Disclaimer: Spider-Man and all characters related are property of Stan Lee and Marvel Enterprises. Kim Possible and al related characters are properties of Disney.
Chapter 11: Beginning of the End of the Beginning
I
never ask you where your goin',
I never ask you where you've
been
I've never called and checked your story,
When you stayed
out with all your friends
I've never tried to catch you lyin',
I
didn't want to know the truth
I'd rather go on lovin' blind
girl,
Than go on lovin' without you
I
wish I didn't know now what I didn't know then
I wish I could
start this whole thing over again
I'm not sayin' it's you,
You
could never be true
I just don't wanna know how it ends
You'd
still have my heart in the palm of your hands
I'd still look like
a fool in front of your friends
Yeah, I wish somehow I didn't
know now what I didn't know then
"Wish I Didn't Know Now" – Toby Keith
Kim finally got the leverage to shove Felicia back and took several deep breaths, "What the hell was that?" She snarled glaring at the silver haired girl.
"Insurance," Felicia grinned.
"What?" Kim asked, a feeling of dread washing over her as Felicia turned her back, walked toward an overflowed dumpster and picked up a black box.
"One way mirror box with … oh my, what is this?" Felicia asked, opening the small box and pulling out a Polaroid camera with a single photo hanging out.
"Is me being with Ron that much of a bother to you, Kimmie?" Felicia said, looking at the photo. "Oh, it came out better than I thought!"
"Damn straight, now that you're trying to BLACKMAIL me!" Kim snarled, still rubbing her lips.
"Ok, fine, you can break me and Ron up, but …" Felicia said, taking another glance at the picture and then showing it to Kim. It showed everything, Kim's face though she was struggling to push her away, it looked like she was actually enjoying it. That made Kim feel even more ill. "Wonder what Bonnie and your friends from the cheer squad will say when they see this snapshot … won't be in the showers alone with you anymore, I bet."
"And your parents are so proud of their little 'Kimmie Cub', I know they'll be so 'proud' of their lil' girl sucking another girl's tongue …" Felicia pranced around the trembling in rage redhead. "And the tabloids will have a field day with this one. Hard to believe, you know, Kimmie? One little picture can destroy everything you've worked so hard to build."
"You bitch …" Kim whispered.
"So, you gonna tell?" Felicia asked, smirking knowingly.
"You won't get away with this …" Kim whispered, glancing away from the taller girl.
"Kimmie," Felicia said getting back into Kim's face. "I already have. By the way, I hope it was as good for you as it was for me."
Kim roared and dove at the taller girl. Felicia laughed, side stepped and tripped Kim, sending her tumbling into the pile of smelly trash. Kim pulled her face from the mess and rolled over to glare at the other girl. "Right where you've always belonged, Kimmie. See you around." Felicia said, walking away from the redhead.
Kim watched her go for a few moments before placing her hands over face and silently sobbed for her failure.
"Thanks for the ride," Ron said, getting out of Gwen's car out front of his house.
"No problem, handsome," the blond said, giving Ron a wink. "You've got my number if you can arrange me a meeting with your buddy or the web-head, let me know, ok? Or you can … just call. That's cool, too." She said with a flirty smile.
"Um … ok …" Ron said uncomfortably as a shade of pink covered his cheeks.
"Well, gotta jet, Ronnie," Gwen said before turning serious. "Remember what I said about Felicia, ok? I wouldn't trust her as far as I could throw her."
"I'll remember that, Gwen, thanks again." Ron said with a nod.
"Cya, Ronster!" she said before speeding away.
Ron started to walk inside when he smelled something putrid. "What the heck is … oh, my God," Ron gasped when he saw the filthy, depressed-looking Kim dragging her feet up the sidewalk toward her home. "Kim!" Ron gasped, running to his friend's side. "Kim, what happened?" He asked as Kim looked up at him with swollen, red eyes.
"Oh … um, hey, Ron," Kim said, turning a bit pale, "I just … kinda tripped and went into some trash, that's all …"
"Are you sure?" Ron said grabbing her arms and turning her to face him, his spider-sense telling him she wasn't telling him everything.
"Yes, Ron, I just made a mistake and tripped and went into a big pile of Bueno Nacho trash." Kim said harder than she intended.
"It wasn't Mankey, was it?" Ron said, not letting go.
"No, it wasn't him," Kim said, shaking her head. "Ron, would you please let go, so I can go home and take a bath? I really feel dirty."
"Yeah, I know, you do smell a little funky." Ron said seriously as they continued to stare until Kim finally caught the joke.
"You're horrible!" Kim couldn't help but laugh.
"Want me to walk you home?" Ron asked, growing serious again.
"No, I'm ok. Really, I just need a hot bath and a nap." Kim said, "And if you don't let me go now, I'm going to hug you, and we're both going to reek."
"Ok, call me later?" Ron said as he pulled away from his life-long friend.
"You bet. Bye, Ron." Kim said, turning away from her friend and starting down the street, Ron not seeing the tears threatening her eyes again.
Ron started to return to his house when a pair of squad cars and a fire truck shot down the street. "No rest for the weary…" Ron said as he shot into the house to his room.
The Qwest Aerospace Factory in the industrial district of Middleton was engulfed in flames as firefighters attempted to put out the blaze, and police spotlights tried to stay on the one responsible through the black smoke.
The Green Goblin laughed loudly as the police fired their weapons at him, but he ducked and dodged every single shot.
"Nice shots," the Goblin replied, arming two missiles on his glider. "Here's some of mine!" He shouted as he fired the two missiles, but before they could slam into the gathered police, two web lines attached them and pulled them up so they missed the police and flew harmlessly into the bay.
"Did someone forget to tell me it was the Fourth of July?" Spider-Man said, glancing up at the stunned Goblin. "Hey Gobby, where's the marshmallows and hotdogs? You can't have a bonfire without marshmallows and hotdogs!" he said, swinging up to land on the glider and punch the villain in the head.
This doesn't concern you, Spider-Man, so butt out!" Goblin growled, punching at the hero, who easily dodged the blow.
"I can't," Spider-Man grinned under his mask. "They'd take away my superhero license."
"Why, you little …" Goblin hissed before Spider-Man heard a scream from inside the burning building.
"Sorry, Gobby, but I'm going to have to postpone our 'lil date, maybe some other time!" Spider-Man said, back-flipping off the glider and swinging into the burning factory.
A moment later, Spider-Man swung out a window on the other side with a worker over his shoulder. He laid the injured man on an ambulance gurney and glanced back up where the Goblin was only to find empty air. "Dang, got away."
"FREEZE!" a couple police officers called, running toward the costumed hero.
"Bye!" Spider-Man called, jumping into the air and swinging quickly away from the police.
Spider-Man swung several blocks before diving down where he had stashed his street clothing. He landed in the dark alley and looked around to see if anyone was nearby. He reached for his mask and felt a rush of spider sense that caused him to duck down. He looked around and didn't see anyone.
"Must be a glitch," Ron shook his head as he pulled off his mask and gloves, rolled up his sleeves, and pulled his usual loose clothing on over his costume. "Bueno Nacho, here I come!" He said cheerfully, walking out of the alley, unaware of the stunned Green Goblin floating above the alley.
Dear Diary,
Kim wrote, stretched out on her back on her bed with her knees up as a make shift desk for her diary. She sucked on the end of her pen for a moment before writing down her entry.
I don't know what to do. For the first time, probably in my life, I have no idea what to do. If I tell Ron that Felicia's Black Cat, she'll show everyone that damned picture. And if that comes out… my parents, Monique … Ron, they will all hate me. I can feel it. I know it … they'll hate me. Ron deserves better than that bitch. He … deserves better than me. That's probably why I never made another move after that Moodulator thing. He deserves a girl who'll love him without having a mind altering chip stuck on her neck to make her realize it. And he definitely deserves better then a manipulative little slut that makes Bonnie look like Mother Teresa …
"Kimmie, can I talk to you for a second?" her father called from her door.
"Sure, Dad, come on in," Kim said, sitting up and placing her diary on her night table.
Mr. Possible walked in and smiled at his daughter. "What's the sitch, Dad?" Kim asked, tilting her head to the side at her father.
"How are things between you and Ron, Kimmie-cub?" Mr. Possible asked, sitting down on the bed.
"Things … could be better," Kim sighed, "I don't know, daddy, it's like he's hiding something from me. But … I don't really have a place to talk about that …"
"Has he … told you anything about this … secret?" Mr. Possible questioned, Kim taken back by the coldness in his eyes.
"No, what's wrong, Daddy? Do you know something about Ron?" Kim asked, dread filling her from her toes to the tip of her head. "Is he in trouble?"
"No, not really," Mr. Possible smiled strangely, leaning forward to kiss Kim's forehead. "I'll take care of everything."
Kim looked at her father in confusion before her mother called them from the stairs for dinner.
"Don't worry about a thing, Kimmie-cub," He said, getting off the bed and offering a hand for his daughter, but his eyes fell on her diary. "Daddy's going to take care of everything."
"Um … sure, Dad …" Kim said uncomfortably as the two left the bedroom and the now empty nightstand.
"My precious …" Ron sighed, his eyes glazing over at the raw beauty before him. "I have never seen anything so beautiful … so lovely … so provocative …" He said as he held his Grande Naco with the utmost care. "Will you be mine?" He asked as he brought it to his mouth just before blaring sirens from squad cars passed the restaurant.
Ron let out a low sigh, "No rest for the weary …" He grumbled before standing up and starting for the door. He stopped momentarily before turning back to the booth and grabbing his Grande Naco and shoving it into his mouth, chewing as he ran out of the establishment.
Ron ducked into the alley behind the restaurant, and a moment later, Spider-Man was in the air, swinging behind the squad cars. In one big swing, he leapt and landed on the back of one of the speeding patrol cars before climbing up to the roof to listen inside.
Robbery at the Middleton Jewelry Exchange, suspect identified as Black Cat, all units proceed with caution.
"Kitty needs her claws clipped," Spider-Man said as he leapt back into a swing. "Got the clippers right here!"
A few blocks later, Spider-Man spotted the silver-haired beauty leaping from rooftop to rooftop with a single-strap backpack thrown over her shoulders.
"Too easy," She giggled to herself as a webline attached itself to the bag, jerking it away. "Spider-Man!"
"Oh, I taught I taw a puddytat!" Spider-Man taunted, passing the bag from hand to hand, "I did! I did tee a puddytat!"
"Alright, so you're a birdie, now," Black Cat snarled, "Cats eat birds, Spider."
She jumped at the Web swinger, but instead of hitting him, the pack filled with jewelry and diamonds hit her square in the face. "I'm not really one for jewelry, thanks; it clashes with the costume," Spider-Man cracked before doing a flipping kick, sending the leather clad cat burglar falling backwards.
"You're getting on my last nerve, Spider," Black Cat hissed before diving at the hero.
"I get that a lot," Spider-Man said, dodging a punch and countering with a kick to the belly, sending the girl flying backwards. Spider-Man hooked her in the upper chest with a webline. "Get over here!" He said in a credible imitation of Cobra from Fatal Combat, jerking her back toward himself to hit her square in the face. "Ha! I chose the wrong costume. If I had a yellow and black gi, I'd be set! Uh oh." He breathed as the girl tackled him across to the neighboring, lower rooftop
Spider-Man hit on his back and flipped Black Cat off him, sending her flying into the covered stairwell wall. "What's the matter, Kitten, getting tired?" Spider-Man asked, jumping to his feet.
Black Cat shook her head as she sat there on her hands and knees. "I had it all figured out, Spider. I had this town fixed! I had its great hero beside herself with jealousy and her little buddy taken care off," She growled standing up, not realizing her mask was lying on the ground where she landed.
"No …" Spider-Man breathed, his eyes widening in shock and pain at the face behind Black Cat's mask.
"Oh yeah," She laughed, "Kimmie Possible was so in control of everything, but her one little weak spot was her best friend. He's a good kid, but really, it was too easy to seduce a hapless goodie-goodie who couldn't get laid if he was dying. It was so EASY and the bonus was the boy was definitely a man in the bedroom. I had this city in the palm of my hand, then YOU had to show up!" She shook her head, "Kimmie was better than I expected, though. She figured me out. But a little tonsil hockey and a Polaroid camera will keep Ms. Popular quiet."
Felicia couldn't finish as Spider-Man closed the gap and forced her against the wall of the stairwell with his hand around her neck. The hero didn't mutter a joke or a wisecrack or even a laugh. "How could you …" Spider-Man hissed in a trembling voice. "How could you be so … so heartless … KP was right about you … she was right the whole damned time …"
"Wha-what? KP?" Felicia's crystal blue eyes widened in realization. "Ron?"
Spider-Man let her drop to the ground before jerking off his mask to show his heartbroken, tearstained features. "Ron … I …" Felicia stumbled for words.
Ron just turned and zip-lined the backpack to him. He turned back to the girl kneeling before him and tore the bag in half, letting the stolen jewelry fall around her. "If this is all that's important to you, Felicia, take it. Take it and go."
"I … I …" Felicia stared at the gold and then back to Ron in confusion.
"I said take it and go, Felicia. Get out of Middleton. Get out of the whole damned Tri-city area." Ron growled, "I don't care where you go; you can go straight to hell as far as I'm concerned. Just go and never come back. I never, ever want to see your face again. If, by chance, you do happen to show your face around this 'burg again, I'll kick your well-toned ass 'til it's a brand new shape."
"Ron… I…" She continued to stammer as he placed his mask back on and turned his back.
"Ya know, Felicia," Spider-Man let out a humorless laugh, "I was actually falling in love with you. I hope all that jewelry is worth it. Take care of yourself, Black Cat." Spider-Man said, firing a webline. "Oh wait, that's nothing to worry about. It's what you do best."
As Felicia watched Spider-Man swing away, she felt an unfamiliar wetness slide down her cheeks. She brought her gloved finger up and flicked away a small drop of clear liquid that was sliding down her cheek. I hope all that jewelry is worth it.
"Oh, God …" Felicia breathed as she hunched over and let her guilty, pained tears fall.
Several hours later, the sun was beginning to sit over Middleton Memorial Graveyard. The rain was beginning to fall, and a single redheaded figure began walking up the path toward a single grave on the side of a hill. "Ron?" Kim Possible asked, looking down at her childhood best friend kneeling before the grave of Ben Stoppable. "I was getting worried. Dad disappeared after dinner, and then you never came over or even called. I was getting worried, but a part of me knew I'd find you here."
"Why, Kim?" Ron asked so softly that Kim barely heard him.
"What?" Kim asked, suddenly worried by Ron's soft and trembling voice.
"You knew, didn't you?" Ron asked louder, angrier. "You knew Felicia was Black Cat. You knew she was just using me, didn't you?"
"Ron, I …" Kim was taken back. How did he find out? Does he know everything?
"I know she blackmailed you, Kim," Ron breathed, "So your popularity and reputation was more important than me, huh? A stupid picture of a girl kissing you was more important than me, than a fourteen year old friendship."
"Ron, no!" Kim said, dropping to her knees behind him. "I … I just didn't know how to tell you," She tried to reason. "C'mon, Ron, how would that really sound? 'Oh, hey, Ron, wanna go get some Bueno Nacho? Oh, yeah! Your girlfriend's really a cat burglar using you to throw me off my game.' Yeah, Ron, that would have rolled right off the tongue. Just like trying to tell a girl that her boyfriend was only after sex and didn't give a crap about her." Kim then looked away, ashamed, "And popularity never crossed my mind about that picture. I was afraid you'd believe Felicia's story, that you'd … not only think I was trying to steal your girlfriend, but that you'd … not really look at me the same way again and you'd hate me. Yeah, I was selfish with that, but if I lost you like that … I'd probably break my 'no kill' rule on your ex … she is your ex, now, right?"
"Yeah, we're through," Ron gave a weak chuckle, "Plus, your dad and mom would have totally freaked. I can hear your dad lecturing now, 'KIMBERLY ANNE POSSIBLE!'." He finished, imitating her dad's voice, which came off very weak with his hoarse voice.
"Yeah… 'When I say no hanky-panky, I mean with boys AND girls, young lady! Do you want me to start filtering out ALL of your friends, Kimberly Anne! I will do it!" She did her own imitation while shaking her finger, which earned a hearty laugh from the both of them.
"I'm really sorry about Felicia, Ron," Kim said softly, helping him to his feet and sharing her umbrella with him.
"I'll be alright, KP," Ron said not confidently, but smiled anyway when Kim hugged his arm.
"Well, we still got each other, and I'm not letting you go again, Mister." Kim said firmly, "I need my best friend/favorite Cuddlebuddy."
"So, I outrank Pandaroo?" Ron gave a small smile.
"By a few miles," Kim grinned back. "Let's go home, Ron."
"Hmm, you're single, and I'm single now," Ron mused as they walked in step. "We could date, you know?" he asked as they gave each other strong, meaningful stares.
"NAAAH," They both shook their heads and started back walking.
"Although …" Kim drawled, bringing a finger to her lip, "I've often wondered how the whole … 'friends with benefits' thing works." She mused out loud, grinning when Ron stiffened for a moment.
"Kim, you're crazier than I am," Ron laughed.
"Whoever said I was joking, Ronald," Kim purred, standing on her toes to kiss his cheek, then walking ahead, leaving him standing there stunned.
"You coming or not, Ronnie?" Kim looked back with a wink.
"Boy, oh, boy …" Ron gulped wondering if she was just playing or not.
Felicia finally returned to her apartment, empty handed and rubbing her eyes furiously. She ran to her bedroom, threw open her dresser and closet and began throwing her clothes and things onto her bed to pack.
"Why the rush, my dear?" A sinister voice said from a corner.
To Be Continued…
