Kim Possible and all related characters and indicia are owned by the Disney Corporation. This work of fan fiction is written for pleasure, not profit.

John Steppenwolf: No worries! I wasn't sure what you meant by it, but I didn't think you meant it as an insult. And actually, having the hoses in my nose wasn't so bad. Having them pulled out again was: it hurt like heck.

fryfan: Was it the rating that changed the mood for you, or the way I wrote chapter four, or a combination of the two?

WWLAOS: Part of that could be my age showing itself, as well as my take on the characters.

Continental-line: I've always seen Kim and Ron as being a bit more mature than their peers of the same age, mostly because of their line of work. For the same reason, they also have a better understanding of the need to be prepared.

"These last couple of weeks have been of above average interest," Ron commented absently. He was sitting on the couch in the family room of the Possible residence. The TV was on, tuned to a syndicated sitcom, but he wasn't really watching it. Not only had he already seen this particular episode a half dozen times, it also wasn't one of the better ones. Besides, there were more important matters to occupy his mind. Like the fact that Kim was lying stretched out on the couch using his lap for a pillow. Well, the foundation for a pillow, anyway. She actually had a large pillow laid over top of his legs, with her on top of that. They'd tried it without the pillow, and found that was a touch uncomfortable to maintain for long periods. This way, on the other hand...

Ron glanced down. Kim had her eyes closed, a contented smile on her face as he gently stroked her hair with his right hand while his left arm lay draped across her tummy. His left hand was pressed lightly against Kim's side. In a somewhat risky move, his fingers were tucked under the lower edge of the cropped camisole top she was wearing. Not too far under. Just enough for the tips of his fingers to brush against the chest band of her bra. Not that that was the main attraction. Ron was mostly just enjoying touching her skin. Her smooth, silky, warm skin. Kim's eyes opened.

"How so?" she asked.

"Oh, you know," Ron grinned. "The whole Moodulator/crush thing. The real crush thing. The chair thing. The Saturday thing." His eyes dropped briefly to Kim's chest, and she grinned.

"That was nice," she admitted.

"Playing Felix and Monique was fun, too," Ron went on. "And of course, there was Josh's apology."

That had been, not an amazing thing, but a neat thing, and it had raised Ron's estimation of Mankey considerably.

Josh had approached Ron and Kim at lunch.

"Kim," he'd said by way of greeting.

"Josh," Kim replied, unable to keep a certain coolness out of her voice.

"Stoppable," Josh said, nodding at Ron, who nodded back.

"Mankey."

"I, uh, I want to apologize about Friday," Josh said, looking more than a little uncomfortable and embarrassed. "I was a little more upset about us breaking up than I thought," he said, looking at Kim, "even though I know why you broke it off." Josh didn't elaborate, and his look of discomfort and embarrassment increased. "Anyway, when I saw the two of you in Bueno Nacho, on a date and obviously having a good time, something just snapped." Josh turned to Ron. "I have to admit, I was jealous of you, too, getting to have what I couldn't anymore."

Ron had been floored. Mankey, jealous of him?

"Anyway, I made an ass of myself, and I'm sorry. I'm just glad I didn't ruin your evening."

There was a long silence, then Kim said, "Apology accepted. And I'm sorry too, for what I said. That was purely out of anger, and I take it back."

Josh actually smiled. "The 'lemon' thing?" Kim nodded. "No big, I deserved it. It was a good comeback anyway. No hard feelings then?"

"No hard feelings," Kim assured him.

"Likewise," Ron had chimed in.

When Josh had gone, Ron said, "For a guy who's name sounds like 'monkey' Josh is a pretty stand-up guy."

"Yeah, he's not so bad." Ron had felt a spurt of jealousy, and a little fear, when Kim said that, but her next words wiped both feelings away.

"He's not quite up to the Ron Stoppable standard, though."

"The Ron Stoppable standard," Ron repeated softly. He looked down at Kim again. "My ego, by the way, is forever in your debt."

"My pleasure," Kim assured him with a smile. Her expression became sly. She sat up.

"I'll be right back," she announced before heading up stairs. She returned mere minutes later. Ron wondered briefly why she'd gone. He hadn't heard the toilet flush, so it couldn't have been to go to the bathroom. Still, there was something a bit...different about her when she came back.

Kim removed the pillow and nudged Ron a bit to one side, away from the couch's armrest. She sat down with her legs draped across his, but still close enough to wrap her arms around him.

"You know the weirdest thing about what's happening between us?" she asked.

Ron shook his head.

"We're coming at our relationship from the wrong end."

"How do you mean?" Ron inquired.

"Most adult relationships start with physical infatuation. Only if they last does real friendship, and then love, follow," Kim explained. "We, on the other hand, were friends first, then fell in love, and only now are getting...physical," she finished, her voice smoldering.

Ron touched his forehead to Kim's and rubbed the tip of her nose with his own.

"I see your point," he confessed. Kim just smiled.

"I thought you might," she proclaimed triumphantly. "Now, since Mom's at the hospital 'til six, and Dad's at soccer practice with the tweebs until then too, where was your hand again?"

Ron grinned and slid his hand under Kim's shirt, up along her side. He blinked suddenly. All his fingers encountered was skin. Her bra was gone.

Kim giggled. Ron's eyes dropped. Sure enough, two small bumps were visible through her shirt at the tips of her breasts. She kissed him, then said, seriously, "If I hadn't wanted you to cop a feel, I wouldn't have taken it off."

Ron's hand moved, engulfing the silky smooth, wonderfully soft cone of flesh that was his best friend's breast. Kim sighed as Ron caressed her, then let out a slight moan as his fingers closed on the nipple, tweaking it gently. More of the same followed. Soon, Ron was lifting Kim's shirt, and she was raising her arms above her head, smiling all the while, to facilitate its removal. When it was off Ron tossed it to the floor without a glance. His eyes were fixed on Kim, on her sleek, beautiful figure. It was a sight he'd barely imagined he'd ever actually see, and the reality was far, far better than any fantasy. Kim just sat back, smiling shyly while he looked.

Then her expression became playful. She grinned and leaned forward, taking hold of Ron's shirt. It soon fluttered to the carpet next to her own. Kim's hands roamed across Ron's chest, tracing the lines of his muscles, playing absently with his (admittedly sparse) chest hair.

"It's funny," Kim said. "I've seen you without a shirt thousands of times, but now, for some reason, it's very...arousing." She shifted her position, straddling his legs and facing him. Ron's jaw worked, but no words came out.

"Ron," Kim teased, an impish smile on her lips, "You've seen me topless before."

That did it. Ron chuckled, and relaxed a bit.

"Yeah." he conceded. "When we were four! A couple of things have changed since then!"

"I know," Kim said softly. She slid forward, slipping her arms around Ron's torso and pulling herself tight against him. She heard him sigh contentedly, even as his own arms went around her to return the embrace.

Ron reveled in the feeling of bare skin on bare skin. It was amazing, the most amazing hug he'd ever experienced, and he never wanted it to end. Kim nuzzled at his neck, kissing her way up to his ear.. She paused there, her warm, moist breath tickling it in a most enjoyable way.

"Ron," she whispered again, much more softly. She drew back a little.

"Yes, Kim?" he asked, eyes wide, heart pounding. Was she going to...

"I think-" she began, but didn't finish. A loud rumble echoed through the house.

Only years of mission honed reflexes saved them. When the garage door started to open Kim threw herself off the couch, somersaulting to her feet, snatching her shirt off the floor as she did so. As she sprinted upstairs Ron tugged on his own shirt. Shortly thereafter Mrs. Dr. Possible walked into the family room, and Kim came back down stairs, shirt and bra neatly in place.

Her Mom wasn't fooled.

"Did I interrupt something?" she asked.

Kim and Ron blushed.

"I hope it wasn't something serious," Mrs. Dr. Possible said meaningfully.

Kim blushed brighter. When she said, "No, Mom, we're still waiting for that," Ron followed suit.