blocks today alone while adding in almost a hundred punishing yards of his own."

"I agree, Rick. Daniels and Stoppable are almost like thunder and lightning in their different styles of running, with Dack being his usual crashing self while Stoppable dashes in and out and avoids like quicksilver. Upperton tried covering him with a spy back, but that hasn't appeared to have any effect on his evasiveness, even with the spy back being the player considered best in the conference at it, Heath Sampson. Though I feel I do need to point out that Sampson hasn't made it easy on the freshman. He's showing the young man just what it means to play full-out, smash-mouth college football."

"Agreed on that. Okay, James is up under center. There's the snap, and it looks like a handoff to Stoppable. Highland is plowing the road, but wait…something appears wrong. The line has collapsed, and Stoppable's quickly running out of room. There's a surge from the strong side where Daniels was, and…Wally, it appears Daniels is actually helping the defense? He's barreling into the backfield, and…ouch, that one had to hurt as he sends one of the Wildcats flying, creating a hole a mile wide. Stoppable sees it, and he takes off, heading down field before he's hit hard by all three Upperton linebackers. But what's this…Wally, Stoppable doesn't have the ball!"

"No, he doesn't Rick! Heading down the other side of the field, it's Dack Daniels! All he's got to do is beat the safeties…ouch! That young man's going to feel that tomorrow. All alone, Daniels will score! TOUCHDOWN, GUARDIANS!"

"Man, Wally, I don't know if that was a botched play or planned that way, but that will be the stake in the heart of these Wildcats! The play appeared to be going nowhere, but somehow Stoppable slipped the ball to Daniels, and the big senior leaves a path of destruction as he takes it all the way in for the score."

"I tell you, Rick, what impresses me most about this young man is his willingness to share the glory. I mean, we know he's always been like that on his missions with his girlfriend, Kim Possible, but he's showing us today that it's not just an act. If he takes that and runs it himself, he snatches up a two-hundred fifty yard game, but instead he passes the achievement off to his teammate for the touchdown. This young man is a true class act, I tell ya."

"Agreed. After that last run, Daniels has eclipsed the three hundred yard mark, an impressive feat for the senior, and he appears completely pumped about his performance. After the extra point, the game is all but over as the Guardians lead 45-28 with less than thirty seconds to go. And there is the celebratory dumping of the cooler over Devereaux's head, and he couldn't look happier to be soaked. Wildcats have one final play, but Brissart is all over it with a solid tackle. And this one's in the books! Final score: Global Vanguard U. Guardians 45, Upperton U. Wildcats 28. Wally Spear, who's your Offensive Spear of the Game?"

"Well, Rick, I wish I could give two, because Stoppable really put on a show out there. But I'm going to have to go with the better numbers and give it to senior Dack Daniels. This young man just could not be stopped today, crashing over, around, and through the Wildcat defense. And Rick Shield, who would be your Defensive Shield of the Game?"

"I'm going to have to give it to sophomore cornerback Viktor Tretiov. Eight tackles, numerous deflections, and one interception when the Wildcats were threatening inside the twenty all add up to a true defensive stopper of a performance by the young man from St. Petersburg, Russia. So, Guardian fans, we're going to take a short break, and we'll be right back with the 'Shield & Spear Wrap-Up' right after this. Again, final score, G.V.U. 45, Upperton U. 28. You're listening to GSN, Guardian Sports Network."

…
…

As Ron showered and dressed, he couldn't help but feel a sense of pride. First game of his college career, and he'd helped his team pull off a major victory. The congratulations kept coming from his teammates, but most of them were being tuned out now. As he worked his right arm under the hot water of the shower, he couldn't help but feel in the back of his mind that something was off. It had started with the tackle where Sampson had managed to twist his helmet, but it had only been a minor thing then. Now his arm had a slightly more noticeable numbness to it. However, he hadn't said anything to any of the trainers because it felt like it was only going to be a bruise, something he'd dealt with many times on missions with Kim. However, he did make a mental note to switch his Kimmunicator over to his left wrist, just in case they had a situation come up that required using the device's grappling hook function.

"Hey, Stoppable, you okay man?" asked Tretiov as he started up his own shower.

"Yeah, just a little sore. Personally would have preferred a few rounds with Monkey Fist over the day Sampson just put me through."

His teammate nodded his understanding. "I hear ya. Scouts are saying he'll probably go in the first round of the draft next year. So, you going to the celebration party tonight over at the Pit?"

The Pit was a local dance club that often catered to students wanting to celebrate in more rowdy ways than the campus PD would allow. Kim and Ron had been dancing there a couple times since the semester started, but had yet to attend a party there. Neither one of them were really big into the frat-party style that celebrations at the Pit often became. In fact, it was rare to find a party there that didn't include at least three or four kegs.

Ron shook his head. "I would, but yesterday was my birthday, and since today was the game KP and I decided to hold off on the celebration until tonight. Plus, neither one of us are really into that sort of thing."

"That's cool, man. Still, you ought to swing by for at least a few minutes, just to get your congratulations."

Ron smiled. "We'll see. Partly depends on what KP wants to do. Might be my birthday, but she gets a say in it too."

As he exited the locker room, he found Kim waiting there for him. Much as he tried to hide it, she definitely noticed when he flinched as she hugged him tight.

"Alright, Ron, spill. What's hurting?"

His smile was as big as ever. "Just the normal stuff, KP. Promise."

Her eyes told him she wasn't totally convinced, but she let it slide. "C'mon, Daddy and your dad came to the game, and they said they wanted to see us for a bit before they head back to Middleton."

Lacing fingers, they headed out into the concourse area just outside the main gates of the stadium. Thankfully, most of the crowd and press had already left, as Ron wasn't looking forward to any repercussions of his performance. They found the fathers waiting near the ticket office, both of them wearing huge smiles on their faces.

"Good game, son," Gene said as he patted Ron on the back.

"I agree, Ronald," James added as he shook the young man's hand.

"Thanks, Dad, Mr. Dr. P. I'm just glad it's over."

"I'll bet," replied James. "That Sampson boy didn't seem to like you very much."

Ron smiled. "Actually, he was pretty nice outside the whistles. Actually helped me up a few times."

Kim grinned. "You have that affect on people, Ronnie. They can't help but like you. And I have to say that G.V.U. uniform made you look rather handsome."

"Speaking of uniforms," James began, "Kimmie-cub, why didn't you warn me about the one you wear?"

Kim looked at her father apologetically. "Sorry, Daddy, I couldn't. Today's the first time those uniforms have seen the public, and Coach Williams said we were supposed to keep them under wraps. I didn't even tell Ron about them."

Ron nodded. "She's right, Mr. Dr. P., she didn't." In his mind he also added, And I think I might have matched you in what my reaction to them was, though I'm sure my view of her was different than yours.

They talked for a few more minutes before the fathers bade them goodbye, Gene wishing his son a Happy Birthday. He also reminded Ron and Kim about the family party the next day at the Stoppable house, and both of them promised they'd be there. As he and James headed for the car, Kim turned towards her fiancé and grinned.

"So, any ideas for where to go for your birthday?"

Ron thought for a moment. "Maybe one or two, but a couple of them involve heading down into Denver."

Kim smiled. "Well, just remember that Monique's only agreed to be gone until 3:00 AM."

"Gone?" he said confusedly, but then the light went on. "Ohhh…well, maybe we could find a steakhouse here in town."

Kim shook her head and laughed. "You're curious what I've got planned, aren't you?"

"Whatever it is, I'm sure it's badical," he whispered as he gave her a melting kiss that left her a little light headed.

"Boo Yeah," she responded as they headed towards the Sloth with their hands in each other's back pockets.

a/n

As always, comments and reviews are more than appreciated, they're highly encouraged. :)

Oh, and if you want to know what all the acronyms mean, send me a message and I'll send the translations.