Possible Home

"Dad?"

"Yes, Kimmie-cub?" James asked as he looked up from reading his magazine.

"I just wanted to remind you that I'm going to be helping Josh and his band tear down after they finish their set at the picnic tomorrow, so I'll be coming home with them."

"As long as you get back by curfew." James replied with a frown.

"Don't worry, Dad." Kim promised, "I'll be back in plenty of time."

"Are we still on for the father-daughter sack race?" James asked with a hopeful expression on his face.

"Of course we are, Daddy." Kim answered back with a big grin as she walked to the stairs that led to her room, "It's a family tradition. I wouldn't miss it."

"See…you were worried about nothing, James." Anne grinned as she ran her hand through her husband's hair. "Just because she's got a steady boyfriend now doesn't mean that she doesn't want to spend time with her father."

"I still don't like her spending too much time with that boy." James replied, a smile replacing his frown, "But I'm glad she still wants to hang out some with her Old Man."

"Darling." Anne sighed, "She's always going to want to see you, talk to you, and do things with you. She loves you and that will never change."

Kim and Josh

"Hey, baby." Kim grinned as she spoke to her boyfriend on her phone. "Whatcha doin' now?"

"Just got done rehearsing for tomorrow's show." Josh replied, "It's gonna be killer. Wait 'til you hear Ian's drum solo. It'll knock your socks off."

"I can't wait to hear it!" Kim exclaimed, "The guys bringing their girls with 'em?"

"Yeah." Josh replied, "We're planning on hanging out by the pool some during the day."

"Sounds cool." Kim smirked, now speaking in a sultry voice, "That means you get to see me in my new bikini. Jessica chose it for me—and you know what kinda bikinis she likes to wear—when she bothers to wear a bikini at all that is."

"Can't wait to see you in it." Josh growled lasciviously.

"So…what would you do if you saw me in it and we were all alone…"

"I'd slowly undo your top…"

"Keep going…" Kim purred.

Are you ready for a little football

"Sunny day." Tara noted approvingly as she and her live-in companions exited Hope's Mustang GT convertible. "Perfect day for a picnic."

"Da." Sergei agreed as he embraced both of his lovers; the trio walking together arm in arm into the park.

"So…what are we gonna do first?" Hope asked as she gazed about, spotting Liz, Kevin, Jessica, and Steve tossing a football with each other as Mr. Barkin looked on.

"Wanna join them?" Tara pointed at the foursome.

"Da." Sergei agreed, "Sounds like fun."

Walking up to their friends, Hope called out, "Hey guys!"

"Hey!" Steve responded with a wave, "Come on over. We're waiting for enough players for the touch football game."

"We need a minimum of six players to a side." Mr. Barkin declared, wearing a Middleton High coaches t-shirt with a whistle around his neck, sweat pants with a yellow flag in the pocket, and sneakers. "Currently, counting you three, we have three to a side. For the game to officially start, we need at least six more players.

"I see two over there." Liz pointed to Ron and Zita walking together holding hands.

"Good idea." Hope responded as she put her fingers to her lips and whistled loudly, "Ron! Zita! Shag your asses over here! We're looking for a couple extra players for some touch football."

Nodding their heads at each other, Ron answered back, "Okay! Be with you in a moment!"

"Show some hustle Stoppable or there will be extra homework waiting for you when school starts!" Mr. Barkin shouted, blowing his whistle.

"We better hurry, baby," Zita chuckled, "before he decides to give you the homework to do over the summer."

"He will too." Ron laughed, "Come on, let's go."

"That's two more." Tara commented as Kim's blond partner and his Latina girlfriend joined the group. "Only need four now." Then, spotting Oscar and Cindy talking to Brick and Sue she hollered, "Oy! You four! Get your arses over 'ere! We need more players."

Laughing at the look on Sue's face, Oscar quipped good naturedly, "You'll get used to it, Sue."

"Yeah." Cindy chuckled, "That was mild for the Dirty Pair."

"You wanna?" Brick asked as both Oscar and Brick gave their dates the male equivalent of the puppy dog pout.

"Oh what the hell." Sue quipped as she and Cindy both laughed, "Let's go."

"That's four more." Barkin declared only to have Sue and Cindy respond with a polite refusal.

"I'm sorry, Mr. Barkin." the dark-haired cheerleader apologized, "But me and Sue are just spectators and cheerleaders today."

"So am I." Zita interjected, "I'm rooting for my man too."

"All right." The stand-in everything educator replied, "That means we need two more."

"Come on!" Jessica pleaded, "We just need you."

Looking at each other, the girls on the sidelines nodded their heads, "All right. We're in."

"Listen up!" Barkin growled, "Ms. King will captain one team and Mr. Flagg the other. There must be an equal number of boys and girls. Sides will be chosen by lottery. Everyone take a piece of paper…" he pulled out a pad of post-it notes from his pocket and a pen from his shirt pocket, "and write your name and then place it in my hat."

"Mr. Barkin?" Tara asked in a sweet voice with a smile on her face, "Why are you carrying a pad of post-it notes?"

Barkin replied with a smirk, "It's for jotting down names for future detentions. Guess which two cheerleaders are first on the list."

"Why Mr. Barkin…" Hope teased, "I didn't think you cared."

Clearing his throat, Mr. Barkin drew names from the cap. "Grouse. You're with Team Flagg. Magnussen—Team King. Farley—Flagg. Stoppable—King. Flores—King. Rossi—Flagg. Radovsky—King. Gibson—Flagg. Guberman—Flagg. Sundstrum—King. Willemsen—King. Nguyen…" Barkin commanded, pointing to the school's newest wide receiver, "Team Flagg. Taking a quarter out of his pocket, he called the two team captains over to him, "King, you're the visiting team, call it in the air."

"Heads." Tara called out while the coin was in the air. After it had landed, the substitute referee, bending over and announced.

"Tails. Team Flagg…kick off or receive?"

"Receive." Brick replied.

"King. Which goal do you want to defend?

"That one." Tara pointed to the west.

"Take your positions and kick off when I blow the whistle."

"Here you go, Sergei." Tara smirked as she tossed the ball to her Russian lover. Moments later, as the whistle blew, the Russian kicker launched the pigskin in the air with a powerful punt, signaling the beginning of the latest Mad Dog Touch Football Classic.

On their first possession, Brick, playing quarterback, tossed a short pass to Kevin who, on catching the ball, ran down the field, sidestepping first Zita and then Jessica until finally he felt a pair of hands on his hips.

"Gotcha, mate." Tara quipped as Mr. Barkin blew the whistle ending the play.

"Good catch." Brick complemented as he gave the slender chess captain a high five.

"Nice moves." Eddie Nguyen, the Mad Dog's new wide receiver grinned as he also high fived the chess champion.

"Slumming it, Brick…Eddie?" Jason Morgan shouted from the sidelines.

"Yeah." Jeremy also mocked. "How's it feel playing in Loser Bowl instead of State."

"Tough talk, wankers!" Tara shouted back.

"Like to see you assholes try to back it up!" Hope taunted; the two insults drawing a flag from the referee.

"Offsetting penalties for unsportsmanlike conduct! Another infraction King…Rossi…you'll be ejected." Mr. Barkin warned, then turning to the two athletes on the sidelines, he issued a challenge, "You two and your dates willing to put your money where your mouth is?"

"Sure." Jeremy replied, "Come on, Jason…girls…let's show 'em how real winners play."

"Wardell and Rockwaller…you're on Team King." Barkin commanded, "Morgan and Moreau…Team Flagg. Team Flagg. You scored, so you get to kick off."

Tossing the ball to Sue, Brick grinned, "Kick it off."

"I'm not sure." Sue replied as she handled the ball uneasily. "I've never really played much football."

"It's okay." Brick smiled warmly at his girlfriend, "We're just playing for fun."

"Yeah." Steve declared, adding his voice of support, "Don't worry about flubbing it. Everyone does at one time or another. None of us…" the all-star baseball shortstop then gave the team's two newest members a hard warning stare as he repeated, "…are going to say anything bad."

"Just give it your best shot." Hope smiled encouragingly.

"Okay." Sue's lips turned up in a nervous grin as Brick offered to hold the ball for her.

"Just give it a good kick." He whispered, "You don't have to try to get it in the air. Okay?"

"Okay." Sue grinned back. Taking a deep breath, she kicked the ball, a solidly hit grounder scooped up by Liz who then ran it back to the midfield line.

"Good job!" Brick smiled at his girlfriend as the rest of the team—even Monique—congratulated her.

"She squibbed it." Jason sneered, earning in return warning glares from the rest of the team.

"Ignore Jason." Cindy whispered, "He's a jerk."

Gathering her team in the huddle, Tara called the play, a screen pass to Ron, only to have Jeremy object, "You're gonna throw the ball to that loser? Gimme the ball and I'll score you a touchdown."

Gazing into the hockey all-star's eyes, Tara declared in a firm tone, "Screen pass to Ron. Get with the program or sod off."

"Stow it, Waddell. You heard the captain." Oscar echoed in a quiet whisper. "Stay with me and Jess, Ron. We'll screen you."

"Right." Tara clapped her hands, "Break."

Tara took the snap from Oscar. Easily dodging Jason Morgan's lunge to touch her, she threw the ball at Ron only to have Jeremy push the blond sidekick aside and, catching the ball, dashed up the field towards the endzone. Sidestepping Steve and Hope, the hockey star deliberately straight armed Kevin, shoving him to the ground. Reaching the endzone, he spiked the ball only to encounter two enraged cheerleaders.

Rushing to her boyfriend with Sergei beside her, Liz hugged him after the Russian soccer player helped him up. "You okay, baby?" the redheaded cheerleader asked as she brushed him off.

"I'm fine, Liz." Kevin smiled back, "Been hurt worse falling off my bike."

Laughing, Sergei put his arm on his chess teammate's shoulder, "It takes more than a shove to bring down our second-best chess player."

"Second best?" Kevin quipped, raising an eyebrow.

His eyes falling on his blonde lover, Sergei chuckled, "We all know who is the best, tovarisch."

"Yeah." Liz snorted, "And she's looking pissed."

"So is Hope." Sergei commented, "Wardell will be lucky to escape with his balls intact."

"Waddell! You fucking numpty!" Tara cursed as she thumped the hockey star hard on his forehead, "What did I fucking tell you about getting with the program? Sod the fuck off!"

"Better get the fuck outta here, asshole!" Hope snarled as she shoved the hockey player in the chest, forcing him back. "Pull that shit again and we're gonna kick your ass!"

"Penalty for illegal contact! Waddell! King! Rossi!" Mr. Barkin shouted as he tossed the penalty flag. All three of you are ejected. "Morgan. Either find someone else or…"

"I'm outta here too." Jason growled. "Monique…you coming with me?"

"Come on Bonnie." Jeremy snapped, "We don't need to hang out with these losers."

For the briefest of moments, it seemed that the two girls were going to say no, but then Bonnie, remembering her sisters' taunts, decided to go with the path of least resistance. "All right, Jeremy. Let's go. M?"

Glancing back at her team, Monique gave them all a rueful glance before answering, "Right behind you B."

"You lot go on and play." Tara grinned as she and Hope sat down on the sidelines. "We'll just sit and watch you."

"Yeah." Hope agreed with a smile, "Me and my bestie will just chill right here."

"Ron?" Tara grinned, "Team's yours, mate."

Giving the two girls he had just ejected an apologetic look, the firm but fair referee blew his whistle. "Team Stoppable! First down on the midfield line."

Amelia

"Are you sure that you're going to be okay, Dear?" Carol Rodriguez asked her daughter as Amelia, along with her parents, entered the park.

"I'll be fine, Mom…Dad." Amelia replied with a timid grin. "It's a sunny day and I feel like going for a walk."

"Okay, Precious." Esteban Rodriguez responded with a warm smile. "If you need us, we'll be at the main pavilion."

"Thanks." Amelia smiled back, reassuring her parents, "I'm not all the way there yet, but I am getting better."

Strolling down the trail, the brunette teen beauty took her time, savoring the summer flowers: the petunias, daisies, marigolds, dahlias, and tulips. So absorbed in the beauty that she saw and smelled was she that she almost didn't hear a pair of familiar voices calling out to her.

"Amelia! Wait up!"

Turning around, the slender brunette smiled warmly as two of her best friends approached, "Hi. It's a pretty day isn't it?"

"It sure is." Monique agreed with a grin on her face.

"Yeah." Bonnie nodded, her lips also turned up in a slight smile at the sight of her old friend, "How are you feeling today?"

"So far, it's been a good day." Amelia replied, "The flowers are pretty, aren't they?"

"Yes, they are." Monique agreed.

"I like flowers." Amelia remarked in a soft tone, "Did you know that?"

"Yeah." Bonnie nodded her head, "I remember coming by your home and always catching you in your garden."

"I like the peace." Amelia smiled briefly, then her smile disappeared to be replaced by a look of dread, "And the colors. And flowers, they don't…they don't…"

"What happened to you down there?" Monique asked in a soft whisper as she took her friend by the hands. "Please…tell us…we're your friends and we want to help you."

Pointing to a gazebo, Amelia replied, her stutter returning, "O…O…O…kay. O…O…O…ver there. Where we ca…ca…ca…can't be disturbed."

"Sure." Bonnie nodded her head. "Let's go. We can talk there where no one will bother us."

The three girls walked in silence to the gazebo where they all sat together. Speaking first, Monique gently probed, "The last time we heard from you was when you were on your cruise ship getting ready to dock at Aruba. You were talking about going into town and doing some partying. Then nothing. I get the feeling something happened there on the island."

Nodding her head, the tormented brunette laughed ironically, "I thought I was going to have a good time. Meet some Caribbean hottie…dance and party…and then go back to the boat and do it all over again at the next port." Her laughter turning to sobs, Amelia moaned, "But that's not what happened."

"What happened?" Bonnie asked, taking her friend by the hand.

"I went to one of those resort clubs." Amelia recalled, "It was fun. They had a band playing all sorts of music—reggae…calypso…you know…the stuff you'd hear down there. I was dancing and having a good time and then I met Duarte—and that's when things started going bad. He was so nice…handsome...a real hottie…and we danced and talked and danced some more and then he gave me something to drink…and then more…"

"He got you drunk?" Monique interrupted, her voice soft and tender.

"A little. But not much." Amelia nodded her head, "He…"

"He slipped you a roofie." Monique finished, Amelia nodding her head.

"Yeah. When I woke up, I was in a cell with four other girls."

"Other girls?" Bonnie interjected.

"The people who took me…th…th…th…th…they were…" Amelia began to stammer.

"Sex traffickers." Monique finished with a scowl as she placed a gentle hand on her friend's shoulder. "You were taken by sex traffickers."

Nodding her head, Amelia affirmed, "Yeah. They shipped two girls away a little after I got there and two more came with us when Kim rescued me."

"So Kim saved you." Bonnie prompted in a soft voice.

"Yes." Amelia replied, "The guards were going to take me to…the leader like to break us in personally first before turning us over to the guards. Charlotte and Maria…they…what the guards did to them was…it was…I get sick when I…that's why I don't want any boys touching me right now."

"We understand." Monique replied in a soft tone, promising, Me and B will make sure that the boys understand."

"Don't tell them why." Amelia pleaded, "I don't want them laughing at me."

"We won't tell them why." Bonnie vowed, "I swear."

"So…what happened, Amelia?" Monique asked, "How did you get out of there. I'm guessing it had something to do with Kim?"

"Yeah." Amelia sobbed, "They were taking me to their leader because it was my turn…then he was going to let the guards have me. That's when Kim came. She shot the two guards taking me to him and killed them."

"She killed them?" Bonnie exclaimed in disbelief, "Kim killed someone. I don't believe it."

"Kim killed a lot of them." Amelia replied, "I saw her kill another guard with a knife. She didn't want to kill…I could see it in her eyes. But if she didn't…"

"You might not have made it out alive." Monique finished, Amelia nodding her head in agreement.

"We wouldn't have." Amelia declared, "After Kim killed their leader, we pushed the button that set off the explosives she set and blew that island up and then she called her friends—the ones who wear those uniforms—remember that man?' Continuing as both her friends nodded their heads, Amelia finished her tale. "They took us off the island and called my parents and took care of us."

"What about the other two girls?" Bonnie asked. "What happened to them?"

"Their parents came and got them." Amelia replied, shaking her head, "They're in worse shape than me. I'm damaged goods, but they…"

"You. Are. Not. Damaged. Goods." Bonnie declared forcefully, taking her friend's hand as Monique took Amelia's other hand. "You went through hell and came out of it. You're…" the normally arrogant cheerleader finished her sentence in a low, guilty tone of voice, "You're a stronger person than I am."

"You are one tough lady, A." Monique echoed, "And don't let anyone tell you otherwise."

"So…" Amelia asked, "You're not upset that I'm friends with Kim now too?"

"Of course not." Bonnie smiled, "She saved your life. Just don't expect me to give her a kiss or anything like that."

"Me neither." Monique chuckled.

"Amelia." Bonnie declared in a gentle tone, "Kim brought you back to us. I might…I do…have my issues with her, but she did a good thing here and I'm grateful to her for it."

"Ditto." Monique affirmed, "Like Bonnie said, I might not like LMP, but she saved your life and that gives her points in my book. I'm not going to forget what she did for you."

"Thanks." Amelia smiled at her friends, "You two don't know what that means to me."

"We're just happy you're back with us." Bonnie grinned as the three girls hugged each other.

"So…" Monique chuckled, "Wanna see if they've started the pool party yet or not?"

"Go on ahead." Amelia replied with a warm grin, "I'll be along shortly. I just wanna look at the flowers a little longer. I'm okay…" the lovely brunette chuckled, "I just want a little quiet time—that's all."

"Okay, A." Bonnie acknowledged, "We'll see you later at the pool."

Zoe and Crystal

"Pretty day." Crystal sighed as she lit a herbal cigarette. "Good thing this isn't a school function." She giggled before taking a drag and exhaling, "I'd get detention for sure."

"Enjoy the freedom while it lasts." Zoe chuckled as she lit a cigarette of her own. "It is a nice day." She agreed as the couple walked down the trail holding hands. "So…after we finish our belly dance class, what do you wanna do?"

"Maybe some softball?" The tawny skinned cheerleader suggested, "I bet you're great at second base and I can play a mean shortstop."

"All right." Zoe agreed as she took a drag from her cigarette, "Let's do it."

"Hey, Crystal!"

Turning towards the source of the voice, Crystal at once recognized the three boys approaching her. "That's Dillon and his friends—they're on the track team."

"They're not going to be a problem are they?" Zoe asked, raising an eyebrow.

"I don't think so." Crystal replied, "You remember me talking about Dillon?"

"Yeah." Zoe nodded, "He's the one you dated for a while before we met."

"That's right." The auburn-brown haired cheerleader affirmed, "We went out on a few dates, but there wasn't anything there. He was a nice enough boy and, at least as far as I know, we're still friends, but that was before I came out. Now?" she shrugged her shoulders.

"Well…" Zoe quipped, "We're about to find out."

"Hey Dillon, Matt, Donny. What's up?" Crystal asked with a smile.

"We just saw you and wanted to say Hi." Dillon replied with a grin.

"Yeah. We haven't seen you all summer." Matt remarked, his lips also turned up in a smile.

"So…what have you been up to?" Donny asked as he gave Zoe a slight nod of the head.

"Mostly hanging out with my girlfriend." Crystal replied with a lump in her throat. "Guys…this is Zoe. Zoe…the guys."

"Hi guys." Zoe smiled politely.

"Hi." The boys responded with equal courtesy.

"Ummm…Crys…" Dillon began, seeming uncertain of how to phrase his words, "Uhhh…we heard that you're gay and all."

"Yep." Crystal responded with a wry grin. "I'm batting for the other team now."

"Ummm…" Dillon continued, "What I want to say is that we…I…just want to let you know that I…'"

"We." The other boys interrupted. "We feel the same way, Crys."

Dillon continued, "We still want to be friends with you. You're a nice person and…well…it doesn't matter to us if you have a girlfriend or a boyfriend as long as you're happy."

"And that goes for most of the rest of the boys on the track team." Matt and Donny declared in unison. "We've got a few numbnuts." Matt explained with an embarrassed grin, "But we'll keep 'em in line."

"Yeah, girls." Donny echoed, "We've got your back."

"Anyone give either one of you a hard time…" Dillon pledged, "Just let us know and we'll set them straight, okay?"

A broad smile on her face, Crystal exclaimed as she hugged each of the boys in turn. "You guys are the best friends a girl could ask for!"

"Yeah." Zoe added, the polite grin that she had on her face now a warm smile, "You're cool. Come by the belly dance class later on—we can talk after."

"Please!" Crystal importuned, "Then you guys can come with us and play some softball."

"Sounds good." Dillon agreed, his fellow track team members nodding their heads as well. "We'll see you later."

Smiling warmly at her girlfriend as the three boys walked away, Zoe gave her a tender kiss. "Like you said…a pretty day. And I'm with a pretty girl."

Returning her lover's kiss, Crystal smiled back, "So am I."

Kim and Josh

"Where do you want the speakers?" Kim asked as she and Josh lugged a speaker to the stage.

"Right over here!" Ian pointed, "And put the other one on the opposite side."

"That'll work." Barry, the bass guitarist agreed.

"What about the rest of the stuff?" Sam, the rhythm guitarist asked.

"We've got those, babe." Vivian, Sam's girlfriend replied.

"Yeah, we've got it all." Stephanie and Charlotte, Ian's and Barry's girlfriends respectively called out as they helped to set up the equipment.

"Set up in record time." Josh grinned after the band members and the girlfriends had finished setting everything up. Turning to his redheaded lover, a brief leer appeared on his face as he murmured in her ear, "Didn't you say something about a bikini?"

"Sure did, baby." Kim whispered back. "Gotta meet my folks first, then we can get changed at the pool. Raising her voice, the young redhead called out to the other band members and their girlfriends, "We're gonna be at the pool. You guys meet up with us there when you're ready."

"Go on!" Ian chuckled, "We'll see ya there!"

"Are things getting better on the home front?" Josh asked as he and Kim walked hand in hand to the main pavilion.

"The past few days have been pretty good." Kim responded. "Nothing happening on the 'save the world' front so far—it's like after we all got back from our summer 'vacations'…" the teen hero drew air quotes around vacations with her fingers, "…and Drakken's breakout, the bad guys have all decided to take their own vacations. Dementor…the Seniors…Monkey Fist…DNAmy…even the pain in the ass third-raters like Greyscale and Filthy Lucre are laying low for now."

"Yet you seem worried."

"Yeah." Kim sighed, "MALUS is still out there with those drugs and nukes and who knows what else. You've heard a little of what Tara, Hope, and Sergei went through in London and you know most of what happened with me down in the Keys…" her tone now apologetic, she confessed, "There's more, but I can't tell you everything because it's…"

"Classified. I understand, Kim" Josh interjected with a supportive grin. "I realize that there's a lot you can't talk about because of national security and stuff like that. Don't worry about it."

"And that's another reason why I fell in love with you." Kim smiled warmly at her boyfriend as a gentle blush appeared on her cheeks.

"So…other than MALUS…what's got you concerned?" Josh gently probed as the pair continued their walk.

Heaving a sigh, Kim admitted, "Where my usual villains are concerned, it's Drakken that has me worried the most. He's easily the most dangerous because he's the smartest when he wants to be. DNAmy and Monkey Fist are just plain psycho. The others like the Seniors—to them it's just a game, and with Dementor—it's just business. But with Drakken, it's gotten personal. That blue asshole's not just after me, he wants to hurt everything and everyone I love—and Josh—you most definitely fit into that category."

"Hey…" the handsome artist/musician grinned, "Don't worry about me. I've got one helluva guardian angel looking out for me and…" he declared as the pair paused in their walk and he gently embraced her, kissing her tenderly, "I trust her completely."

Smiling through her tears of joy, Kim returned her lover's kiss, "And that's reason two why I fell in love with you."

The Dirty Pair and Friends

"Good game, mate." Tara smiled as she shook the winning team's captain's hand.

"You guys played well." Brick responded with a grin. "You almost beat us."

"Yeah, Ron." Steve grinned, "You almost scored the winning touchdown. It was just bad luck that you tripped. You're a helluva runner. Ever think about trying out for track or the football team?"

"You'd make a helluva running back." Eddie Nguyen, the new wide receiver declared.

"Wouldn't be bad at the 440 either." Dillon, along with his fellow track team members, called out from the sidelines where they had been watching the game after they left Crystal and Zoe. "You've got good speed and endurance, Stoppable. You should seriously consider coming in for tryouts. I think you've got a good shot at making the team."

"Wow." Ron exclaimed in disbelief, "Do you really think I have a chance?"

"Sure." Matt affirmed, "Come to tryouts after school begins. You've got nothing to lose but a little time, right?"

"Z?" Ron asked, turning to his girlfriend, "What do you think?"

"What do you wanna do, Ron." Zita replied with a supportive grin, "You know I'm in your corner, no matter what you decide, and I'll be cheering for you from the sidelines."

"Go for it, Ron." Brick encouraged, "I think Dillon's right. You've got a good shot at making the team. And when we have football tryouts in the spring—you should go to them. We're gonna need at least one new running back and next year you'll have a shot at State."

Seeing the encouraging looks from all his friends, Ron exclaimed with a big grin, "All right. I'll do it. I'll try out for the track team."

"Now that we've got that out of the way." Zita quipped, taking her boyfriend by the arm. "Walk me to the pool?"

"You wearing that bikini you bought last week? Ron smirked.

"You bet I am."

"Badical."

"Pool everyone?" Hope exclaimed.

"Pool!"

Felix and Amelia

"I'm gonna take a spin down the nature trail to the pool." Felix called out, smiling as he left his parents behind at the pavilion.

"Okay, Dear!" Phyllis Renton shouted back, "Have a good time and don't forget that you're entered in the horseshoe contest!"

"Don't worry! I'll be there!" The young genius replied with a grin as he wheeled away, a song playing on the stereo that he had installed on his wheelchair.

Taking his time meandering down the trail, Felix paused at the sight of an attractive slender woman with brown hair sitting by herself in a gazebo, apparently lost in her thoughts. Wheeling up to the gazebo, the young man called out a greeting, "Hello. Pretty day, isn't it?"

"Huh?" Amelia flinched, startled by the strange boy's sudden appearance and greeting. "Wh…wh…"

"Oh…" Felix apologized, misreading the reason for the young woman's startlement, "I'm sorry. I didn't intend to disturb you. I'll go back now." His good mood dispelled, the handsome youth backed his wheelchair up until the lovely woman called back to him, stuttering.

"N…N…N…no. I…I…I…It's my fault. I…I…I…get startled easily. Please…stay."

Turning back to the young woman, Felix smiled as he spoke with a gentle tone, "Okay…thanks. Wanna try again? My name's Felix. May I ask your name?"

"Y…y…yes." The slender brunette replied nervously, "M…m…m…My name is Amelia."

"Hi, Amelia." Felix smiled, "It's a pretty day, isn't it?"

Relaxing a little as the wheelchair bound boy maintained his gentle manner, Amelia replied, "Yes it is. I was looking at the flowers. Do you like flowers?"

"Yes, I do." Felix answered, keeping his movements slow and deliberate to avoid startling the skittish woman he was talking to. "May I join you?"

After a moment's hesitation, Amelia, relaxing a little more as she began to see the strange boy as not a threat, nodded her head. "Yes. But…please…not too close." Quickly apologizing she explained, her stutter returning, "It's not you…w…w…w…well it is you…a little. I…I…don't….like it wh…wh…when…men get t…t…too close to me."

Immediately figuring out the likely reason for the young woman's skittishness, Felix inclined his head and answered in a soft, reassuring tone, "I understand and I'm not mad. I promise I won't get too close. If you feel like I am, then just let me know and I'll back off, okay?"

"Tha…thank you." Amelia replied, then, gasped in delight as Felix's wheelchair hovered over the gazebo steps. "How did…how did you do that?"

Smiling, Felix explained, "My Mom works at MIST and is very inventive. I guess I inherited some of that. I love to tinker with gadgets. After my…accident…" the young genius continued, his tone now more melancholy, "I wasn't feeling very good—about anything."

"I'm sorry." Amelia commiserated, "If you don't want to talk about it—I understand."

"No." Felix smiled back, "It's okay. I'm better now—a lot better. It's just that—for now at least—talking about what happened is still kinda hard—you know what I mean?"

"Yeah." Amelia nodded in understanding, "I know very well. It's the same with me. Besides my parents, doctors, and a few other people, only Kim, Bonnie, and Monique know everything that happened to me—and they're my three best friends. It still…it still hurts too much right now."

"I know." Felix replied with a warm smile as he steered the conversation to safer waters. "We were talking about my wheelchair—right? Well, Mom made some improvements to it so that I could control it electronically and attached some arms that can reach out and grab stuff. She also installed a device that can play back any type of physical media and can stream and it's got a built-in web browser and wi-fi."

"That's so cool!" Amelia exclaimed. "You must have a great mom!"

"I do." Felix grinned, "And Dad's pretty cool too. What about your folks."

Sighing, the lovely brunette replied, "Dad's away a lot on business so I don't see him as often as I'd like, and Mom works as an executive for McMahon-Tate-Stephens advertising, so that keeps her pretty busy too. Don't get me wrong! I mean I love them and they've been great after what…what happened, but…"

"Yeah." Felix smiled, "I know what you mean. Mom used to be an associate professor at Go City U. until she moved back here and Dad's job keeps him pretty busy too."

"Yeah." Amelia nodded her head, "Last year, I mostly hung out with Bonnie and Monique." Lowering her head, she brushed back a tear, "I'm afraid I wasn't very nice to a lot of people."

"Well…" Felix grinned encouragingly, "This year's a new year—you can make a new start."

"I'm not sure the people I was mean to will forgive me." Amelia lamented.

"You'll never know if you don't try." Felix advised.

"You're right." The lovely brunette responded thoughtfully, "Maybe it's time I made a few changes." Her smile returning, Amelia continued to speak, "Ummm…I was planning on going by the pool. Would you like to come with?"

Smiling back at his new friend, Felix replied, "Sure. Ready when you are."

The Main Pavilion near the pool—the parents get together

"Thanks for your help on the Minerva-2 probe, Phyllis." Mr. Dr. Possible said as he assisted in manning the grill, his responsibility being hamburgers and hot dogs.

"Da." Vassili Radovsky, Sergei's father and colleague to Mr. Dr. Possible agreed as he brought over a covered dish of Russian donuts while his wife, Tatiana, set out a bowl of olivye—a Russian potato salad—on the table. "Your suggestions for structural improvement have increased the survivability of both the atmospheric probe and lander substantially."

"You're welcome." Mrs. Renton blushed, "While I enjoyed my time in the classroom at Go City U., I've got to admit to missing the hands on work I get at the Space Center and MIST."

"It's been a long time, Phyllis." Mrs. Dr. P. smiled as she greeted her old friend, "So…how is Felix doing? I know the accident must have taken its toll."

"I remember he, Ron, and Kim used to like to play basketball and run around in the park together." James reminisced, a smile coming to his lips as memories of Kim's childhood played out in his mind. "They loved running around playing tag and all." Shaking his head, the rocket scientist lamented, "It must have been hard on young Felix."

"It was." Phyllis nodded her head, "He was feeling depressed for a long time when it became clear that he would probably never walk again."

"He was in and out of therapy…all sorts of programs…nothing seemed to work." George Renton declared as he joined the discussion, "He almost never left his room and kept to himself." Giving his wife a loving smile, the concerned father continued, "After Phyllis overhauled his chair, his mood improved a lot, but he still wasn't really socializing."

"That began to change when he began playing in that MMO." Phyllis recounted, "He started talking to people and then when we let him do some tinkering on his chair for himself, the difference was night and day."

"I have to admit…" George commented with a worried frown, "We were more than a little concerned at some of Felix's friends—not Ron or Kim…" he quickly stated, his wife interjecting with her own opinion.

"Although I have to say that I am more than a little concerned at him being drawn into your daughter's and her friends'…other…activities."

"To be honest…" James readily confessed, "I'm getting more worried about some of the missions my daughter is going on too. I've considered putting my foot down and putting a stop to her missions, but…"

"We talked about that, James. I thought the matter was settled." Anne interrupted with a frown.

"For now it is." James growled in a low voice. "Although I'm still not very happy about it."

Her brow furrowing at her husband's words, Anne turned her attention back to Mrs. Renton, "And Phyllis, I don't think you have anything to worry about as far as Felix being dragged into Kim or the Pair's other activities. They're very careful not to involve innocents."

"For now, we're just taking a wait and see approach." George declared, "If we have to take more forceful steps, we will, and we'll make sure to let you know and why."

"Right." Phyllis nodded her head in agreement. "While we have some concerns, so far we haven't seen anything that calls for any sort of active intervention."

"That's a pragmatic attitude." Anne agreed, giving her husband a sideways glance, "I wish certain other people would share that view."

"What's that supposed to mean?" James frowned, turning to his wife.

"You heard me, James." Anne responded in a flat tone, "Better get back to the grill before you burn the hamburgers and hot dogs."

Drawing closer to Vassili, Phyllis whispered, "Is there a problem here?"

"Da. I think so." The Russian physicist answered back with a shake of his head, "I don't want to say too much about it…you understand?"

"Yeah." Phyllis nodded, "I wouldn't want you to break any confidences."

"Spasibo." Vassili smiled back, "I hope they can resolve it. Both are good people and James is my tovarisch."

"In fairness…" George pointed out, bringing the discussion back to his son, "Felix did have a good time at that convention he went to with Ron and those girls."

"The gay couple and Ron's girlfriend?" Phyllis nodded, "Yeah. He did. I don't have any problems with him associating with them—they seem to be good people—although I have heard that one of them works as a stripper at that nightclub, so that has me a little concerned."

"Tara told me that Zoe was also a student at Middleton Community College working on her degree in computer science." Jill Munroe pointed out as she joined the discussion. "She works at that club to pay the bills as her parents have disowned her."

"Why would they do that?" Phyllis queried, "Because she's gay?"

"Yeah." Jill replied, "That's why Crystal's parents split up. From what I heard from her father, Naomi wanted to send her to one of those conversion camps. Her father sided with Crystal and so Naomi left to stay with her sister."

"That's rough." George commented before asking the Munroes, "Are you Tara's guardians? I thought she was emancipated."

"She is." Mark confirmed, "We just recently discovered that we're related when she contacted us a few months ago." His lips turning up in a wry grin, "While we wouldn't have any problems with her being our daughter…"

"She's a delightful woman." Jill added with a chuckle, "Only problem is that if she were, she'd probably be grounded pretty much on a regular basis. But since she's not, we're really more good friends than anything else."

Pool Party

"Looking good!" Steve leered as his girlfriend came out of the changing room wearing a very skimpy yellow polka-dot bikini.

"You're not so bad yourself." Jessica grinned back, licking her lips at the sight of her lean and muscular boyfriend wearing blue surfer baggies and a Upperton U t-shirt. Giving her beau a peck on the cheek, she gestured to the pool. "I need a volunteer to rub some lotion on my back, want the job?"

"Only if I get to rub beneath the bikini." Steve quipped.

Chuckling, Jessica tossed her boyfriend a bottle of suntan lotion, "That's part of the job description, stud. Now…let's get going before all the prime spots are taken."

Arriving at the pool, the pair spotted Kim and Josh already there, hanging out with the other members of Josh's band and their girlfriends. "Hey Kim…Josh!" Jessica called out in friendly greeting, "What's up?"

"Just chilling out." Kim, wearing a very sexy and barely there blue bikini and lounging on a deck chair, sipping limeade from a glass with a straw, shouted back, "Come over and join us. There's an extra deck chair here with your name on it."

"Thanks." Jessica replied as Steve dropped the back of the deckchair so that it was flat. Lying down prone, the freckle-faced blonde sighed in relief as her boyfriend began to massage lotion on to her back. "Mmmm…that's nice."

"Good idea, Jess." Kim quipped, giving her boyfriend a coy wink, "Can I get you to do that for me, Josh?"

"Sure, babe." Josh replied. Moments later, Kim was also lying prone on her deck chair sighing in contentment at her lover's touch. "That's nice…don't stop."

"So, Kim…" Jessica murmured, "How did the sack race go?"

"Finished second." The redheaded young woman responded, her muscles relaxing as Josh massaged the lotion into her skin. "Liz and her father won it."

"How's the band coming, Josh?" Steve asked as he squirted some lotion on his girlfriend's back and began working it on to her skin, slipping his fingers underneath the straps of her top as he did so.

"We've got some gigs lined up for some end of summer parties." The handsome lead guitarist and vocalist responded, "And the Kitty Kat Club's having a talent contest at the start of the school year, so we've signed up for that."

"Max is allowing people without cards to come in to watch the contest." Kim interjected.

"That's nice of him." Jessica remarked, murmuring contentedly to her boyfriend, "Mmmm…that's nice, Steve…keep those magic fingers working."

Chuckling, Kim replied, "The club's going into its slow season, so he figures that the money he's gonna get from the cover charge will pay for the expense of holding the show and make him a profit."

"Hullo, mates!"

Looking up, Kim smiled as her two best female friends, both wearing barely-there bikinis approached with their Russian boyfriend, wearing swim trunks, in the middle. "Hey! Come over and join the party."

"On our way." Hope quipped as she and Tara set out their beach towel and laid down prone.

"Sergei, luv?" Tara pleaded, "Can you rub us down? Please and thank you."

"Da." The handsome Russian grinned as Steve handed him the bottle of lotion, "Will be my pleasure."

"How's the home front, Kim?" Tara asked before letting out a contented moan, "Oh yes, Sergei…right there, luv."

Heaving a sigh, the young redhead confessed, "It's a day-by-day thing. So far, today's been a good day. That's part of the reason I agreed to do the father-daughter sack race with Dad—I'm trying to keep bridges open." Letting out another breath, she further admitted, "But it's not easy."

"At least your Dad's trying." Hope remarked before giving Sergei a puppy dog pout, "My turn, baby."

"Yeah." Kim replied ruefully, "You're right. I shouldn't be complaining. At least my father is making an effort. It's just that I feel like the two of us are running into a headlong collision and neither one of us knows how to stop it from happening."

"Sometimes these things have to run their course, luv." Tara pointed out in a grave tone, "All you can do is try to minimize the destruction and then after the smoke clears work on damage control."

"I know." Kim sighed. "Part of me wishes it didn't have to happen, but another part of me knows that it's probably inevitable. I guess all I can do is, like you said, try to minimize the damages."

Arriving at the pool later than the others, Felix, looking up at the beautiful brunette accompanying him quipped with a wry grin on his face, "It looks like next year's cliques are already forming up."

"I noticed." Amelia, enjoying the company of the wheelchair-bound with whom she had spent most of the day, remarked with a chuckle. Pointing to where two of her friends were hanging out along with their boyfriends and friends, she commented, "There's Bonnie, Monique, and their group."

"And there's Kim, the Dirty Pair, and their friends." Felix noted, pointing at the group sitting and laying about on the other side of the pool. "What's interesting though is the group that's sitting closer to Kim and the others with her. See how there's always someone going back and forth between the two?"

"Yeah." Amelia agreed, "I see Brick and his new girlfriend, and a few others I haven't met yet, along with a few others from the football team. Looks to me like while they like Kim and her friends better, they're wanting to stay neutral."

"That's what I was thinking." Felix mused, "So…where do you wanna go?"

"I have friends in all three groups so I wanna say hi to them," Amelia replied, "But I gotta warn you—you're gonna get treated pretty rough by some—if not all—of the people in Bonnie's group."

"Because of the chair?" Felix snorted.

"Partly." Amelia nodded, "But also because as far as Bonnie's concerned, you rank low on the food chain. They'll give you a hard time just because of that." Lowering her head, the pretty brunette confessed, "Last year I would have been laughing at you with them."

"That was last year." Felix comforted, "Remember what I said? Everything's new now. Leave the past in the past."

Heaving a mournful sigh, Amelia shook her head, "There are some things that aren't so easy to leave in the past."

"I know." Felix nodded his head sympathetically, "And I know you're not ready to talk about what those things are yet, and that's okay. I understand. We've just gotten to know each other. But…just so you know…if and when you're ready to talk about it, I'll be here."

"Thanks Felix, Amelia smiled warmly at her new friend, "You don't know what that means to me. And…" she sincerely declared, "when you're ready to talk about what you went through, I'll be here for you too."

"So…" Felix asked, "Do you wanna say hello to your friends?"

"I'd like to, but I don't want to put you through the crap they're sure to put you through." Amelia replied, shaking her head.

"Why don't you go say hello to them and I'll wait here." Felix suggested

"No." Amelia shook her head, "I like hanging out with you and I…" she took a deep breath, "I found out this summer just how…" as tears rolled down her cheeks, Felix looked up at his new friend and, smiling warmly, comforted her.

"It's all right, Amelia. They're your friends too. You shouldn't have to pick and choose who your friends are and who they aren't based on where they fit in on some school pecking order or what clique they belong. Go over and say hi to them. Don't worry…I'll be ok. Promise."

Her eyes narrowing at the approach of Jason and Jeremy, accompanied by a few of their friends, Amelia muttered a quick warning, "I hate to say this, but it looks like they're coming to us."

"Trouble?" Felix whispered back.

"I th…th…th…think so." Amelia replied, her nervous stutter returning.

"It's okay." Felix said reassuringly, "Let's just make our way over to where your friend Brick and his friends are. I doubt those boys coming towards us are going to start any trouble here—it's too crowded and I can put up with being called a few names if you can."

"L…l…l…let's go." Amelia stammered immediately agreeing.

"Amelia!" Jason called up, "Ditch Wheels and come join us!"

"Uh Oh." Kim grimaced as she pointed to the boys approaching Amelia and Felix. "We might have a sitch."

Gritting her teeth, Tara growled, "Who feels like stretching their legs for a bit?"

"I do." Ron at once responded, his voice joined quickly by Hope and the others.

"Time for a workout." Hope remarked, glaring at the boys, "My muscles are getting stiff."

Watching with concern as the two groups converged on each other, Cindy nudged her boyfriend. "Oscar? I think we might have a problem."

Nodding his head as the situation became more apparent, Oscar called out to his football teammate, "Brick?"

"Yeah, I see it." The all star quarterback commented, "Maybe we should go over there."

"Good idea." Oscar agreed as the two boys, joined by Dillon and Eddie, rose to their feet. "Let's see if we can stop trouble before it starts."

"Hey, Amelia." Brick called out affably to his old friend as he approached her and Felix at the same time as Jason, Jeremy, and their friends, "Who's your friend?"

"Name's Oscar." The young wrestler, immediately picking up on his teammate's intent, smiled, holding out his hand as he introduced himself. "Pleased to meet you."

"Hi Amelia!" Kim also going along with the boys' scheme while at the same time sending a warning glance to Jason and Jeremy, announced herself, "Hi Felix. Glad you could make it."

"Hey Felix!" Ron grinned, "How's my fellow zombie slayer?"

"Hullo, luvs." Tara grinned, Hope and Sergei also offering cheerful greetings while at the same time the three lovers, through their body language, sent out a clear warning signal to the two jocks and their friends.

Nodding his head at Amelia in a reassuring gesture, Felix responded with a big smile, "Hey! It's a great day today, isn't it?" Turning to his would be tormenters, the young genius's smile hid a note of warning, "Hi. I don't believe we've met. My name is Felix. Wheels are what I use to get around with."

"J…J…J…Jason," Amelia stuttered, "J…J…J…Jeremy. Felix is m…m…m…my friend."

Monique, at once spotting the upcoming confrontation, turned to her best friend and exclaimed, "B. We gotta do something before this turns into a war."

"You're right." The teal-eyed cheerleader responded, adding with a grimace, "Not that I give a shit about the Trio or Brick or that wheelchair dude, but Amelia would get caught up in the mess."

"And neither one of us wants that." Monique finished. "So, let's call our boyfriends back before it gets ugly."

"Jason! Jeremy!" Bonnie and Monique called out to their boyfriends, "Will you come over here, we need a couple of hunks to put lotion on our backs!"

Adding their voices to that of their leaders, Marcella and Melody also shouted, "Hey Frankie…Mark…we need you to rub our backs too."

"Here that?" Brick quipped, maintaining his goofy grin, "Better get back to your girls." Addressing Jeremy, the quarterback advised, "You don't want to keep Bonnie waiting—believe me."

"Better listen to the man, boys." Hope advised with a cold grin, "Not a good idea to land on the bad side of any Mad Dog cheerleader."

"Or mascot." Ron added, his laughter carrying with it the faintest hint of danger.

"Let it go, Jason." One of the jocks whispered, "There's more of them than us."

"And I don't wanna have to tangle with the Trio and their friends or Brick and that wrestler." Another boy cautioned.

"Boys!" Monique and Bonnie, this time joined by Marcella and the others in their posse, called out again, only this time more forcefully.

"Better go." Jeremy muttered to his friends, "The deck is stacked against us here and I don't want to get Bonnie mad at me."

"Yeah. I don't want Monique pissed at me either." Jason agreed, the pair and their friends turning away from the confrontation, but not before leaving Felix with a few parting words, "We'll see each other again—Wheels."

Arriving towards the tail end of the confrontation along with the other adults, James frowned, "Aren't you going to do anything, Mr. Barkin? Kim and the rest of those kids look like they're getting ready to get into a fight."

"I'll intervene if the situation calls for me to do." The former Marine responded with a reassuring smile, "But it's looking like there will be no need for that. Tensions are de-escalating now."

"How do you know that?" The concerned rocket scientist pressed.

"Morgan, Wardell, and their friends are outnumbered by the other students, and their girlfriends are calling them back." Mr. Barkin explained. "They won't risk a confrontation at present. Although…" the substitute-everything educator pondered, "This is a sign of possible future problems."

"How do you come to that conclusion?" Anne inquired, "Not that I don't disagree with you."

"Nature abhors a vacuum and all organizations—including high school students—exist within a hierarchy of one kind or another." Barkin elaborated, "That hierarchy was damaged last year, so I think there might be a period of time where there will be jockeying for position."

"And that could be a source for conflict." Anne concluded.

"Correct, Dr. Possible." The substitute principal affirmed, "It looks like I will be very busy next year."

"Whew." Ron gasped, wiping the sweat off his brow, "One poolside brawl avoided."

"Not so much avoided as postponed." Zoe, watching the looming confrontation with her girlfriend whispered, "You're going to need to stay on your toes next year while you're at school, baby."

"I know." Crystal murmured back, her lips turning up in a sly grin, "I've got a feeling I'm going to need plenty of your full body massages in the future."

"Mmmm…" the raven-haired dancer purred, "just say the word."

"Let's find someplace private." Crystal winked, "I think I need a massage now."

"Was that one of the possible blow ups you talked about a few weeks ago?" Steve asked his girlfriend as everyone returned to where they were before the confrontation began.

"It is, but it didn't go down the way I thought it would." Jessica replied, "Bonnie and her friends aren't very happy about the food chain breaking up, but I didn't take into account Amelia and her new friend figuring into it. That's going to add a new wrinkle to things."

"For good or bad?" Steve asked.

Shaking her head, the freckle-faced cheerleader admitted with a sigh, "I've got no idea."

"You okay, Amelia?" Felix asked, looking up with concern at his new friend.

"I…I…I'll be fine." Amelia stammered, a smile appearing on her face. "Th…th…th…thanks to you."

"I didn't do anything." Felix replied modestly, "It was all Brick, Kim, and the others."

"You helped keep things calm." Amelia replied in a soft voice. "I like calm."

"Yeah." Felix smiled, "I do too."

"Let's go back to the gazebo." The lovely brunette pleaded, "I want to look at the flowers some more."

"Your wish is my command." Felix replied, receiving a shy giggle in return from his new friend as the pair wandered off.

"So…what do you think?" Kim asked her friends, gesturing at Felix and Amelia, "Middleton's newest couple?"

"I don't know." Ron grinned, "Maybe."

"Felix is a good guy." Zita agreed, "He deserves someone nice. I hope Amelia is that person."

"She's sorry about a lot of what she did in the past, and she's trying to make up for it." Kim replied, coming to her new friend's defense.

"Well, I'm cool with giving her that chance." Ron declared with a smile.

"I am too." Zita echoed, "We've all done something that we wish we could take back."

"Right." Tara affirmed, pondering thoughtfully, "Felix seems to have gotten through Amelia's shell. None of the rest of the boys and only Kim, and, to their credit, Bonnie and Monique, have been able to do that."

"He's also picked up on something else." Kim remarked, "He realizes that right now Amelia needs a friend more than a boyfriend."

"Da." Sergei nodded his head in agreement, "They will both decide whether to make it something else or not when they are ready. For now, it is good that they feel comfortable with each other."

Shaking her head, Hope opined in a sad tone, "Amelia's going to be in for a hard time from some people—especially Jason, Jeremy, and their friends. And I've got a feeling eventually Marcella and Melody. She's also going to find out pretty soon whether Bonnie and Monique are her friends or not. For her sake and theirs…" the raven-haired cheerleader said in a low, grave tone, "I hope they are."

"Right, bestie." Tara agreed, "It would not make me happy to see them hurt Amelia. I might end up doing something that would get me expelled."

"That makes three of us." Kim added with a grimace.

"All of us." Ron interjected as the others echoed his words.

"Food's up, kids!" Mr. Dr. Possible called out, "Come and get it!"

Kim and Josh

Taking her boyfriend by the hand after the two had eaten, Kim leered, "C'mon. Kimmie wants some Josh time."

"I'm on board with that." Josh grinned back, "But what about your father and the Tweebs?"

"It wasn't easy." Kim sighed, "But while you and the band were practicing, I found a little nook hidden away, but we better hurry. Dad's busy right now and the Tweebs are stuffing their faces."

"What are we waiting for." Josh exclaimed, "Let's go."

"Someone wants a little nookie." Kim joked in a low sing-song voice as the pair, in an effort to avoid attracting attention, nonchalantly walked away. "Good thing a certain someone else is just as horny as he is."

"Hey, Tara?" Jill Munroe, who had just seen Josh and Kim sneak off and spotting her niece smoking a cigarette and talking with Hope and Sergei, called out, "Mind if I join you three?"

"Not at all." Tara replied with a wave, "Come join the party." Pulling out her flask, the English adventuress tempted, "Care for some gin?"

"Yeah, Jill." Hope grinned, "You look like you could use a belt."

"You're right." Jill replied as she sat down at the table and took a swig before asking, "How close was it at the pool—really?"

"Not that close." Tara shook her head. "There were more of us than Jason and his mob and Barkin was on hand. Anything would have got stopped long before it got out of hand—this time, at least."

Shaking her head, Jill took another swig from her niece's flask, "Yeah…lots of tension in the air…you can cut it with a knife."

"What's going on from your end?" Hope queried as she took out her flask of rum and took a drink.

"Da. I am curious as well." Sergei interjected, "My parents and I talk about a few things, but a lot of details from your side are missing."

"Blame the generation gap." Jill laughed. "Parents want to protect their children from the nastiest stuff." Giving her niece a crooked grin, the former cheerleader joked, "Mark and I would be doing the same with you if you were our daughter and not our niece. That's part of what's going on here."

"Same thing with us." Hope admitted, "We keep stuff back too."

"Like who's having sex with whom." Jill laughed with an undercurrent of warning in her voice that immediately attracted the attention of her niece.

"We've got no idea what you're talking about." Tara bantered back with a wink, telling her aunt that she had understood the subtext of her last remark.

"Right." Jill smirked, rising to her feet, "I've got to get back to Mark but, FYI, I saw a certain redhead sneak off with her boyfriend, and if I caught them doing it, it's a good bet someone else did too." Casting a glance towards James, who at that moment seemed to be trying to disengage himself from his wife and another parent, she warned, "You might want to tell them to be careful, a certain father who shall remain nameless has been watching every move she's been making very closely."

Nodding her head, Tara replied, her tone still light, but carrying a note of thanks, "If we see someone who fits that description, we'll be sure to let them know."

"Thanks." Jill smiled as she turned to walk away, "Oh…by the way…Mark and I found some more mementos that your grandfather left. There was one that he intended for you."

"He was thinking of me even though we never met?" The blonde Englishwoman exclaimed in surprise.

"Yeah." Jill replied with a warm smile of her own, "Dad was like that. Come by sometime and we'll show them to you and you can take the one he left for you. I think you'll like it."

"I will." Tara grinned, "Thanks, Jill." Putting her flask back in her boot, the lovely blonde stood up and stretched. Giving her best friend and their shared lover a meaningful look, she announced "Hope…Sergei…luvs…I feel like taking a walk. Wanna come with?"

At once picking up on her bestie's intentions, Hope quickly agreed, "Yeah. We could go for a stretch. What do you think, Sergei?"

"Da." The handsome Russian jock/chess player replied, "Let's take walk, my lyubovniki."

As the trio walked away from the table, Hope pointed out to her companions as James walked away from his conversation, his wife following close behind, "Looks like someone else decided to take a walk."

Nodding his head, Sergei prompted, "Perhaps we should pick up our pace?"

"Good idea, lover." Tara at once agreed. "Let's move a little faster."

James and Anne

"James?" Anne called out to her husband, "Wait up!" Catching up to her man, the redheaded neurologist pointedly asked, "Where are you going?"

"I just felt like taking a walk." James replied in a flat tone.

"Good." Anne replied, taking her husband by the arm, "I feel like taking one too. Maybe we should take a stroll by the gazebo. I hear the flowers are blooming nicely."

"There's a spot close by I want to take a look at first." James averred, suggesting instead, "We can go to the gazebo after I check out that spot."

"What is it?" Anne asked leadingly, deliberately slowing down the walking pace as the pair walked.

"It's just a little spot—nothing major." James replied in an effort to strike an unconcerned tone as he tried to pick up the walking pace.

Seeing through the façade her husband had put on and maintaining a slower stride, forcing her husband to slow down as well, Anne countered, "Then why the hurry? Why don't we check it out after we go to the gazebo?"

"It's closer." James riposted, "If you want to go to the gazebo, then go on ahead, I'll be there shortly."

Shaking her head, Anne tightened her grip, "No. I think I'll come with you. You've gotten me curious about this spot. I want to see it for myself." Slowing the pace even more, she smirked, "It's a pretty day. I'm in the mood for a nice slow walk. You're not in any sort of hurry—are you?"

Letting out a breath, James answered through clenched teeth, "No. I'm not."

Ron and Zita

"I hope the Pair and Sergei get to Kim and Josh before the Doctors Possible." Ron said to his girlfriend as they watched from their table.

"Yeah." Zita agreed as she fed her boyfriend a bite of potato salad from her spoon. "I mean I'm all for spontaneity…"

"Tell me about it." Ron laughed, "I still can't believe we did it in the projection room of the movie theater while the movie was playing."

"What can I say…" Zita chuckled, "I like living dangerously at times. Besides…the movie was turning me on. But…" she said as her laughter faded, "They're taking a big risk here with Kim's mother and father both here—even if her mother's more or less cool with it…"

"Mr. Dr. Possible most definitely isn't." Ron finished, "Yeah. If he were to catch them, he wouldn't even need a deep space probe to send Josh into a black hole."

The nook

"Mmmm…that was nice." Kim purred as she and her handsome lover broke their embrace. Leering as her hands wandered, the redheaded minx flirted, "Too bad we gotta keep our clothes on. Glancing down at her skimpy bikini and her boyfriend's trunks, she quipped, "Good thing we're wearing what we're wearing though. Everything's easy to get to."

"Where do you want to go?" Josh asked as he surveyed the area, "I don't see a spot where we won't be disturbed. Do you?"

"Come with me." Kim giggled as she took her boyfriend by the hand, "There's a little cove I stumbled into a while back. You've really got to search to find it."

"What are we waiting for?" Josh chuckled.

"Mankey." Kim smirked, "I like the way you think."

"Where are they?" Hope asked as she and her companions arrived at the nook before Kim's parents.

Raising her voice, Tara called out, "Kim! Josh! Hate to disturb you luvs, but you've got parentals incoming! Better finish up what you're doing and get out here pronto."

"And make sure you've got your clothes on!" Hope added with a laugh.

"Toropit'sya! Hurry!" Sergei warned as he caught sight of the Possible parents approaching.

Emerging from the clump of woods, adjusting their clothing as they did so, Kim gasped as she saw first her friends, and then her parents drawing closer. "Fuck." The young redhead cursed in a low voice.

"I thought that was what you two were doing." Tara teased.

Blushing, Kim bantered back, "We'd just finished when you called to warn us. Thanks."

"Don't mention it." Hope replied, warning, "You better have a good cover story. Your dad does not look happy."

Her father and mother joining them, Kim smiled up at them, "Hi Mom…Dad…what's up?"

Eyeing his daughter and her boyfriend suspiciously as he noticed his daughter's slightly disheveled appearance, James demanded in a low, growling tone, "What were the two of you doing?"

"I just wanted to do a little hiking and Josh decided to join me." Kim replied, telling a half truth. "We decided to sit down by a little brook and got a little messed up."

"What do you mean, 'a little messed up?'" The increasingly irate father demanded.

"Just that." Kim answered back with a barely concealed snort, "We had to go through some branches and got stuck in some mud. Why? What did you think was going on?"

"I'd like to see that brook." Mr. Dr. Possible insisted.

Shrugging her shoulders, Kim answered nonchalantly, "I'll show you."

"I'm sure that won't be necessary." Anne forcefully interjected, grabbing her husband by his arm, "There's nothing to see here, James, and you promised we'd go to the gazebo. Let's go."

"All right." James reluctantly conceded as he gave his daughter and her boyfriend a glare that dripped with mistrust. Speaking to his daughter, the rocket scientist strongly admonished, "I'm sure you're headed back to the main park—aren't you Kim?"

Nodding her head, Kim replied with just the faintest touch of surliness in her voice as she spoke to her dad, "Yeah. That's the plan."

"Good." Anne nodded her head, "I'm glad that's settled." Plastering a smile on her face, the redheaded mother gave her husband a pointed look while speaking in a light tone of voice, "Didn't you promise to take me to the gazebo now, James?"

"Yes, Dear." Mr. Dr. Possible replied with an equally insincere grin.

"We'll see you girls later!" Anne waved, "You too Josh and Sergei!"

"Be good!" James added pointedly as the pair walked away.

"That was a close one, mates." Tara declared once the two parents were safely out of earshot. "You lovebirds are going to have to either be more careful or you just go on ahead and have it out with your Da, Kim. That way you'll at least get it over with."

"You're right, Tara." Kim responded, her and her boyfriend holding hands. "It's going to have to be done sooner or later. The question is—when?"

"I wish I had an easy answer for you, luv." The blonde adventuress responded with a sigh, "But I'm afraid there isn't one. You're going to have to pick the best moment yourselves. Until then…be careful. I don't blame the two of you for wanting to get a little shagging in…"

"Just don't get caught." Kim finished with a sardonic grin.

"Right." Tara chuckled.

"Hell the three of us were thinking about doing the same." Hope laughed. "Shagging I mean."

Giggling, Kim responded blushing, "Why don't you? The cove's just down there. Go straight until you reach the brook and then right about ten yards and it's right there."

"So…studmuffin…bestie…" Hope grinned, "Wanna play?"

"Hell yeah." Tara smirked.

"Da, lyubovniki." Sergei grinned, "I might be many things, but stupid isn't one of them."

"See you later, Kim…Josh." Tara smiled, "And remember what I said…be careful."

Amelia and Felix

"You're easy to talk to Felix." Amelia smiled warmly at the wheelchair bound boy sitting next to her.

"You are too." Felix replied, returning the lovely brunette's smile with one of his own.

"I wasn't last year." Amelia admitted with a snort, "Last year the only words I'd have said to you would have been 'loser' or 'nerd' or something like that." After a reflective pause, she confessed, "You weren't around last year when that animology junk was going around."

"It was pretty popular at my school too." Felix replied with a chuckle, "I was an ochre and grey dolphin."

Chuckling, Amelia responded, "I was a red otter." Again hesitating contemplatively, the pretty brown-haired girl, "I don't know…maybe I had to go through the bad time first before I could appreciate someone like you. Someone nice…who I can talk to."

"I know what you mean." Felix confessed. "I was friends with Ron and Kim back in middle school, but not what I would call close friends. Yeah…we'd hang out some together now and then but we never really talked about anything other than the newest video game or something like that. Nothing important."

Slowly, tentatively, Amelia extended her hand, briefly touching the back of Felix's before withdrawing it. "Thank you."

Realizing that his new friend had just favored him with a major gesture of trust, Felix responded with a warm smile, "Thank you too."

"Hope we haven't come at a bad time." Mrs. Dr. Possible called out as she and her husband approached the two teens in the gazebo.

"Not at all, Mr….Mrs.… Possible." Felix grinned, "We were just talking and looking at the flowers."

"They are pretty, aren't they?" Anne said with a smile as she and James sat down opposite the couple.

"Yes, Mrs. Possible." Amelia replied with a smile, "They are. I like the tulips especially."

"I do too." Anne agreed, "The dahlias are coming nicely into bloom too."

"How are you feeling now, Amelia?" James asked.

"B…b…better, Mr. Possible." Amelia answered with a slight stutter.

"I'm glad to hear that." Mr. Dr. Possible smiled, "I heard you went through quite an ordeal."

"Y…y…yes." Amelia responded, her stutter growing more noticeable. "I…I…did. I…I …I'm lucky to be alive."

Backing off as he saw that his questioning was beginning to distress the tormented young woman, James gave her a reassuring grin, "We're glad to have you back with us, Amelia."

"Th…th…thank you, Mr. Possible." Amelia acknowledged, her stutter still present.

"Are you going to Brick's girlfriend's clarinet recital and Josh's band's concert?" Mrs. Possible asked.

"I…I don't want to sit too close." Amelia replied, "I…d…d…don't like crowds, but I wa…wa…wa…nt to hear the m…m…m…music."

Nodding her head, Anne responded in a gentle reassuring tone, "I understand what you mean, Amelia. I'm sure there are some good seats in the back where you can hear the music and not feel closed in."

Standing up, the Possibles grinned at the two teenagers, "We'll leave you to enjoy the flowers by yourselves. See you at the concert."

"See you later Mr. and Mrs. Possible." Felix smiled back. Waiting until the two adults were safely out of earshot, the young inventor turned to the lovely brunette seated next to him, "How are you feeling, Amelia?"

"I…I'm fine now, Felix." Amelia answered back with a warm grin. "Mr. Possible's question brought back bad memories. It wasn't his fault. He doesn't know everything." Looking her new friend in the eyes, the tormented young woman vowed, "I…I…I'm not ready to tell you now. But I will…one day. I promise."

"Whenever you're ready, I'll be here." Felix promised in return. "So…want to go and see if we can find some nice quiet place to listen to the music."

"Sure."

Picnic's end

"Your daughter's quite skilled." Brock Flagg said to Jack Gibson as Sue played Flight of the Bumblebee on her clarinet to a rapt audience.

"Thanks." Jack replied with a chuckle, "I guess all those years of music lessons paid off."

"She's good." Felix said to the pretty brunette seated on the ground next to him, the couple well removed from the crowd.

"Yeah." Amelia nodded, "I remember seeing her at school some last year, but we never talked. And now she's going out with Brick."

"Does that upset you?" Felix asked.

"No." Amelia shook her head. "I broke up with Brick during our sophomore year. He's a good boy—it just didn't work out for us. I made the same mistake almost everyone else does—I assumed that because he didn't get As and Bs he was a dummy. I hope the two of them are happy."

"I'm sure they are." Felix replied with a grin as the slender clarinetist shifted smoothly into her next piece, the love theme from Cinema Paradiso.

"That girl of yours sure knows how to play that thing, Brick." Oscar grinned as he and Cindy listened along with their friends.

"I know." Brick smiled proudly as he watched his girlfriend play.

Sue, rising to her feet and bowing after finishing her recital, blushed modestly at the applause. Thanking her audience, she stepped down from the stage, receiving a hug from her boyfriend.

"You were great, babe." Brick grinned

"You think so?" Sue asked still blushing.

"I've never known Brick to lie." Oscar declared as both he and Cindy offered their congratulations.

"Thanks." Sue responded with a shy smile as Josh and the Deaf Hippos came on stage and began warming up. "Looks like Kim's boyfriend's getting ready to play. I'm looking forward to hearing them. I hear they're pretty good."

"Yeah." Oscar affirmed, "They played at the Trio's Halloween party last year. Too bad you weren't there, Brick. It was a good party."

"Yeah." Cindy agreed, "Even though it did get a little untamed for the two of us at times."

Chuckling, Oscar quipped, "Everything you've heard about the Trio—well ninety percent of it's true. Just wait until they come in to school after a night of partying and you'll see what we're talking about."

"So…" Sue asked with a wicked grin on her face, "Where were you, Brick, when this wild party went down?"

Shaking his head, the football star replied with a wry grin, "I was at Monique's party with Bonnie choking from all the smug."

"Well…" Sue joked as she gave her boyfriend a quick peck on the lips, "I guess we're going to have to declare this a smug-free zone."

"Works for me." Brick smiled back as he returned his girl's kiss.

Taking the mike, Josh yelled out to the crowd, "Hey Mad Dogs! Hope you're having fun! We're the Deaf Hippos and we're here to rock you!" Smiling broadly at the applause, especially that coming from a certain somebody in the front row, Josh announced, "Our first song tonight is dedicated to a certain redhead in the audience. You know you are!"

"What do I have to do to get a song dedicated to me." Jessica quipped to her boyfriend as the pair danced.

"How about wearing that little number you just bought?" Steve leered.

"All right, buster." Jessica laughed, "I'll wear it, but I better get my song."

"You wear that outfit and I'll get you two songs."

"Was he talking about Kim when he said he was dedicating that song to a certain redhead?" Mr. Dr. Possible grumbled to his wife.

"Know any other redhead—other than me?" Anne laughed at the look on her husband's face, "Come on, James—lighten up! You've been wound up the entire day." Taking a breath and exhaling, she pleaded, "Please, honey, just for a few hours try to relax and enjoy the music and the fireworks."

"Okay." James replied with a wry grin, "I'll try. But only because you asked."

"Their drummer's good." Tara said as the drummer launched into a drum solo that had all most everyone dancing.

"Yeah. Ian is." Kim agreed, taking a sip of tequila after making sure that her parents weren't looking. "Sam at rhythm guitar and Barry, the base guitarist, are pretty good too. Josh told me that they've entered the talent contest at the Club."

"That's great!" Hope exclaimed as took a swig of rum from her flask. "Looks like Max is going to have some good acts lined up."

"Da. Crystal is going to belly dance and you and the rest of the cheerleaders are doing one of your routines. It should be fun." Sergei declared as Josh's band smoothly segued into their next song.

"Yeah, it should be a good show." Kim smiled as her boyfriend and his band went into their final number, "Oh this one's really good!" Kim gushed as Josh cut loose with a guitar solo that had everyone cheering at the end.

"Thank you, everyone!" Josh waved to the crowd along with the rest of the band as the fireworks began. "Enjoy the fireworks and drive safely! Good night!"

Bounding off the stage, the handsome musician rushed up to his girlfriend and embraced her. "So…what did you think?"

"It was great." Kim smiled before giving her lover a kiss just as more fireworks exploded, leaving a display of color and lights in the sky. "And so are you."

"Hmmm…you're pretty great yourself." Josh leered.

"Hey! Lover boy! Get your ass over here and help us teardown!" Ian shouted from the stage, "You can shag your girl later."

"Want some help?" Kim asked. "Tara…Hope…Sergei? Wanna help teardown?"

"Sure." Tara replied, her companions nodding their heads in agreement.

"Need a couple more hands?" Ron called out as he and Zita rushed up to join them.

"The more the merrier." Josh replied, "After picnic chillout at Edna's?"

"Sounds good. Just gotta remember to get back by curfew." Kim grinned, "C'mon we better get up there before Ian gets mad and starts throwing drumsticks at us."

"That was a good show." Felix remarked to his companion as the fireworks wound down. "I had fun. Thank you."

"No." Amelia smiled back, "Thank you. I'm glad I met you."

"Likewise." Felix grinned, joking, "I'd ask you if you wanted me to walk with you to your parents…but…"

"Tell you what…" Amelia joked back, "I'll walk…you ride."

"Okay." The young genius chuckled as the pair went off together, "You know, Amelia, I think this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship."

A/N: There's a lot of character development in this part as new relationships form and tensions rise. Kim and her father are headed for an eventual confrontation that could well prove nuclear with at least one and probably more people caught in the fallout. Also, Amelia and Felix have taken the first steps in their relationships, but their road won't always be an easy one as both have their own baggage to work through. The social dynamics at Middleton are also in something of a state of flux as Bonnie's position is not as solid as it once was thanks to the weakening of the food chain. Crystal will also face problems both at school and at home. Thankfully, she's got a great girlfriend in Zoe and a good father who'll stand by his daughter no matter what.

Junior Year will also see returns by old villains such as the Senors, Dementor, Killigan, Monkey Fist, and of course, Drakken with his new assistants. We'll also see a certain Japanese ninja and her school make their appearance-but in what way or manner and will Yamanouchi be friend-or foe? Shego will also come roaring back-she's got scores to settle and a second chance-and she's got no intention of letting either one of those slip away from her while also having fun and maybe lighting a fire or two when she can get away with it. MALUS also will continue to loom in the background as its plans move further along. Lots happening next season-including a "Pan-Dimensional Sitch in Time." I hope you all decide to come along for the ride. But before Junior Year, there is one more episode coming up-"Summer's End."