Oh, and I own squat, whatsoever. Even these early chapters are not mine. Disney owns the characters, Scoutcraft Piratess owns the story concept, I'm just posting and playing with them.
You know I love the Ron/Bon, so be sure to check out Bad Girls by VRWC, the sequel to Shocked.
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The Ronless Factor – Chapter 29
Bonnie made sure she was up and out the door well before anyone else in the house got up. Her father had gotten in late last night, and she REALLY did not want to have to deal with both her parents this early in the morning. Without bothering to grab anything but her bag, she skipped out the door, making sure to grab the keys to the car she borrowed from her parents. She doubted she'd have it after school today, and she wanted to make sure she enjoyed it as much as she could.
Of course, the early morning wasn't entirely planned that way. She hadn't slept well at all. Granted, the occasional piercing shriek as one of her sisters endured anouther of Michaela's pranks had been amusing, and probably had woken her a couple of times, as had the banging on her bedroom door as her sisters had begged and pleaded and threatened for a reprieve. But those had just put a grin on her face, especially when Michaela had come in to relate what she had done and how much fun she was having. No, while that had contributed, that was a welcome exchange, and one that had settled down by eleven as she had asked Michaela to hold off for the rest of the night. No, it was other thoughts that plagued her all night.
Even with what was happening in the house all night, she really doubted her parents believed a word she was telling them. To her mother, she was just always going to be little BonBon, a little girl never to be taken seriously. And to her father, she would always be the daughter who didn't measure up, who wasn't the boy that he had wanted. It didn't matter what she did, she would never live up to his expectations. At this point, she seriously wondered why she ever bothered any more. Nothing was going to change, not her mother, not her father, and most definitely not her sisters.
Bonnie sighed deeply as she pulled into Kim's driveway. Everything in the last while was just so nuts, her entire world flipped upside down. Talking to ghosts, helping Kim and Ron, even being friends with them. Bonnie shook her head, throwing the car into park. A month ago, if someone had told her what was going to happen, she would have laughed in their face, then ordered Brikk to beat them up for their presumptuousness. Now, she didn't even have Brikk, a staple in her life for the past two years.
Bonnie shook her head slowly as she exited the car. Life sure had ways of throwing you curveballs. Now, all she could hope for was that the next one would be one she could handle. That thought was going to bug her as she stood on Kim's doorstep, waiting for someone to answer the door.
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Kim lifted her head groggily as she heard the doorbell ring. She glanced over at the alarm clock and groaned as she saw it was barely past six in the morning. Reluctantly, she climbed to her feet, noticing she was still fully dressed from yesterday. She shook her head briefly to wake up, and glanced around the room.
"Ron, any idea who is at the door?"
There was no answer, so Kim glanced around again, finally noticing the computer screen. Gone to run some errands, see you in morning. Kim smiled, then heard the doorbell again, and her smile fell. Reluctantly, she made her way downstairs, hearing the sounds of movements from her parents room as she went for the front door.
Kim was only mildly surprised to see Bonnie standing there, and only really surprised because it looked like the brunette had not had a shower or put on makeup. In fact, there were still stains from where Kim could see tears had flowed, and Kim wondered if Bonnie was even aware that she looked a mess.
Bonnie though was all smiles as she stepped through the door. "Morning K, sorry to wake you so early, but if I wanted the car today, I had to take off before the rents woke up and took it from me. I didn't give them the chance last night." Bonnie headed for the kitchen, pausing for a second. "Remind me to thank your mother for the little talk with my folks, it was REAL smart."
The sarcasm was practically dripping, but Kim ignored it, instead focusing on following Bonnie. "So did you really need to come here and wake us up?"
Bonnie just smirked. "Oh yeah. After the stunt you mom pulled..." Bonnie trailed off, and Kim could see a hint of vulnerability in the veneer she was trying to show. "Anyways, I wanted to grab some breakfast, go over how we were gonna do this, all that. Is Ron around?"
Kim just went over to the coffee maker to start it up, knowing her folks would be down shortly. She could also use a cup. It wasn't the best habit she could have gotten into, but considering some of the late nights she and Ron had been through, and the fact she was not much of a morning person, it was one vice she didn't mind that much. "Ron said he had some errands to run, I don't think he's back yet. I haven't heard him yet anyways?"
Bonnie cocked an eyebrow at that. "Heard him?"
"Wade sent over some components to wire the house with. We can hear him in any room in the house now, though the speakers are rigged to only repeat what he said in the room he's in. It probably wouldn't be good for him to be heard all over the house at once."
Bonnie smirked at that thought. "Yeah, I guess his and your conversations wouldn't sound so good to your dad, now would they?"
Kim blushed brightly, and Bonnie just laughed.
"Yes, I don't think her father is ready to hear what Ron has to say to his little Kimmie-cub."
Kim spun around quickly, still blushing furiously. "It's not like that."
Mrs. Possible just smiled serenely, and moved over to the coffee maker, seeing the cycle just finishing. "Don't be embarrassed dear, I understand. I know you wouldn't want to hear some of the conversations your father and I have, now would you?"
"TMI mom!"
Andrea just laughed, then looked over at Bonnie. "I take it things didn't go well with your parents last night?"
Bonnie's smile faded, and she looked away. "You could say that."
Andrea sighed. She had hoped it would go better, but it was obvious it hadn't. "I'll talk to them later today, go see them in personally. Now, you go clean up dear, I'll make some breakfast for everyone."
Bonnie nodded, and headed for the downstairs bathroom, and Andrea turned her attention to her daughter, her expression serious. "I didn't realize things would get that bad for her."
"I don't think she wants anyone to know, she's hiding it pretty well anyways." A shriek from the bathroom showed that Bonnie had discovered just how disheveled she looked. "Well, she was anyways." Kim moved to get herself a cup, now that her mom had moved away from the coffee maker. "How are you doing mom?"
"Shouldn't I be asking you that, I am your mother?" Andrea smiled as she moved to the refrigerator, pausing as she opened the door. "I'm fine, or I will be. It takes a little getting used to the fact that I'm not who I think I am, at least physically." She held up her wrist, looking at the flashing device. "This should keep things under control, at least my control. We'll just have to see."
Bonnie came storming back into the room, glaring at Kim. "You could have told me how I looked. It would be just like you to let me walk to school like that, not knowing how bad I looked."
Mrs. Possible quickly moved to the brunette, taking her by the arm. "Dear, go take a shower and get yourself together. I'll have breakfast ready for you then, and we can sit and talk."
Bonnie cast one more glare back at Kim, then stomped back to the bathroom. Andrea just smiled as she heard the water for the shower start, and then started in on getting breakfast ready. "I guess no one changes completely, do they."
Kim just smiled in return. "If Bonnie did, I think the world would be coming to an end. I have to admit though, I do like the new Bonnie."
"So do I dear, so do I. Now don't you think you should get ready as well, or were you planning on wearing your mission gear from yesterday today as well?"
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Ron actually wished he could just go to sleep. This constantly being awake without getting tired thing was really very boring. Before, it might have been fun, never getting tired, never being out of energy, but the reality was anything but, especially at night when everyone else slept.
He passed through the Possible's front door and heard the sounds of activity already. He thought he was coming in at a time when Kim would just be getting up, but apparently he had underestimated. His eyes widened slightly as he stepped into the kitchen, and saw Bonnie with a towel wrapped around her head. Kim was in a bathrobe herself, the same as her mom, and they were all sitting down to eat. It was the type of scene that might have caused him to pass out a couple months ago from sheer blood loss, but now he had a much more pragmatic view, since there was nothing he could do about it... and the fact that he had no blood to lose played a big role in that as well.
"Hola Bonnie and Possible babes. How are you this fine morning?"
Bonnie winced, glancing first to where Ron was standing, then to the stereo speakers. "Okay, that will get annoying very quickly."
Kim just grinned. "I guess you hear it twice, huh?"
"Think of those really bad camp songs where one group starts and then anouther starts the next verse in the middle of the first. It's just like that."
Kim winced at that image. "Yeah, I can see how that could get annoying."
"Oh come on, it's not that bad." Ron was leaning against the counter, watching them eat. "I barely notice it already."
"That's cause you don't even realize how bad your voice is in the first place."
Ron gasped at Bonnie's jibe, clutching a hand to his chest. "Bonnie, that hurt... that really hurt. I... I don't know how I'll ever go on."
"Oh can it you ham." The tone of voice was gruff, but Ron could see the faint trace of a grin on Bonnie's face.
Kim was carefully sipping at her coffee, smiling. "So what errands were you running all night?"
"Oh, I dropped in on Wade, and he ran some extra tests while the computers were trying to track Drakken. Then I sat with Shego for a while. Figured if she wakes up, someone should be there to get the information as quickly as possible."
Kim raised an eyebrow at that. "How would you talk with her?"
Ron jumped up, realizing he had forgotten the big news. "Oh man, I completely forgot. Wade worked out a hand held version so that we can talk anywhere. He dropped one off at the hospital, so that if Shego does wake up, I just have to push a button to activate it."
Kim's smile grew huge at that. "He got the hand held unit ready?"
"Yup, he said he'd have a second one whipped up and sent over any..." the sound of the doorbell startled them all, "...time now."
Kim jumped to her feet, smiling brightly as she answered the door. She was back only a moment later. "Come on Ron, let's step outside in the back and test this out."
"You got it KP!"
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Bonnie sighed as Kim left through the back door, picking at the eggs on her plate. Dr. Possible was quick to notice. "You want to talk about it?"
Bonnie's gaze shot up sharply, and all vulnerability disappeared in an instant. "I don't know what you mean."
Dr. Possible smiled faintly, taking a sip of her coffee. "Well, we could talk about how you feel about your family and the pressures they put on you. Or how your entire life has been turned upside down, and with these abilities of yours, and your drop in social standing at school thanks to all the rumours, you are feeling penned in and scared because you don't know what to do." Dr. Possible took anouther sip as she allowed her words to sink in. "Or, we can talk about what has REALLY got you tied up in knots, and that's how you are feeling like Kim and Ron, who you are starting to think of as friends, might not need you now that they have some techno gadgets to help them talk, and you think that, after everything you've done for them, they are just going to toss you aside, because that's exactly what you used to do when you didn't need someone anymore."
Bonnie wanted to respond. She opened her mouth, set to rebuke the foul statement, to deny the accusation with whatever it took, but she couldn't. Her eyes widened slowly as she sought to deny what she was feeling, but with Dr. Possible's scrutiny, it was impossible. But her gaze was not accusing, simply understanding. Bonnie dropped her head into her hands, groaning. "You're not going to tell them, are you? It would destroy my whole image if they... I mean..."
"You don't have to worry dear, I won't say a thing, though I think you should tell them yourself. But I think your fears are unfounded, Kim and Ron will stand by you. But that doesn't mean you shouldn't talk with them."
Bonnie shook her head quickly. "That's not the way I do things."
Dr. Possible just smiled knowingly, taking anouther sip. "And has that helped you yet?"
Bonnie had no answer for that.
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Monique was tapping her fingers off the desk impatiently. They had been told to meet Kim and Bonnie in the biology lab before classes started, but nothing since then. "When are they going to get here?"
Tara just shrugged, as she worked on something on her cell phone. "I have no idea, but it will be nice to get some answers. Bonnie has been acting really strange lately, and I have no idea what she's doing with Kim right now."
"Girl, I've been hanging out with Kim for a long time, and I have no idea whatsoever. This is SBC."
Tara glanced up from her phone. "So beyond confusing?"
Monique just grinned. "Got it in one T. Seriously though, Bonnie's been talking to Kim about Ron being a ghost and about this guy trying to kill her, then the guy does come, and all of a sudden, Bonnie and Kim have been hanging out non-stop for days. I haven't even seen them except at school yesterday, and considering how fast they peeled out of here, that wasn't exactly for very long."
Tara blinked a couple of times, before setting her phone down. "Wait a minute... Ron a ghost?"
Monique chuckled softly. "Yeah, Bonnie was trying to tell Kim how Ron was haunting her. I don't know what has gotten into that girl, but..."
"Bonnie was talking to Ron yesterday in class, just before everything went screwy in Barkin's class. I just thought she was being cruel, with Kim right beside her and all that, but..."
Monique just rolled her eyes. "You don't really think that Ron's a ghost, do you?"
Tara just shrugged. "Stranger things have happened. Going into a TV show, swapping brains... you gotta admit, it is a possibility."
Monique just snorted. "I'll believe it when I see it girl."
"Good, then this should be quick and easy."
The two glanced up to see Bonnie standing in the doorway with a faint smile. Kim was there as well, though her expression was more serious. Monique stood up straight when she saw them, her own countenance brooking no argument. "All right girl, time to spill. You got me running damage control for BonBon here, and I finally want to know why."
Bonnie just smiled as she placed a Kimmunicator on the desk. "You are right, I can talk to Ron, who is a ghost. I can also talk to other ghosts as well, though that information does not leave this room. I'm already a big enough freak right now as it is, and..." Kim placed a gentle hand on Bonnie's shoulder, and the brunette settled down. "Anyways, Kim's techno geek managed to figure out how my brain does that, so, with no further ado..." Bonnie pressed the button on the Kimmunicator and stepped back.
Tara leaned in a bit, looking down at it before glancing back up at Bonnie. "What's this supposed to do?"
Bonnie just smiled broadly, and even Kim snickered, though she wasn't looking at Tara. "Don't worry, you'll see."
Tara raised an eyebrow, glancing between the two, while Monique just crossed her arms in front of her. "So..."
"BOOYAH!"
Ron's distinctive cry sounded loudly from the device, and Tara let out a scream as she jumped back. Monique's arms shot out as well to her sides, and she took a step back as well.
"It is I, Ron Stoppable, back from the dead to avenge my murder!"
Tara's eyes were wide as saucers as she backed up quickly, not realizing that Ron wasn't standing at the device so much as he was behind her. She heard a clacking sound behind her, and when she saw the floating skull, it's lower jaw clacking loudly, her shriek was piercing, and she fell to the floor.
Bonnie dropped to the floor beside Tara, no longer laughing. "Knock it off Stoppable, you got your jollies in."
Ron's voice sounded quite contrite. "Sorry. I just... I was just trying to have a bit of fun with it."
Monique was leaning in close to the floating skull, her eyes wide. "Ron? Is that... that..."
"It's really me, in the flesh... so to speak..."
"Wow, this is so..."
"RON STOPPABLE!" Tara was on her feet, and her nostrils were flaring like a bulls. "How dare you, that was mean and cruel and just... just... MEAN!"
The skull dropped to the floor quickly. "I am so sorry Tara, I just..."
"And I am so glad you're here!" There were tears now in Tara's eyes, that she shed unashamedly. "When you died Ron..."
Bonnie pulled Tara into a hug, and sat her down. Monique had managed to recover enough, and sat down on the edge of the desk. "Ron, I'm so sorry about everything. I was driving and..."
"Monique," she felt a gentle touch on her hand, and it startled her slightly, "it's not your fault. There was nothing you could have done differently. Do you hear me, nothing."
Monique nodded, fighting hard against the tears that threatened to spill forth. "Ron... I gotta hear everything."
Ron's sigh was audible. "Well, let me start from the beginning..."
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Author's Notes – The circle grows, but who else can be trusted. And can any school day really be normal when there's a ghost on the premises? Stay tuned!
