Assorted Legal Mumbo-Jumbo:
As usual, I don't own Kim Possible or anything associated with her. All KP-related items are the property of the Disney Channel and their army of ravenous lawyers who are the reason that I'm writing this. I suppose that the story idea itself could be construed as "mine," but that doesn't mean that the legal eagles out there won't try to claim otherwise.
In any case, read the story, leave a review, and look both ways before crossing the street.
(The preceding contains 100% Grade "A" disclaimer.)
Enjoy!
~ Chapter Twenty-One ~
The mid-August breeze made its way, warm and inviting, through the open window. Wafting lazily past the dancing curtains it carried on its feathery tendrils the scents of backyard barbecues and freshly cut grass… of lilacs and rain trees… swimming pools and sun tan oil. It was the scent of summer, and the season had never smelled sweeter.
Breathing deep, Kimberly savored the aroma, its varying textures reminding her of the freedom this season entailed. The memory of carefree afternoons spent riding bikes and playing in the yard with Ron brought a smile to her face, as did most other memories of the tow-headed teen. It was such recollections that often sustained her in her darker moments, and they were the primary motivation behind what she was doing now.
With the faint clicking of keystrokes, she placed a final few words upon the screen and leaned back appraisingly in her chair, critically regarding the product of her efforts. This was an important project… one of the most important that she'd recently faced. But even in the face of such pressure, she felt confident in the results of her labors. It felt solid… It felt right. Now if she could only get the opinion of another person to confirm her assessment.
"Hey there, KP! Whatcha up to?"
Now that's what you call timing!
"Ron! Just the person I wanted to see!" she smiled, turning in her chair to face him. "C'mere and tell me what you think of this."
"Okeedokee." He agreed, crossing her attic bedroom to peer at the screen from over her shoulder. "So what is it that I'm looking at here?"
"Hopefully, it's the resolution to our whole college sitch." She admitted, crossing her arms apprehensively. "Obviously the whole deal is major big, so I just want to make sure that I totally nail it. Be honest… Tell me what you think."
"All right then." Ron agreed, leaning forward to squint critically at the screen. "Let's see what we've got here."
"Dear (insert title),"
"I've got lots of schools to respond to." Kim answered her boyfriend's questioning glance. "Wade set me up with a database of all the contacts in the various admissions departments. The computer will insert the correct names before I send them off."
Ron simply nodded in understanding before continuing with his reading.
"Thank you for your generous offer of admission to (insert name of school). I am flattered that my personal record has been deemed deserving of such consideration.
However, it is with the deepest regret that I inform you I will not be accepting said offer at this time. For after much reflection and the weighing of many available options, I have decided that the best course of action for my own personal development is to embark on a period of self-exploration and world travel."
Surprised, Ron paused to favor his girlfriend with another questioning glance, but she simply responded with a reassuring smile.
"You're sure about this?" he asked to be certain. "'Cause I was just spit-balling there in the car, you know. You don't necessarily have to take anything I said seriously."
"No, Ron. I understand what you were saying." She confirmed, reaching behind herself to cup a comforting hand over his cheek. "And you were right. We haven't ever really seen the world. And considering how many times we've saved it, that's really just a shame. So I say it's time we fixed this whole issue. We need to do this, Ron… for us if for nothing else. And I do want it to be us that does it. Not me… not you… us."
Looking down into her eyes, he favored her with the warmest smile he could manage. The fact that someone as perfect as her could ever be so committed to a person like him never ceased to boggle his mind. He leaned forward and their lips met for several rapturous seconds before they reluctantly parted and he resumed his reading duties once more.
"It is my sincere belief that by seeing the world in this way will serve to broaden my personal horizons, open my mind to new experiences and new ideas, and ultimately leave me better prepared to face the rigors of college coursework and the demands of a higher education."
"Nice spin." Ron nodded in approval. "The whole 'broaden your horizons' and 'better prepared' angle really sells it."
"Yeah. I figured that when talking to college folks, packaging it as its own freelance educational opportunity would go over well." Kim shrugged, settling back into the chair and allowing Ron's oversized hands to envelop her shoulders. It was a welcome gesture that she silently savored.
"Although I respect your admission policies and understand that there are many qualified applicants to be considered, I earnestly hope that in a year's time when I return from my travels, (insert name of school) will still maintain its generous offer, previously set forth.
I look forward to communicating with you on this subject at a future date.
Sincerely,
Kimberly Anne Possible
Middleton, Colorado"
Ron's eyes mimicked the blinking of the cursor as he stood there contemplating what he had just read. Meanwhile, Kim sat apprehensively by, enjoying his tactile ministrations but also awaiting his verdict regarding her work.
"Wow!" he finally managed to say, although his one-word judgment seemed inadequate in Kim's eyes.
"Wow?" she begged in askance. "Is that all you've got for me? Can you at least say whether it's a good wow or a bad wow?"
"It's a terrific wow." He clarified, staring wide-eyed at the screen. "Seriously, KP. I think you totally stuck the landing with this!"
Kim released a heavy breath that she had been unaware of holding. Hearing Ron's glowing assessment did wonders for her mood and took a major load off of her chest. She could breath easy now, knowing that at least this hurdle had been cleared.
"Okay then. That makes that a wrap." She emphatically declared, grabbing the mouse and clicking "print." "So now all we have left is to get final approval from the 'rents, and we'll be good to go." Standing and stretching, she strode confidently to the printer in the corner and collected the freshly produced pages.
"So how did they take the news that you're putting off the whole education thing for a year?" Ron absent-mindedly asked as he wandered over to the dresser and gave close inspection to one of her many cheerleading trophies.
Kim pulled up short at his question, a fresh wave of apprehension washing over her.
"Actually, they don't know about it yet."
"Come again?" Ron spun around, eyes wide. "You mean you haven't told them?"
"Actually, this is going to be my way of telling them." She grinned sheepishly, ruffling the papers in her hand.
For his part, Ron appeared thoroughly unamused.
"First of all, you're sounding way too much like my folks right now," he said, "and secondly, that's a pretty big bombshell you're getting ready to drop there. Are you sure you're prepared for the war that's gonna follow it?"
"I figure I'll manage." She said with an unconvincing sigh. "But besides… I'll have back up along. So it won't be so bad."
"Really? Who's that?"
She shoved the stack of papers into his hands and raised a knowing eyebrow in his direction.
"Awwwww man!" he whined, realizing that he had just been volunteered. "Your dad's so totally gonna blame me for this."
"Don't worry, sweetie." She reassured him, placing a gentle peck upon his cheek. "I'll be there to back you up, just like you'll be backing me up. We'll tell them what we're planning, explain why, and then follow the discussion wherever it goes from there."
"I still sense the presence of a black hole in my future." Ron moaned insistently.
"Don't be ridiculous, Ron. Daddy loves you like a son, and you know that as well as I do." Kim continued to insist. "And besides, if he ever did try anything crazy like that, then they'd have to make sure there were two seats on that capsule because I'd be there right along with you."
"Sure. You say that now…"
"And I mean every word of it. I go where you go, Ron. I'm serious about that." She admitted softly, wrapping her arms around his shoulders and drawing him close so that her head nestled beneath his chin. "Whether it's on missions or off to college or on a round-the-world trip, we're partners. That's why I'm planning this the way that I am. Because wherever the road of life leads us, it leads us both. It really is about us Ron. It's always been about us."
Snaking his arms around Kim's waist, he closed his eyes and momentarily savored both her words and her proximity. For someone who grew up believing himself to be a life-long loser, he sure managed to wind up the luckiest damn guy on the face of the earth.
"Eat your heart out, Lou Gehrig." He whispered to no one.
"What was that?"
"Nothing! Nothing at all!" he responded a little too hastily. Kim raised a suspicious eyebrow, but quickly dismissed it as yet another example of her boyfriend's essential "Ronness."
"So are you ready to go down and face the music?" she asked, pulling back from him just far enough to look him in the eyes and read his expression.
"As long as we're going as a tag-team, I'm ready for anything." He assured her, tucking the letter under his arm and saluting smartly. "Lead the way, oh captain my captain!"
With an affectionate smile, she knelt down to open the hatch in her bedroom floor and began the descent to the lower levels of her family's home. She knew the coming conversation was bound to be an uncomfortable one. After months of pushing her toward their own alma maters, followed by any prestigious university they could think of, the idea of their only daughter putting off college entirely was not going to be received well. Already, she could hear her mother's judgmental questioning and her father's stern lecture about the value of an education and how kids these days just didn't appreciate what they had.
But she could deal with that… She could deal with all of it. Just as long as she had one thing, and she could currently hear that thing descending the steps about two paces behind her. The thought brought yet another smile to her face.
Separate, they were ordinary teenagers, making their ordinary ways in an ordinary world. But together, they were something truly extraordinary: They were Team Possible.
Together… they could do anything!
~ The End ~
Author's Notes:
Wow! Twenty chapters… 141,836 words… four-and-a-half years… and God only knows how many hours of sitting here banging my head against this keyboard… all to get to this point. This truly has been an incredible journey.
I'd like to take this opportunity to thank all those of you who have stuck with this story throughout its duration. There were many times when the updates came slow and the ideas dried up and I honestly considered abandoning this tale to the graveyard of unfinished stories that so often litter this site. It was at those times when I thought of you, my loyal readers, and through that found the motivation to sit myself down in front of this blasted computer and force my fingers to do some talking.
As for where we go from here, the door is wide open to any and all possibilities. (No pun intended.) If I was forced to take an educated guess, I would have to admit that there's an unfinished second chapter to my story "Past Remembrance & Future Promise" that's been languishing in Limbo on my hard drive for many months now. So if you you're a betting person, the odds are I'll probably finish that up before moving on to any new material. Beyond that… who knows. But hopefully inspiration will strike at some point in the future, and I'll feel compelled to sit down, log on, and start the creative process anew once more.
But until then, I bid best wishes and best of luck to all those out there in the KP fandom! May your hearts beat true, your fingers write fast, and may your collective love for our favorite characters never die!
Oh! And as a final note, major props to Eddy13 for spotting the reference in the previous chapter. The riddle at the doors was a pull-quote from Batman: The Animated Series. Specifically, it's from Season Two, Episode 12: "If You're So Smart, Why Aren't You Rich?", where we have our first meeting with "The Riddler." (At least it's our first meeting in that particular incarnation of the franchise.)
Signing off!
Nutzkie…