Oh my goodness, you guys! I really didn't expect this many reviews. Thanks so much! It means quite a lot!

So, yeah, my friends and I FINALLY say the commercial last night. We're all thrilled. And a scene from that commercial inspired part of this chapter.


They had really gone all out for the prom that year, that was much certain, sticking it in an airplane terminal while the rain poured down in cutting sheets outside. Yet despite the feeling of suffocation and claustrophobia that permeated even those that wandered into the occasional hallways and stairwells, the prom was magical, as a decent prom should be. They had gone beyond simple balloons and crepe paper, with glittering streamers lighting up the rooms, and had brought in potted plants and lanterns and a thousand other random objects that, for some strange reason, fit together oh so well.

Kim felt pretty enough, embarrassingly pretty, in only that way that a surprisingly talented Mom with a make-up kit, a brush, and a pack of bobby pins could work it. She hadn't planned on letting her mother fix her up, but here she was, a heck of lot more stylish than she had thought and feeling oh so shy about it.

Eric had loved the way she looked, as he showed up on the doorstep with a daisy corsage and his eyes popping out in the most flattering manner a guy could pull off. He had all but thrown her in the back of the limo, littered with icy cold bottles of Sprite and a cute little old chauffer, and she had been whisked away in utter style and romance. Eric was no longer shy and nervous as he chatted away with her in the limo, romantic music filling the back seat.

A dream come true.

It was still raining when they had reached the terminal, but a dozen glittering limos and droplets of water sparkling off hundreds of umbrellas while stars still managed to wink in the sky made up for the fact that it was wet. Eric had, of course, brought an umbrella, whipping it out as soon as he was on the street and tucking her under it like he would die before rain touched her dress. She felt like the ultimate princess. A little different from the girl whose hobby it was to fight evil, but it worked. She deserved one night of spoiling. Eric had offered her his arm and steered her into the dance, every other couple stepping out of the way for them.

And now she was here, surrounded by lights and people and music pounding into her bloodstream. She wanted to dance, no, needed to dance, but maybe she and Eric were both too shy. But it would happen. It had to happen. They would dance the night away, she and the cute new guy who was quickly becoming hers.

But for a time they both just stood there, smiling awkwardly. Tara and Josh sailed past. They looked like they were having fun, but Kim and Eric could dance circles around them. Of course they could.

Eric's hand brushed hers. "It's kinda warm in here," he said. "I'll grab us some drinks. And then… and then I promise we'll dance."

But she wanted to dance now. "Oh, don't bother, drinks could wait" But he was gone.

And someone else had her hand, twirling her out into a less crowded area, an area just demanding to be danced in. "May I have this dance, m'lady?"

She almost choked. It was Ron. Yes, it was most definitely Ron, just... dressed up. Usually that just didn't work for him, but this time... She knew what she was supposed to do. Laugh and humor him until he stepped on her foot one too many timeshe remembered social dance lessons in fifth grade as well as she did. But that was quickly flinging itself from her mind.

Everyone was out of the way. Watching her, she could feel it. And… jealous? Well, they had every right to be jealous.

Ron's dancing skills certainly had improved. How could she have thought otherwise? But she couldn't tell him that. She couldn't even speak. She was in a trance, just following Ron as he gracefully led her across the floor, the music drifting around them.

And the bear. She could see the giant bear in the corner, waving and smiling happily. She half-wondered why there was a bear at the prom. But again, they had gone all out.

The music was slowing now, changing. Ron slowed, too, yet his arms were still encircled about her waist. She felt herself falling in towards him, her arms clenching his shoulders, his face becoming nearer and nearer…

"-bite off more than you can chew. There's things down here the devil himself wouldn't-"

Kim screamed and sat up, her hand instinctively reaching out to slam off the clock radio. Toby Keith. Why was it always Toby Keith? And her radio wasn't even set to a country frequency. Stupid mixed music stations. Always playing crazy stuff to interrupt her dreams. She took a deep breath. What had she been dreaming about, anyway? The prom. She had dreamt about the prom. At least it was some sort of dance. No, she distinctly remembered knowing it was the prom. Eric had brought her. There had been a bear. And then Eric hadn't been there and Ron had. She had danced with Ron. Slow-danced with Ron. Not only that, but she had been about to kiss him, and probably would have if the radio hadn't gone off. It was all stupid Toby Keith's fault. And Tina and Steve's. No, that song was not going to get stuck in her head.

And why was she upset about it? It wasn't like she had wanted to kiss Ron. Well, in the dream she apparently had, but that didn't mean anything. She had once had a dream where she had happily been kissing some guy in her English class whose name she had barely known. Wanting to kiss people in dreams was simply a rule of the subconscious.

She smiled and hopped out of bed, turning most of her thoughts about what to wear. Eh, her usual. Green brought out her eyes. She laid the clothes on her bed and headed down the hall to the bathroom.

She certainly had no plans about kissing Ron. Ever. Well, she had that one time, but that didn't count. She'd have to tell him about the dream. He'd appreciate itif he didn't freak out. It would probably be the latter, but hey, that was more entertainment for her.

She had just finished blow drying her hair and getting dressed when the kimmunicator went off. Hmm. Wade didn't usually call her this early. Oh well. She grabbed the kimmunicator off the dresser. "'Morning, Wade. What's up?"

Immediately she regretted her nonchalant greeting.

Wade was just grinning at her. Big and sneaky and almost evil.

She frowned. "Wade, what did I do?"

"I heard," he said.

She stared.

"I heard," he repeated. "I know all about it and I just had to come bug you about it.

For a moment she had no idea what to think. What gossip would a twelve year-old boy care about? Unless it were a twelve year-old bent on teasing her. Boys would always be boys. "Eric?"

Wade shrugged. "Yeah, that too. So Kim has a date. So nice of you to inform me of these things. Me, the guy who runs your site. I have to hear about it from other sources."

She sighed. She didn't want to imagine what other sources those might be. The kid was too good at surprising her. "But I take it Eric's isn't that."

His grin widened.

"You're torturing me on purpose!" She flopped down on the bed. "Wade, what else is it?"

"You'll find out. Well, you probably need to get to class, so I'll let you go. See ya." He signed off.

She rolled her eyes. He could be as bad as the tweebs. Oh, Wade. But what was he hinting about? He didn't seem all that impressed that she was going to the prom with Eric. What kind of surprise did he have planned for her? She tried to shove it out of her mind and finish getting ready.

Ron was already waiting for her when she finally arrived down stairs, sitting at the table next to her brothers as if he lived there. For a moment she thought about his actions last night. He still wasn't being weird, was he? No, he was just stuffing his face with a muffin and chatting with Tim and Jim.

Her heart stopped. Tim and Jim hadn't found out she had been with Eric last night, had they? No, if they had, she would have already seen the blackmail agreements or would have heard it from her dad. And Ron wasn't going to tell them, was he?

"Hey, KP!" he said, waving and jumping up, surprisingly intelligible for having half of a muffin in his mouth.

She smiled at him. No, he didn't seem to be acting any weirder than normal. She picked up her own muffin. "Ready to go?"

Tim and Jim giggled. "Hey, Ron, did we tell you that Kim was talking again in her sleep last night?"

The dream. She hadn't spoken in that dream, had she? Suddenly her plan to inform Ron crumbled away. "Bye, tweebs." She grabbed Ron's shoulder and dragged him out the door.

"Whoa, Kim," he said, brushing out his shirt as soon as she freed him. "A little rough, aren't you? You know how I feel about you grabbing my shirt like that."

She shook her head, knocking a strand of hair from her eyes. "I'm sorry."

"What did you say last night?"

"I haven't the slightest idea." She concentrated on walking ahead. School wasn't that far away. "It was a dream. Probably something humiliating. The tweebs probably have it recorded, anyway. Sorry to drag you out like that."

Ron caught up with her, matching her stride. "Are you okay? You seem a little out of it."

Out of it? For a second the question surprised her. She wasn't acting that weird. The dream. She wasn't still thinking about the dream, in some subconscious way? Again it flashed through her mind. "Am I?" Maybe she was still thinking about Eric. Her heart gave a brushing flutter.

"Okay, this isn't revenge for last night, is it?" He swung a fist defiantly into the air. "Because I don't know what was wrong with me last night, and gosh darn it, I apologize for it!"

A laugh escaped her. "I think we've both been acting weird. I guess I'm just excited about Eric." She watched his face… for what?

"Eric?" He waved her words away. "Nah, that's fine. He seems like a cool guy."

"Why are you apologizing about Eric?"

He stopped, mouth open. "I'm not apologizing!"

"Oh, you are, too." She gave him a shove. He really was fine. Yes, he was just being Ron. "So if you are going to keep acting jealous..."

"Jealous?" The word hung in the air, and then he darted forward. "I'm not jealous of Eric!"

Oh, no. She hadn't just said that. That was just all sorts of bad.

"Whoa, Kim. You have to explain why you said that to me. Do you really think I'm jealous? Do you?"

Oh, boy. Her heart froze as her eyes fell on him. No way. There was no way he could be jealous.

"Ron Stoppable does not get jealous!" he shouted.

Two ladies jogging on the other side of the street stared at him.

He blushed and waved to them. "Hi!"

Kim rolled her eyes and kept walking. "Ron, I'm sorry I said that. I didn't mean that." She hoped she sounded sincere. "So stop bothering people before we miss first period."

"Not until you take back your statement. The Ron-man does not get jealous."

"Okay." She still had no idea what to think of this. This wasn't, in some way, what Wade had not wanted to tell her? "I take it back. The 'Ron-man' does not get jealous. Seriously, Ron, why are you continuing to go on with this? Let it die."

He didn't have a reply for that.

"Good. See? That wasn't too hard."

Finally, they reached the school.

"Aw, yes," Ron said as they passed one of the prom posters. "We did succeed with our poster-hanging skills. Only one corner has fallen!"

Prom posters. He really didn't have a long attention span, did he? Oh well.

She stopped at her locker and was half-way through switching all her necessary books and notes over when she realized that Ron was still hanging behind her. She slammed the door shut with her elbow. "Ron, don't you need to get your books for class?"

He held up his bag. "I already have them."

She frowned. "You didn't take chemistry home with you last night."

"Yes, I did."

Something wasn't right. Even without realizing it herself, she glanced down the hall through the colorful clusters of people.

"I just wanted to say hi to Eric," he continued.

Eric! She almost dropped her books. She had almost forgotten about him. Momentarily. In the last five minutes. "Why? Do you see him?"

"Erm… no." Ron paused. "Should I?"

She groaned. Eric was no where in sight. Didn't he want to stop by her locker or something? Say good morning to her? Did he even know where her locker was? No, she had definitely not got around to sharing with him that little piece of information. "Sometimes you are so irritating."

"I try to be."

Who had that even been directed at? Ron or the absent Eric? "Why do you want to say hi to Eric?"

Ron didn't even seem phased. No, there was a slight twitch in the eye. Or maybe she was imagining things. "I told you already. He seems cool."

"'Morning!" a chipper voice sang. Monique pulled around the corner, clutching her bag and smiling. "Kim, I just saw Eric down in the math hall. He says, and I quote—" she gave a shrill giggle. "'Hi, cutie.'"

"Really?" Kim replied, somewhat higher than she had intended. "Monique, I think you are having too much fun with the fact that I happen to think this guy is cute—"

"And he happens to think you're cute back. Well, you know me, girl, this is how I get my free entertain…" Her voice trailed off as she noticed Ron. "Oh boy."

Kim glanced between them. Monique was looking almost apologetically at Ron. "Guys?"

Monique forced a laugh. "Oh, it's nothing. Nothing at all. No big, to quote you. It's just that…" She took a deep breath. "Kim, I forgot to tell you something last night on the phone."

Ron's jaw dropped. "You didn't tell her?"

"Ron, I thought it was a secret!"

"Don't say 'secret' in front of Kim!"

Monique glared at him, and he buried his face in his hand.

"Okay," said Kim, setting her books down on the ground. "What sort of game are you playing?"

Ron took a deep breath, trying his best to look calm. Which Ron never did unless he truly was calm. "Well, KP, old buddy old pal. I thought, that since you and Eric were attending a certain… social event in a week's time, that…"

Monique rolled her eyes. "Kim, Ron asked me to the prom."

The school hallway apparently had an echo Kim had never noticed before. She could hear it over and over again like some odd cartoon thing with the floating voices. Monique's sudden declaration. Was this what Wade had been talking about? Ron? Monique? If that weren't the strangest. Well, Monique wasn't dating anyone, and she and Ron were pretty good friends, so… She felt a smile yank her lips upward. "And I'm the last to know?"

Ron grinned sheepishly. "It was kind of a spur of the moment thing."

Monique sent him another glare. Were they trying to be sneaky? Kim decided to let it go. "Well, that's fun. So we'll all see each other there, then?"

"You're not upset?" Ron asked. He sounded almost disappointed. Disappointed about what? Monique gave a small cough.

"Why should I be upset?" No, she couldn't be. She was fine with this. Ron and Monique. Poor Monique, letting Ron drag her to a dance. "Ron, I just didn't think you would show yourself at a dance."

"Eh, I figure everyone has to go to at least one formal dance while in high school. So I decided to make Monique's wildest dreams come true and be her date."

Monique laughed. "Yes, Ron, my wildest dreams."

The bell rang. For a few seconds they all just sort of stood there, staring at each other.

Kim cleared her throat. Why had it suddenly turned all awkward? "Well, that's the bell. I'll see you at lunch or whatever."


Ron and Monique watched Kim saunter off down the hallway, soon lost in the hordes of screaming students.

"Well," Monique said, folding her arms over her chest. "I don't think that's quite the reaction you intended. Ron, I'm sorry about this."

Ron's eyes turned to her. "What reaction?" He hadn't expected a specific reaction, had he? "She seemed fine with it. Heck, I thought you were going to tell her last night on the phone. When she interrupted our call."

Monique stared at him for a very long time before groaning. "Ron, you really can be such an idiot."

Well, if that weren't a bit harsh. "I didn't know you were intending on attacking me. What did I do this time?"

She clicked her tongue and put her hand on his shoulder. "Ron, my friend, sometimes I worry about you. Maybe I'm just overanalyzing this whole thing, but I like to give myself more credit than that. I would still love to go to the prom with you, but I was assuming that the whole purpose of my wonderful self going with you was to make Kim jealous."

"Jealous?" He shook her away. "Oh, no. Monique. You are most definitely thinking this wrong. I'm not trying to make Kim jealous. I just want to…" Exactly why was he going to this stupid dance again? "You're… smiling… weirdly." He fought an urge to cringe.

Indeed Monique was. "Ron, why do you think I was laughing on the phone last night?"

"Because I was cowering in fear from your brother? You know, we're going to be late for class."

She stopped him. "I'm an aid at the office, they won't care, and you're always tardy anyway. We're talking now, boy." She pushed him against the locker. "Okay, when I brought up the whole microchip ordeal thing last night, I was not completely joking. To be honest, I was quite happy when she was under that thing. Of course, I didn't realize it at the time, but you know now it is."

What was she getting at? "Monique, you're hurting me."

"You were acting all freaky weird when Eric showed up, right?"

"No, I wasn't." The whole park incident, throwing things… she didn't know about those? Curse the female conspiracy!

A glare burrowed from her right into his eyes. "Wrong. I'm not stupid. Girls are meant to know these things. Look, you and Kim have been friends since preschool."

That was true. They were best friends. Had been forever. "Yeah…"

"And you didn't like Josh…"

"Josh is a moron!"

Monique's grin grew. "And now you don't like Eric."

"I like Eric…"

She shoved him once again against the painful metal dials and handles of the locker. She was amazingly strong. "Ron, work with me here! Did you even tell Kim that you'd take her to the dance?"

He carefully tried to press her hand away. "Yes, as a matter of fact. So you can't accuse me of that. I told her last night that I would have taken her if she had really wanted to go."

"Somehow I doubt your effort." She released him. "I think you two are cute. I actually decided that last night."

Cute? "I don't understand you."

"I think you do. So you had better say something." She winked at him. "Now you better get to class."


Ron certainly was late meeting her for lunch. Of course, Kim's teacher had gotten bored five minutes early and sent them on their merry ways. But still, one would think the smell of even cafeteria food would draw Ron. She set her tray at their usual spot.

She still couldn't believe Ron was taking Monique to the dance. Even after that dream she had. Ron wasn't allowed to show up in her subconscious like that and then… well, now he really was going to be at the dance.

She tore her milk open. Why was she caring? It was just her two favorite friends in the world, going to a dance. She highly doubted they had a thing going on. That was a definite confirmation. Monique would have told her the moment of.

"Hi, Kim," rang a familiar voice.

Her milk almost spilled as she looked up. "Eric!"

There he was, looking even cuter than he had the night before. She felt herself blush. "Hi!"

He grinned shyly, drumming his fingers on his tray. "Mind if I sit here?"

There were plenty of seats. Definitely a space for someone like Eric. "Sure!" Ron wouldn't mind. He wasn't acting… quite so weird.

He set his tray down and pulled up a chair. "I almost didn't think to catch you. I thought you'd be off saving the world. Or something."

"No, I still have to attend high school. So… how are you enjoying Middleton?" How many times had she asked that now?

"Still the same," he said with a smile. "Though I must say I'm afraid of this food."

"It's an acquired taste."

"That's what I was afraid of."

Wow. Lunch with Eric. She grinned. She really hoped Ron wouldn't mind.

Then she heard a voice at the door.


This probably wasn't what Monique had in mind. He still wasn't sure what she had been talking about. But he had to say something. What thoughts did he need expressed? It's true, he hadn't been sincere enough last night with Kim. He had made offering to take her to the prom sound like a chore. No. Even if she was already going with Eric, even he was already going with Monique, he had to make her understand the truth. He was her best friend, and he would have been honored and delighted to take her to any dance, if she really wanted him to. No, not again with the chore thing. He couldn't bring that up.

This still didn't explain the Eric thing. No matter. He shoved the thought from his mind. He had been so relaxed about it that morning. So okay about it. Until Kim had brought it up.

Even if Eric was sitting there, at a table that was not his, next to Kim.

He hadn't meant to scream her name. Not meant to make all the students there stare at him. Not too many, lunch hour had just started. But still a fair amount. Well, they could be witnesses to this whole thing.

Kim and Eric stared at him in horror.

Maybe he should stop now. But he found he couldn't. He was already dashing across the cafeteria. It seemed in slow motion to him. "Kim!" he shouted again. He finally fell against the table, jarring Kim and Eric's milks. "Ow."

Eric raised an eyebrow. "Oh. Hi Ron. Are you all right?"

Evil, Ron thought. Evil evil evil. Why was he thinking that? "I don't need to talk to you, Ullman. I need to talk to Kim."

Even the lunch ladies were staring.

Kim looked sick. "Ron, you haven't even gotten your lunch yet."

He pulled himself up. "I'm not hungry right now. I need to talk to you."

The familiar irritation was filling her eyes. "Okay, then. You can talk now. I'm right here."

"It's about the prom."

"Did Monique dump you or something?"

"No, Monique most certainly did not dump me."

Eric blinked. "Monique and him…"

Kim frowned. "Yeah."

Ron drew a deep breath. "I'm still going with Monique to the prom. I just had to repeat what I had said last night."

"Which thing?"

"I really would have taken you to the prom if you had really wanted to go." He swore inwardly. That did not sound much better.

Kim smiled nervously at the various staring people around here. "Ron, what do you think you're doing?"

"I'm…"

She placed a hand on his forehead. "Are you feeling all right?"

He shook it away. "Yes! I just wanted to tell you that!" Sort of. "Any dance. I'm there for you."

"That's… sweet." She looked frightened and very bewildered. "But Ron, it's okay, I'm going with Eric."

"But—" She wasn't understanding. He couldn't understand it, it was her job to do that for him.

"Ron, please. Calm down and get yourself something to eat."

"But—"

"Why is this so important?"

Oh no. A question that couldn't have a yes/no answer. He stared at her. Her eyes. Her hair. Eric looking very confused behind her. If only Eric weren't there. "Because…"

She raised an eyebrow. "Come on, Ron."

"Because…" He couldn't think. He couldn't think at all. Where was Monique when he needed her?

Why was this important?

She sighed, gave that familiar comforting smile, and picked up her brownie. "Eat this, Ron, if you can't answer."

"I have an answer!" No, he didn't.

"Then what is it?"

His mouth opened, providing no help to his brain. Just say something. Just say something. He had already ruined this enough. It would fix it to just say anything. Anything to make her not go with Eric. And why did that matter? The answer spilled out even before he could instruct his brain. He didn't even know where it had come from.

"Because I love you."


SHOUT OUTS!

Ace Lannigan: Thanks! Now I'm actually tempted to read that book.

BOC24: I was just trying to be practical on the low-carb thing. ) Glad you liked it. It's happening to every other restaurant.

Classic Cowboy: I actually think Kimmie is still confused about Ron and Monique. I don't think she knows quite what to think. Hmm. Give her another chapter, I think. Poor girl. I mean, as far as she cares, they're just her two friends, so… anyway, thanks!

Forlong: You wrote that summary? Wow! I feel so privileged! Anyway, yes, I had to include the ol' Stoppable jealousy for you.

Frosty Pickle Juice: Thanks! I'm starting to have too much fun with it.

fryfan: I'm trying not to make Ron a stalker. Trying is the keyword. So any advice you can give is helpful. I don't think he will be, especially where he'll be ending this, but he's kind of getting out of my control a bit. Oh, I'm having trouble navigating that Futurama site with your fic on it… sorry, I'm just site-challenged.

gargoylesama: Usually, I would have drawn out everything a lot more. But for some reason, unbeknownst to me, I'm just decided to go bang-bang fast-paced with this.

Great Detective: Oh, I'm aware the show is being cancelled. I think I was referring to a rumor against the movie there. Though I do curse the 65-episode limit.

Intrepidwarriors: Thank-you so much!

JulesFire: I'm disgustingly thrilled. I actually didn't see the trailor until last night! It was funny. My friend and my roomie and I were watching the Disney Channel, minding our own business, and then… we were all pathetically excited. Glad you liked Ron throwing things. I can actually imagine him doing so. Not really intending to, but doing so anyway.

Kadesh: Thanks! Well, the show is on April 8, unless you're a lucky skunk in the UK…

LJ Fan: Yeah, my sister (who is Jamie McFly, if you wanna look up her stuff—must advertise for lil sis) is madly in love with Ricky Ullman anyway. She actually hasn't decided yet if she wants Kim to hook up with Ron or Eric—just because he is played by Ricky.

MtnRon: Yeah, I don't think our stories will detract from each other, either. I'm really loving your version! You're more romantic. But I won't copy!

ShadowGirl: Heck, all my friends and siblings think Ron and Kim are made for each other! Why can't she figure it out? I've actually seen a couple movie summaries. And I know they're canceling the show—I was referring to a rumor that someone heard about canceling the movie.

Spice of Life: Yes, Kim REALLY should dump that boy. She can control her own thoughts. She doesn't need Eric.

TheBaldOneMpls: SWERVE! Hey, you gotta love WWE! Thanks so much for what you said about Ron! I actually think stupid guys like him are easy to do. Simple, mindless, thinking. No offense to Ron.

The luck of the irish: Curse you and your opposite-Atlantic advantage! (shakes fist) I'm just glad you can still read my story.

WWLAOS: Thanks for being so honest in the critique. I always did imagine Ron might get to jealousy points where he really just couldn't think properly, and I tried to put out the fact that he of course didn't want to kill anyway, just was having a little fantasy, but maybe it did go overboard. Anywho, any suggestions you have would be greatly appreciated.

xPussyWillowKittenx: Gasp! You're right! The Rons are alike! Scarily alike. You know, they would probably hate each other if they ever met. Or become best buddies. It's scary. But it works. It just means that Ron is an awesome name! Rejoice in Rons!