Chapter 1: Going Home

---

I hear the wind call my name
The sound that leads me home again
It sparks up the fire - a flame that still burns
To you I'll always return
I know the road is long but where you are is home
Wherever you stay - I'll find a way
I'll run like a river - I'll follow the sun
I'll fly like an eagle - to where I belong

I can't stand the distance - I can't dream alone
I can't wait to see you – Yes, I'm on my way home

Now I know it's true
My every road leads to you
And in the hour of darkness

Darlin', your light gets me through

You run like the river - you shine like the sun
You fly like an eagle
You are the one

I've seen every sunset
And with all that I've learned
Oh it's to you …

I will always, always return.

-'I Will Always Return' Bryan Adams

---

Somewhere in Middleton, Colorado

"So you're saying if I help you, I'll get what I want?" Dr. Drakken, the blue skinned mad scientist, questioned as he and his assistant, Shego, stood before a man in a trench coat with his face obscured by the shadows.

"Of course, my good Doctor," he said, drawing a Civil War style revolver and twirling it on his finger before replacing it on his gun belt, then stepping out of the shadows to show his face. He was an older man, in his early fifties, with long gray hair and a handlebar mustache. "Help us gather the strongest young people, and we'll aid you in gaining Kim Possible's head on a platter." He then looked at his watch, and sighed, "Now if you excuse me, Doctor, I've a dinner appointment with the Boss. Good day."

The pair watched him walk off, once again twirling his gun, but once he was safely away, Shego spoke up, pushing some of her long, raven hair from her face, "I don't trust him."

"Nor do I, dear Shego, but the Sons of Liberty are not the kind to disrespect," he said, turning back, touching the scar on his face, "I've enough scars as is."

"Yes, sir," Shego nodded.

"Come, Shego, we must prepare."

---

Elsewhere in Middleton…

"Why are you leaving so early?" Josh Mankey asked, sitting up in bed, "It's five thirty in the morning."

"My parents will get worried," Kim Possible replied to her boyfriend, pulling up her cargo pants, then reaching for her bra and green tank top, "Can't risk them calling Wade and finding out I wasn't on a mission."

"You'll be eighteen tomorrow, then you can move in if you want to," Josh smiled, but Kim cut him off with a quick shake of the head.

"I don't think that's such a good idea," Kim sighed, "I've got too many responsibilities right now, maybe once I get Drakken in a prison where he won't get back out."

"I'm worried about you, and I'm sure your parents do too," Josh stated seriously, "You really shouldn't be doing this solo. You need to find a new sidekick or partner, maybe I can …"

"I have a partner," Kim stated forcefully.

"Kimmie," Josh sighed, "He's been gone for three years. He's not coming back."

"He promised he would come back someday, and I'm holding him to that," Kim snapped, blinking back a few tears, "I don't care if no one else believes he's coming back; I do. This is his home; he just needs time to get over his parents' deaths."

"Kim …"

"No, I'm going home now," She stated stomping toward the door, "I'll call you later, Josh."

Kim walked out of Josh's apartment into the street and approached her sports car, "Who are you kidding, Possible? He's never coming back; if he was, he'd be here by now …" she sighed to herself before unlocking her car, and then looking up toward the sky, "Ron, where are you?"

---

Washington DC

A motorcycle roared down an old road in the outskirts of the Capitol. It finally came to a stop outside an old farm house where a few vehicles where parked. The driver was wearing a leather jacket with the sleeves cut off, a gray tank top, black jeans with holes in the knees, a pair of sunglasses, his shoulder length dirty blonde hair pulled back in a loose ponytail, and a stubby, day-old beard over the multiple freckles on his face.

He walked into the barn, and opened the 'fuse box'. Instead of electrical fuses, there was a large, hand shaped plate and a retinal scanner. He placed his hand on the mat, and a mechanical voice spoke, "State name and codename for voice recognition."

He removed his sunglasses for the retinal scanner, "Name: Ronald Stoppable. Codename: Shadow Snake."

"Palm scan … complete. Retinal scan … complete. Vocal scan … complete. Identity confirmed, welcome home, Agent Shadow Snake." Then the large over turned wagon in the center of the barn slid forward, revealing a staircase.

"Home sweet home," Ron sighed, replacing his sunglasses and stepping down the stairs to the elevator.

As the elevator slid down the tunnel, Ron's mind went back to events almost three years ago exactly. Life seemed so much simpler back then. He was more than content as Kim Possible's faithful sidekick and best friend. If he only knew how quickly his life would be torn apart, he wondered if he would be as naïve and passive as he was back then.

-Flashback-

Fourteen-year-old Kim Possible and Ron Stoppable dashed across the slightly damp rooftops after Drakken and Shego after foiling their latest take-over-the-world-ploy. "I've got 'um Kim!" Ron said, pulling a grappling gun and aiming it at Drakken's and Shego's legs.

Shego glanced back and fired a green energy blast from her glove, hitting the ground at Ron's feet and throwing him down. The Grapple-gun fired, only at Kim.

Kim's legs became tangled in the cord, and, with a line of obscenities, went tumbling to the ground, helpless to only watch as Drakken and Shego get away.

"RON!" Kim hissed, glaring at her sidekick/childhood best friend, "you … you … you …" she growled, not even able to look at Ron, who at the time was looking more than highly downcast. Kim's Kimmunicator went off drawing her attention away from her anger, "This better be good, Wade."

"Temper, temper, Kim," Wade gulped, "Someone's taken some hostages at the mall, and he's threatening to kill unless someone called Snake shows himself."

"On the way," Kim said, as she stood up and started to walk away, but when Ron started to follow, she stopped dead in her tracks, and looked away from him, "Maybe … you should take the night off, Ron," She said coldly, "I can handle this one by myself just fine."

"Oh … ok," Ron nodded, his voice sounding slightly shaken, "I guess … I'll just go on home. Talk to you tomorrow, KP… I guess …"

Kim nodded and ran off, leaving Ron alone. Ron stood there broken hearted, but then a strange sense of foreboding washed over him. Something was wrong, but he couldn't … it hit him, "Mom and Dad are at the mall …"

---

"SNAKE!" a man called over the loudspeaker at the mall, where a great crowd of hostages stood, "I know you're in town, so come and do your little, lone hero thing and die like a good, little reptile!" the gray headed man pulled a revolver and began to twirl it on his finger, "Come out now, or I start killing people, six shooter, six people, every six minutes!"

"I strongly suggest putting the gun down, old man," Kim said as she crashed through the skylight.

"If you're Solid Snake, you've gotten younger, cuter, and had a sex change," the old man laughed, glaring at the redhead.

"I don't know any Solid Snake," Kim replied, "I'm-"

"I know, I know," the man said dully, "Kim Possible, girl wonder, oh-so-great girl-hero, I am just so impressed!"

Kim then pulled a boomerang from her belt, but, after a loud bang, she cried out as a sharp pain shot through her hand, making her drop the boomerang. She looked down at the large, deep graze on her hand. She'd been shot. This wasn't like her usual brand of villains, and it finally hit her like a ton of bricks: she was in deep trouble.

"Oh damn, you made me waste a bullet, my dear," the man said, "Now I can only kill five this go around. Oh well."

"Who … are you?" Kim asked, cradling her injured hand.

"Oh, where are my manners," the man smiled, stroking his mustache, "The name's Ocelot, Revolver Ocelot."

The maniac's watch suddenly beeped, "Oh my, six minutes is up, time to make good on my promise as best as possible."

He then turned to the hostages and fired at the heads of four random people, and smiled as they all tumbled to the ground lifeless. Then he turned to the carrot-topped heroine, "and you make … five."

Kim's green eyes widened as he pulled back the hammer on the gun, and squeezed the trigger. She let out a loud scream as the gun went off, but at the same time felt something hard and fast hit her, pushing her to the ground.

Kim looked up to see Ron over her, "You all right?" he asked, looking down on her with concern. All she could do was force a nod.

"You … boy … you made me … miss …" Ocelot growled, his eyes widened insanely, "I … never miss …"

Ocelot began reloading his gun, but suddenly found himself rising into thin air, then flying onto the floor.

"Stealth Camo Deactivate." A deep voice spoke, and then where Ocelot was standing stood a man with long, shaggy black hair, held back by a gray bandana, and a skintight Kevlar bodysuit covered in weapons. "You wanted me, Ocelot; you've got me."

"About time, Solid Snake," Ocelot laughed, "But if you had been faster you would of saved these four innocent people. I know how much you value pathetically weak hostages."

Snake turned to see the four hostages lying open eyed in a puddle of blood, but when he recognized two of them his eyes widened, "You sick fuck," Snake snarled, pulling a SOCOM and firing at the retreating Ocelot.

"Mission Complete. Give the good Colonel my condolences," Ocelot laughed as he disappeared.

"Colonel, I have bad news; two of the four casualties, its your sister and brother-in-law." Snake spoke as he pressed into his ear.

Ron turned to see what the stranger who ran off the maniac was looking at, and his heart suddenly froze over, "No …"

He could see his parents; their eyes open but lifeless, and a small stream of blood running down from the holes in their heads to the large puddle that was gathering around them. Ron felt like he'd be sick, but suddenly felt two arms pull him away from the sight, and into a shoulder. It wasn't till he smelled Kim's strawberry shampoo that he knew who it was.

"Don't look, Ron; just don't look," she whispered as she held her trembling best friend.

"I'm sorry, kid," the man known as Solid Snake said, walking over to them, "I will get that sick son of a bitch for this, I promise."

Ron could say nothing, but nodded into Kim's hair as she rocked him back and forth, her own tears streaking her face.

---

An hour later, Ron and Kim sat at the police station in each other's arms. Ron could hardly feel anything, and felt emotionally dead, and the dusty, barely lit police station didn't help matters. He couldn't get the smell of his parents' and those innocent people's blood from his nostrils, or the sight of his parents laying in a puddle of their own blood and the whole thought of never seeing his mother and father again made him feel even more numb inside.

He could barely feel Kim holding him and stroking his back. At least he still had Kim, probably the only thing besides the idea of getting this 'Revolver Ocelot' back for killing his parents that kept him from taking his own life right then. But then again, Kim had started dating Josh 'Monkey Boy' Mankey this week, so he'd probably lose her too within a matter of weeks.

"Oh Ron," a feminine voice called and Ron looked up to see his redheaded cousin who he only saw on special occasions running toward him, "I am so sorry," She said, pulling her cousin and his best friend into a bone crushing hug.

"Meryl," was all Ron could force out as she squeezed them both.

"Give them some air, sweetheart," a man in a coat and glasses, Meryl's husband, Hal Emmerich, said as he walked up.

"Hi, Hal, Meryl," Ron said dully, still looking deeply depressed.

"You all right?" an older man in a military uniform said, walking up and sitting down beside the two young teens.

"Uncle Roy?" Ron asked looking up at his Uncle, Colonel Roy Campbell, "You're here too?"

"Yeah, I've come to pick you up. I don't really want to do this, especially in this situation, but …" the Colonel started uncomfortably, "But seeing as we're all that's really left of our family, you're going to come and live with us in Washington."

"Washington State?" Kim squeaked, a look of pure horror crossing her tear-stained features.

"Sorry, Ms. Possible," the Colonel sighed, "DC."

"But … but that's on the oth-other side of the country!" Kim almost shouted, grabbing Ron's hand and squeezing it to the brink of pain.

Ron just stared in shock, as Kim shook her head violently, "But he's my sidekick, my partner, my BEST FRIEND! I need him here! I haven't gone more then twenty four hours without him before! You can't do this! It's not fair!"

"My parents being taken from me wasn't fair either, KP," Ron said with little emotion.

"But Ron …"

"You seemed to think this afternoon that you'd be doing better without me, and I already knew you would for a while now," Ron said with his voice still devoid of emotion, even though every word was tearing Kim's heart more and more, "Guess we can test that theory now …"

"NO!" Kim screamed, grabbing his collar and tugging him to his feet, "I was angry and didn't mean it. I'm sorry I even said it in the first place. I don't want you to go. I won't let you go!" she yelled, pulling him into a hug and burying her face in his shoulder, "I won't let you leave me, you hear me, Ron Stoppable, I won't let you!"

"Sorry," Ron said, weakly giving her a gentle hug back, "I have to go with them, and we both know it," He said, uncharacteristically serious, "I promise I will come back to you," Ron said, pulling back and stretching out a hand to her, "I'm still your sidekick right?"

She slapped his hand away and pulled him into her arms, and pressed her lips firmly on his cheek before laying her head on his shoulder, "no, not sidekick, partner, you've never been just a sidekick…"

"Goo-" Ron started to say, but Kim pressed her finger to his lips.

"No, don't say that, never say that," She stated firmly, her green eyes filling with tears.

Ron nodded, "Ok, KP, how about 'see you later'?"

Kim nodded solemnly, "See you later, Ron," she said, hugging him one more time before he walked out of the police station with his uncle, cousin, and her husband to the Hummer the Colonel had waiting for them.

Ron shielded his eyes from the beautiful, clear, pink sunset. Normally, he loved witnessing the sunsets and sunrises with his parents, and Kim when she was present, but now its just another painful daily reminder of what he can never have back.

"Goodbyes suck," the driver said, lighting a cigarette.

"W-What about my stuff?" Ron asked, then his jaw dropped when he got a good look at the driver, "You're the guy who …" he started, realizing this was the same man who saved him and Kim earlier today, minus the battle suit.

"Screwed up your life? Was too late to save ya folks?" the Driver said, looking up with solemn yet sad eyes, "Don't blame you for hating me, Kid. By the way, we've already got all your stuff packed up and in the back here, except this little guy." He said as Rufus the Naked Mole Rat scaled his arm to rest on the driver's shoulder.

"I don't blame you," Ron said, "You probably saved me and Kim both, and it appears you have Rufus' vote …" Ron said, smiling for the first time since the Mall incident at seeing his pet giving a high sign.

"Friendly, little critter," The driver smile, "It's about time some part of the Colonel's family isn't a royal pain in the ass," he said, cocking an eyebrow at Meryl.

"Why you little …" Meryl hissed, but Hal grabbed her arm, holding her back.

Ron blinked at the display then realization hit, Ocelot called this man 'Solid Snake', and Meryl was ready to marry a 'Snake' a few years earlier, Ron looked back at the Driver, "So you're THE Snake, huh?"

"I get that a lot, but I prefer Solid Snake, or better yet, just Snake," Snake replied, "now can we get going while there's sunlight?"

Roy nodded, and signaled for Hal and Meryl to get in the back with him, letting Ron sit up front with Snake. They all got in the Hummer except Ron, who looked back up to the second floor of the police station, and his eyes instantly went to Kim, who had her hand pressed against the glass window, watching him sadly.

Ron brought up his hand for a small, weak wave. He finally, reluctantly turned his back and climbed into the front seat of the Hummer, not seeing Kim collapse to her knees in sobs.

---

The first fifteen minutes of the ride was in silence. Then finally, Snake broke the uncomfortable silence with an even more uncomfortable question.

"Bet you want to get even with that bastard, Ocelot? He is responsible for you losing your parents and your girlfriend back there." Snake asked, glancing over at the youth.

"KP's not my girlfriend … but yes I do … more than you can imagine," Ron growled in response, clenching his fists.

"I've got a damn good imagination Kid," Snake replied, "Had to have had one to screw ya cousin for as long as I did."

Meryl reached from the back and bopped Snake on the head, "HEY! I'M DRIVING HERE, WOMAN!" He yelled before steadying himself, "Anyway, what if I told you I could teach you how you can get even with Ocelot?"

"I'm listening," Ron stated as Rufus perked up from his lap.

"Once you fill out the paperwork the Colonel here has at his place," Snake explained, "well … I like you, Kid; you've got a look in your eye that says you've got a lot of potential, and if you'll let me, I'd like to show you how to master it."

Ron sat in silence for fifteen minutes before finally speaking up, "I'm in."

"Great, Kid, welcome to Foxhound," Snake said, slapping his shoulder, "I'll have you ready to blast that bastard a new asshole ASAP."

"Ok …" Ron smiled shyly, "So what's Foxhound?"

-End of Flashback-

Ron worked hard for over a year in a half before he was completely trained by Solid Snake. He put his heart and soul into training, and finally earned the Foxhound's second most honorable call sign: 'Snake' and due to his training under the Legendary Solid Snake; he was assigned the title Shadow of the Snake or Shadow Snake.

The door of the elevator opened with a beep, and he walked into crisp and clean metallic walls of the Anti-Terrorist Unit Foxhound's base: the 'Fox Den'. He walked tiredly into the lounge and spotted Solid Snake leaning back on a couch and watching television with Ron's cousin-in-law Hal, better known in Foxhound as Otacon. "Either of you seen, Rufus?" He asked, sitting down beside the two senior members.

"Little guy, naked, big teeth with a bigger appetite?" Snake asked, looking at his teammate/former student, "Nope, haven't seen him."

The Naked Mole Rat then dashed out of the women's locker room carrying a small camera. He ran up to Snake and jumped in his lap, "Get the shots of the girls in the shower?" Snake asked his former student's pet, which replied with a rapid nod and broad smile, "Good boy," Snake patted the mole rat's head.

"Could you not find another way to corrupt my pet?" Ron asked, picking up Rufus and hugging the little guy, "You've already giving him an addiction to smoking cigs, now you want to make him a perv!"

"Get a shot of Mei Ling?" Snake asked, watching Ron's face turn crimson as the small rodent nodded enthusiastically, "Thought you'd like that, Kid." Snake then laughed, "Don't tell me you haven't used the sat-feed to get some pictures of that redhead you were with back in Colorado?" Ron's eyes widened in realization, and Snake slapped his forehead, "Must I tell you everything to do, boy?"

Just then a mechanical voice came over the intercom, "Would all Snake Unit members report to meeting room C? would all Snake Unit members report to meeting room C?"

"Duty calls," Ron said standing up, and the three walked out of the lounge.

---

A few moments later, Ron was sitting at a large round table, with Solid Snake, Otacon, Meryl, the blonde headed Foxhound member Raiden the communications expert, Raiden's wife, Rose, the Russian weapons expert Natasha Romanenko, and com officer Mei Ling. "If I may have your attention, we have a new mission for you," Colonel Roy Campbell said, walking into the room and pressing a button on the table to display a holographic world map.

"There have been reports of multiple kidnappings in the Middleton, Colorado area," Campbell said, keeping eye contact with the surprised Ron.

"Kidnappings?" Raiden asked, "We don't usually handle those."

"That's right, but according to sources, a mad man has been gathering innocent teenagers, brainwashing them, and trading them to various terrorist organizations in exchange for money and/or weapons." Campbell informed, "He is known as Drakken," the mention of the name and the large ugly picture flashing in the center of the room caused Ron to burst out laughing.

"Something you'd like to add, Shadow?" Campbell asked, knowing the youngest Foxhound had crossed paths with him before.

"He's an idiot!" Ron replied louder than he meant, "err … I mean, we have no need to interfere. Kim Possible has handled him before; I know she can take him again."

"If it was Drakken alone, I'm sure Ms. Possible would have little or no problem with this situation," Campbell said, dreading pressing this next button, "but he is not alone. As you can see here …" he said as a photo of Drakken and Shego talking to someone familiar to all in the room, especially Snake and Ron, "He has been seen speaking with Revolver Ocelot."

"KP …" Ron sighed worriedly, remembering the first and last run in with the sadistic gunman who took his parents, before shaking it off and looking at his uncle/commander seriously, "so what's the mission?"

"A small group will infiltrate Middleton and Middleton High School to get info on how he is making the recruitment. The group will be made up Solid Snake, who will be team leader, Shadow Snake, Meryl, and Otacon. The rest will remain here, doing research on Drakken and Ocelot's recent activities. The Mission Objective for the scout party is as follows: Infiltrate the school, determine the location of Drakken and Ocelot's base of operations, rescue hostages, determine who they have been working for, and shut down any and all operations. Snake and Meryl will be sent in as substitute teachers at Middleton High while Shadow will re-enroll for his late start of his senior year. Any questions or comments?" Campbell asked, looking around the room, before smiling at the shocked and overjoyed smile growing on his nephew's face.

"Well, Shadow, looks like you're going home."

To Be Continued …