WARNING: THIS CHAPTER CONTAINS SOME ADULT AND SEXUAL CONTENT! READER DISCRETION IS ADVISED!

Chapter 12: At Long Last

I've got a funny feeling
The moment that your lips touched mine
Something shot right through me
My heart skipped a beat in time
There's a different feel about you tonight
It's got me thinkin' lots of crazy things
I even think I saw a flash of light
Felt like electricity

You shouldn't kiss me like this
Unless you mean it like that
Cause I'll just close my eyes
And I won't know where I'm at
We'll get lost on this dance floor
Spinnin' around
And around
And around
And around
They're all watching us now
They think we're falling in love
They'd never believe we're just friends
When you kiss me like this
I think you mean it like that
If you do, baby, kiss me again

Everybody swears we make the perfect pair
But dancing is as far as it goes
Girl, you've never moved me
Quite the way you moved me tonight

I just wanted you to know

I just wanted you to know

You shouldn't kiss me like this
Unless you mean it like that
Cause I'll just close my eyes
And I won't know where I'm at
We'll get lost on this dance floor
Spinnin' around
And around
And around
And around
They're all watchin' us now
They think we're falling in love
They'd never believe we're just friends
When you kiss me like this
I think you mean it like that
If you do, baby, kiss me again

Kiss me again

- Toby Keith 'You Shouldn't Kiss Me Like This'

---

Kim sat alone with Monique in the corner of the cafeteria, "How could this have happened?" she asked her best friend, looking exceptionally pale.

"I told you, Kimmie. I told you when you started going out with the jerk that he was bad news, but did you listen? Do you EVER listen?" Monique scolded, "He does this to EVERY girl who breaks up with him!"

Kim sighed and let her green eyes roam around the large dining hall, appalled by all the girls snickering and all the guys giving her disgusted looks. "It'll be ok; give it a month or so, Kim; they'll get new rumors as soon as the jerk gets tired of Tara."

"But prom's in a few weeks!" Kim moaned, "How am I supposed to get a date when the majority of the school thinks … I don't even know what they think!" she sniffed, resting her head on the table.

"You never know, Kim, when prince charming will show up, and not care about what the idiots say," Monique consoled.

A large belch interrupted their conversation. Both girls glanced up to see Ron approaching with Rufus on his shoulder and a tray in his hands. The tray was piled precariously high with an unbelievable amount of junk food. "Nice one, Rufus!"

"Hey, Ron," Kim smiled, features lighting up.

"Bring our food too?" Monique smiled at the pile of various foods.

"Was I supposed to?" Ron blinked, setting the tray down on the table, "I'll be right back; I just got enough for me and Rufus!"

"Hate to see you leave, but love to watch you go …" Kim unconsciously whispered out loud.

"Yeah, he certainly has come a long way from the goofball look, hasn't he?" Monique smirked at her best friend, who at the moment could be attacked by all her foes, tied up, tarred and feathered, and dropped off a bridge, and wouldn't have known a thing happened.

A moment later, Ron came back, and Monique whispered to Kim, "Prince 'Charming' enter stage right, OUCH!" She cried and rolled out of her seat into the floor, gripping her slightly bleeding shin courtesy of Ms. Kim Possible.

"You ok, Mon?" Ron blinked, setting her tray in her place and helping her up.

"Never better," Monique grunted as Ron helped her back into her seat.

"So what were you lovely ladies talking about before you were graced with the Ron-factor's noble presence?" Ron smirked, holding his chin high, only drooping when Kim snorted.

"Noble?" Kim stifled a laugh, "that's a first; did you hurt yourself coming up with that sentence?"

"I'll have you know I am noble, brave and incredibly handsome, thank you oh-so-very much, Ms. Possible," Ron smirked playfully at his childhood best friend.

"Incredibly handsome to a yeti," Kim returned fire, "Honestly, Ron, do you even OWN a razor?"

"Hey, I like the shadow look, goes with my sign ya know?" Ron said, unconsciously stroking his own cheeks.

Monique sat there eating her lunch peacefully, easily noticing the fact that she had been forgotten.

"Hey, I see one!" Kim said getting in Ron's face, "You do have those freckles still! I think I get it! You keep the beard because the freckles hurt your big, bad image!"

"T-That's not it at all!" Ron blanched, sliding away self-consciously.

"Hey, there KP," a voice called behind them and Monique gulped when Kim flinched and Ron took a murderous look.

"Don't call me that, Josh," Kim half growled, not looking back at the teenager.

"Those rumors are simply horrible aren't they, KP?" Josh continued, taking a seat next to the seething Kim. "And such horrible timing, seeing as prom is coming up and no one wants anything to do with someone … like you."

"Say what you came to say, Monkey," Ron growled, his eyes narrowed dangerously.

"I just wanted to say good luck finding a date to the prom, Kim," Josh said casually, "I'd be more than willing to take you if you'd …"

"That won't be necessary," Ron spoke up before Kim could reply.

"Why's that?" Josh blinked in confusion, "Only someone out of their mind would go out with a girl like this?" he said, smirking when he heard Kim's knuckles pop as she clenched her fists.

"Well, good thing I'm good and crazy then," Ron said, leaning back, "I'm her date for the prom."

"What?" Three voices cried in unison around the table.

"I've had her called since forth grade, buddy," Ron smirked, "She asked me back then if we'd go to senior prom together, and I said if we're still friends then I would. We're still friends; it's senior prom, and I'm cashing in on a promise."

"You really remember that?" Kim beamed at him.

"Your funeral, Stoppable," Josh growled, kicking back his chair and storming off.

"C-ya, Josh! Thanks for dropping by!" Ron waved idiotically at the retreating teen before grinning at Kim. "Sorry about that, but I wasn't going to let Josh win that one," Ron said before gasping when Kim literally jumped across the table and gave him a crushing hug.

"Thanks, Ron!" Kim smiled, nuzzling her face into his shoulder.

"Um … no prob, KP," Ron said, slowly and timidly hugging her back.

'Hey, Shadow, we need to talk,' Otacon called over the CODEC, 'Already called into your school, come home immediately. Snake and the others are already en route.'

"Roger that," Ron said in his Shadow voice, pressing a finger in his ear, "KP, I gotta go; I'll call you later and we'll get this prom stuff sorted, ok?"

"No big, Ron, me and Monique need to go dress shopping now anyway!" Kim beamed before glancing at her best friend, who was trying to pretend that she wasn't watching the pair.

"You're in school, remember?" Ron teased.

"So, you're leaving too," Kim flicked his nose, "call you tonight!"

"Ok. Bye, KP," Ron said before leaving the cafeteria.

---

"So what's the emergency?" Snake asked as the Foxhound team gathered in the living room of the old Stoppable home.

"There's a new player involved now," Otacon said glancing around the group. "We don't know much info on him, but he's trained in the same way as a Foxhound member; all we do know about him is he's called Light Snake. Also we have info on the leader behind this terrorist operation. The puppeteer pulling Ocelot and Drakken's strings calls himself Big Boss, whether or not he's the original or a copycat is still unknown."

"So," Raiden asked while polishing his katana, "We have a couple more names and that's it?"

"Got another matter to deal with," Otacon smirked, "One of our members has got himself a prom date."

"What? How did you find out … you were eavesdropping!" Ron gasped, blushing bright.

"Way to go, Shadow Snake!" Snake patted his back, "You're finally going to break in Red, huh?"

"We're just going as friends, thank you!" Ron turned a brighter shade of read, "Our relationship is as platonic as it comes!"

The room was silent for exactly five seconds before the entire team broke into laughter.

Meryl stood up and beamed at the youngest member, "Oh, I have to go talk to Mrs. Possible! We'll get you two kids set up perfect! Put it all on the Foxhound account, no holds barred this time, buddy boy!"

"Oh god …" Ron blushed, "Let's … I don't know if Mrs. P knows about it yet … I mean … You really don't have to do anything, Meryl …"

"Yeah, and we'll make sure we leave the house empty all night for you," Snake smiled at his student, "So you two can … be platonic."

"You're all a bunch of bastards," Ron sat down roughly, holding his face in his hand.

"And proud of it." Snake chimed in.

---

The weeks went by quickly and the day of the prom finally arrived. "So you'll be at my place around five, right?" Kim asked as she walked with Ron toward her home.

"Yup," Ron said in a monotone voice. The old Ron would have been a ball of energy at getting out half a day early from school, but considering the situation, Ron's emotion and nerve control techniques that he learned from Foxhound were being pushed to the limit.

"Mom said she'd be late; I hope she isn't going to do something to blow it all out of proportion," Kim chattered on absentmindedly.

"Yup," Ron said again without a hint of emotion.

Kim smirked slightly, "I hope you don't mind me experimenting as a nudist tonight. I really don't feel like wearing a dress."

"Yup," Ron said in the same tone again, but then stopped walking, "But if a guy looks at you, he's going down."

"So you do listen!" Kim smiled.

"Sorry, KP," Ron apologized, "Just using some of the little techniques I learned to keep me from panicking."

"Ron, we've been to almost every dance together, remember?" Kim smiled, and placed her hand on his shoulder.

"Almost, and its been a long time since we went together to one," Ron said, looking away, "Not since …"

"That was a mistake on my part; I shouldn't have fallen for him, but … could've, would've, should've," Kim shook her head before meeting Ron's eyes again, "What matters is tonight we're back, KP and Ron, and this time I won't let my own idiot self tear us apart. You could say the past year has taught me a bit about appreciating what you got while you got it."

"What do you mean by that?" Ron asked as they approached her home.

"I'm not stupid, Ron; I know after we stop whatever's going on, you're going to leave again. And I know it may be a long time before I see you again … so I'm going to enjoy every second I have with my best friend while I can."

"KP …" Ron started, but Kim cut him off by snuggling into his chest.

"Don't," Kim said into his chest. "It doesn't matter. I have you for tonight, and we're going to have fun, let's not go getting depressed."

"Right, KP, and if I remember right, you take forever to get ready for a dance, and this being the prom it's probably worse, so I'll leave you to start." Ron said, pulling away from the girl, and starting down the sidewalk.

"See you in a few hours, Ron!" Kim called before walking into the house.

---

Ron lazily walked into the Foxhound safe house/his old home. "Still a few hours to go, I think I'll take a nap," He yawned stretching. "I don't think so, Ron," Meryl's voice sounded from the kitchen.

"Yes, Ron, could you come here for a moment?" Mrs. Possible asked, also from the kitchen.

"What's going on?" Ron asked, his honed senses screaming at him to run.

He walked into the kitchen to find the table moved, and a chair and a small folding table sitting over a plastic sheet. On the table was an operating tray, which held a pair of shining scissors, a couple combs, a razor, a bowl of shaving cream, a bowl of steaming water with a towel submerged in it, and a brush. "Have a seat, Ron," the women said in unison, pulling him toward the seat.

Ron dumbly sat down, and Meryl quickly handcuffed him to the chair, "Don't worry, Ron, this won't hurt a bit… well maybe a bit."

Mrs. Possible quickly reached for the razor, and flipped it open, gazing at her reflection in the shimmering blade, "You're taking my darling daughter to the prom tonight. Do you honestly believe I would let Shadow Snake show his scruffy face at that dance?"

Ron gulped loudly and nodded weakly. She then took the incredibly hot rag and slapped it across his face, holding it over his mouth and cheeks, "Nope, no snake in the grass is taking my baby!"

As it seemed his would-be girlfriend's mother was attempting to kill him, his own cousin was pulling his hair roughly from its ponytail. "No, please! Not the hair!" Ron whined, sounding more like his old self than the trained killer he'd become.

"Sorry, Ron, it's gotta go," Meryl smiled, picking up the scissors.

Ron glanced back to Kim's mother, who was now standing over him menacingly holding a brush covered in shaving cream. "W-What are you going to do?"

Mrs. P answered with a grin.

"No … Please … no …" Ron whimpered, before full out screaming loud enough that everyone in the neighborhood heard, "NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!"

---

Kim sat before her mirror, brushing her now curled ginger locks nervously. She jumped slightly when a knock came to her door.

"Relax, dear, it's just me," Mrs. Possible smiled, entering the room, but froze at the sight of her daughter.

"Kimberly …" she sighed and pulled her into a hug, "You're beautiful!"

Kim glanced down, self-consciously looking over her pale blue strapless evening gown, and the locket around her neck, one of a set of matching lockets she and Ron had gotten as a thank-you from a jeweler they saved years ago.

"I wish daddy was here …" Kim whispered, looking up in her mother's eyes.

"He is, dear, and he'd be overjoyed you were going with Ron," Mrs. Possible smiled, hugging her daughter again.

"You think so?" Kim said, a tear sliding from the corner of her eye.

"Don't cry, Kimmie; don't want to ruin your makeup," Mrs. Possible said, rubbing the tear from her cheek. "Your father adored Ron, and we both always hoped you two would get together eventually."

"You … you know we're just going as friends," Kim blushed.

"Whatever you say, dear," Mrs. Possible grinned.

Before Kim could retort, the doorbell rang and her green eyes widened in panic, but Mrs. Possible held up her hand. "I've got it; you wait here, and let me talk to him a few minutes. Prom tradition, ya know?"

Kim nodded nervously and turned back to her mirror as her mother left her bedroom.

---

"Ok, Kimmie, you can come down now," Kim heard her mother say and she took slow trembling steps out of her room and toward the stairs.

"KP … wow … I mean … wow …" she heard Ron gasp, and finally gathered the courage to glance down at the foot of the stairs. What she saw was the last thing she expected.

"Ron?" She asked, her hand going instantly to her mouth in shock.

He was still taller and more built, but his face, it was him again. Gone was the shaggy hair and shadowy beard. Ron's face had a few small scars here and there but other than that it was the same boyish Ron she had known as long as she could remember. His freckles shined as he grinned at her, his warm eyes taking her in, his slightly messy hair was combed to the side with three or four twigs sticking up from his cowlick. She finally noticed he was in a fairly expensive tux that probably wouldn't look half as good on anyone else.

She shook her head before noticing Ron's roaming eyes. Kim was far from ashamed of her own body. As people say, if you got it, flaunt it. She could tell the way the blue dress clung to her every curve, and showed just enough of her thighs and cleavage to make his jaw slack slightly.

She walked up to her date and best friend and ran her fingers hesitantly across his cleanly shaven cheek, "I can see your freckles …" she grinned up at him.

"Ready to go, KP?" Ron asked with a smile.

Kim looped her arm around his, and the two best friends walked out arm in arm.

Mrs. Possible watched them drive off before taking a photo of herself and her late husband in her hands, "It's like looking back in time, babe, just like us. Just hope they end happier than we did…"

---

The prom was surprisingly subdued, much to Kim's relief, only loud music, loud teenagers, and her best friend holding her close on the dance floor.

Most found it most enjoyable just to watch the couple dance.

"Bet they'll be laid just after midnight, tonight," Monique said, watching her two friends dancing. Kim's head was resting contently on Ron's shoulder while his chin lay on the top of her head.

"Won't take that long," Zita said beside the girl. "Twenty on by nine tonight."

"You're on, girl."

Meanwhile, Josh Mankey stood scowling at the dancing couple. He then noticed that they were dancing in range of the refreshment table, and a small smile played across his lips. 'If I hit it just right, it will go all over … heh' Josh thought before walking rapidly toward the table.

Just as Josh approached the punch bowl, Mr. Pliskin turned toward him and tripped him up, sending the teen face first into the red punch.

"Why you son of a …" Josh spun around, but stopped in mid sentence

"I wouldn't finish that sentence if I were you, son," Pliskin snarled, narrowing his eyes on the youth.

Josh chuckled nervously before turning and stomping back to the confused Tara, leaving Solid Snake smirking.

While all this was happening, two young people, forced to grow up faster than they should have, held each other close and swayed to the music, completely oblivious to all around them.

"Ron … there's … there's something I really need to say," Kim said finally, pulling away from his warm embrace.

"I'm all ears, KP," Ron smiled down at her gently.

"Not here, can we step outside?" Kim asked nervously, looking away in an attempt to hold on to her nerve.

Kim and Ron walked outside the prom and stood alone in the parking lot.

Kim stared up into the ocean of chocolate and tried to think of some graceful, smooth way to say what she wanted, but came up with nothing.

"Kim, what's wrong?" Ron asked, his eyes darkening with concern, "tell me what's wrong, and I'll do what I can to help."

"You really can't do much to help with this, Ron," Kim whispered, not breaking eye contact, "Unless you can tell me how I can stop loving you."

Ron blinked.

He blinked again.

He blinked one more time before finally speaking. "Huh?"

"I love you, Ron," Kim confessed, looking deep in his eyes and feeling her own tears forming. "I don't know how long I have, but I do. I'm in love with you." She looked away, "I understand if you don't feel the same way … I just wanted you to know how I feel …"

"Kim … I … I can't do anything to help you stop," Ron gulped as she looked away, "But I think I can help in another way."

Kim glanced back to question him, but her eyes widened when his lips captured her own, and then slid closed as his tongue slowly slid past her lips as the kiss increased in fervor.

They finally broke the kiss and stared at one another, panting for breath. "Wow …" Kim breathed, not letting go of Ron's neck. "So … what do you say we get out of here?" Kim asked.

Ron looked a little disappointed, but nodded, "Ok, let's get to the car, and I'll take you home."

Kim blushed, but smiled slyly, "Who said anything about going home?"

Ron's head snapped to look at her and gave her a broad grin. "Huh?" Kim asked, somewhat frightened by the look before she squealed as Ron picked her up, threw her over his shoulder, and began walking with a purpose toward his car. "RON! PUT ME DOWN!" Kim called, half-heartedly pounding on his back.

"Well now, see, not even nine yet, pay up, Mon," Zita said, holding out her hand.

"Lucky guess," Monique said, placing the twenty-dollar bill in her date's hand.

---

Later that evening, Kim laid awake in Ron's bed, watching him sleep peacefully. She glanced down at his bare chest and her breath caught in her throat. Old and new scars littered his chest, marking his skin. "Don't you dare leave me like Daddy," Kim whispered, tracing one of the newer scars from his encounter with the Raptor Metal Gear with her index finger.

"KP, that tickles," Ron chuckled, grabbing her hand.

"Sorry, didn't mean to wake you," Kim said sheepishly, laying her head against his shoulder and lazily tracing the Foxhound tattoo on his arm with her fingers.

"You didn't," Ron smiled, wrapping his arms around her smaller frame, "I was just basking in the presence of you."

"When did you become such a smooth talker?" Kim asked, snuggling in his arms, enjoying the skin-on-skin contact.

"Always have been," Ron stated, kissing her temple, "just hard to notice when I had a squeaky voice."

"You're going to come back right?" Kim asked, nuzzling his chest.

"Even though I'll face a nightmare amount of teasing from Snake," Ron smiled, "Nothing would hold me back."

"So …" Kim said, planting a butterfly kiss on Ron's bare chest, "You going to tell me what you guys know about what Drakken and Ocelot are up to?"

"Hmm, you sure you want to know, KP?" Ron asked, sliding his hand beneath the blankets.

"Yes, I'm sure I want to kn-kn-kn-know …" Kim said, breaking off with a moan as she arched her back against Ron, "Y-you can't dodge … my questions … questions by doing that …" Kim moaned between pants.

"Ok, I can stop and answer your questions," Ron said, starting to move his hand away.

"NO!" Kim cried, reaching down and grabbing his wrist, "I mean … n-no, I think this will be fine … questions can wait."

"Ok," Ron said, leaning in to give her a gentle kiss. "Love you, KP," Ron whispered against her lips.

"Love you too," Kim replied, "if you never leave me," she finished, giving him a heated kiss and rolling on top of him.

---

Drakken watched nervously as Ocelot spoke on a secured cell phone. Finally, the former Foxhound member hung up and turned to Drakken.

"What's the plan?" Drakken asked, gulping in fear.

"The Boss said to be ready," Ocelot said, twirling his revolver on his finger before checking the ammo, "Tomorrow's D-Day."

To Be Continued …

Next and Final Chapter: The Truth and Nothing But The Truth

But first, here's a sneak peak at the next fic that will come after the completion of Metal Gear Shadow Snake. As par, this will be yet another Kim Possible crossover, this time with the Japanese anime series Mobile Suit Gundam. But for those who know nothing of Gundam, fear not, for this story will be completely AU (Alternate Universe) from the Gundam standpoint, and only with a few cameos and character reuses from certain Gundam series will be involved, other then that this is a stand alone fic and has nothing to do with other Gundam series. BUT I am being cheap and just ripping off two Gundams from Gundam Seed. Enjoy the sneak peek and be ready, the next and final chapter of Metal Gear Shadow Snake is coming!

----

Twenty nine-year-old Ron Stoppable sat back in the cockpit of his Mobile Suit. He could feel the towering blue, white, and red behemoth being raised to the launch catapult of the Mobile Suit Carrier Archangel, looked up, and opened his eyes as the screens slowly flashed on before him, and the main monitor began to read information as the Mobile Suit's engines began to engage.

/R-Arm – Green/

/L-Arm – Green/

/R-Leg – Green/

/L-Leg – Green/

/Phase Shift Armor- 100 Output/

/General Unilateral Neuro-link Dispersive Autonomic Maneuvering system – 94.24 Pilot/MS Synch ratio … acceptable/

/Strike G.U.N.D.A.M. – Ready/

"All systems green, Stoppable," said a familiar face that popped up in a small window on his side monitor. "We have multiple enemy Mobile Suits en route. You're all that's left, slacker."

"Thanks for the vote of confidence, Rockwaller," Ron smirked as the young woman blushed with rage. "Oh calm down, I'm about to launch now."

Ron glanced down at the two photos just below the monitors. Each of a particular Redhead, both Ron missed terribly. One he knew died less then a month earlier, the other he hoped to find safe and alive very soon. "Ok, loser," Bonnie Rockwaller snapped over the radio, "catapult's ready."

"Ok, Stoppable, you know what to do," Capt. Steve Barkin stated, looking over Bonnie's shoulder. "Take out as many as you can, and especially try to draw that damned Aegis Gundam away from our men."

Ron smirked as his face slowly took an emotionless look, "Mission accepted."

Many of the Colonial Confederacy's Mobile Suits went on the defensive as the intimidating Strike Gundam joined the group of United Nations' Mobile Suits over the Atlantic Ocean, mere miles from New York Harbor. The Strike Gundam towered above the other Mobile Suits with its blue and white armor, and its trademark red chin-piece and golden 'V' on its forehead. Its robotic hands gripped its reflective red and gold shield and its beam rifle, waiting for the first move.

Ron switched off visual communications for identity protection, and spoke over the open channel. "Hey, Aegis, ready for another round if you're out there?" He said with his voice disguised by a voice changer on board.

A moment later, a large, red Mobile Suit, not unlike his own in appearance shot from the enemy line, its own weapons gripped and its 'eyes' glowing hatefully. "Ready when you are, Strike."

Despite the Mobile Suit's voice changers, Ron could easily tell that the Aegis Gundam's Pilot was in fact a woman. But as he thought before, 'Good thing I'm an equal opportunity fighter.' Ron narrowed his eyes, waiting for the battle to begin.

Ron had no love lost for the Colonists. They took his best friend from him. Fifteen years ago, their junior year at Middleton High School, the public was made aware of the United Nations' construction of five space colonies the size of NYC set in high orbit around the earth. His best friend, Kim Possible, and her family were chosen as one of the families to be moved to space. They had kept contact, but when the UN decided that the Colonies were a waste of money, the Colonies cut themselves off from the Earth's governments, and one year ago, war was declared, the Confederacy of Colonies used the colonists as hostages.

"I don't care if I have to go through every last one of you, none of you are going to stop me from finding KP," Ron growled to himself, locking his targeting computer on the rival Colony-made Gundam. "And I have no problem starting with you."

KIM POSSIBLE

IN

MOBILE SUIT GUNDAM: BLUE DESTINY

Suit Up

May 21, 2004