Author's Note: Wow! This is so amazing, I'm drowning in reviews! I thank you all so much, esp for your comments and support! I'm totally mind blown, I can't thank-you all enough!

1. Thank-you for the apology on my Canadian way of spelling, that was very kind of you! I appreciate that.

2. That's ok, my apologies too. I thought everyone knew Jhustine was another way of spelling the name. I've never met a 'Justine' only 'Jhustine'.

3. That's exactly why I had Kim behave the way she did in 09 because she -rarely- does and I wanted to show that side of her again for the impact of the emotion in the story. She rarely cries, so if I showed that side of her again, I thought maybe the readers, such as yourselves, would -truly- understand exactly how distraught she was.

4. 'Poseur'? Not sure what you're asking but I thought that was the way it was always spelt. Not sure how Americans spell it, thought it was the same over there.

5. Geor-sama, you seem like a very intellectual and perceptive person, that's all I'm saying due to potential spoilers, hehe!

6. You'll find out what Monique was up to soon.

7. Yup, the sequel is being written. I'm actually done with Tension Living, but I like to be ahead so when I'm done the next instalment of the second story (which does have a title), I upload the next of Tension Living. This is to assure me that I'm not lagging in case something should happen and that there's always time for extra edits (like I had to do with 10 before uploading!).

8. Due to spoilers, I can't really say much of Ron's sickness except that you will find out what it is. No, it hasn't been explained so no worries, you missed nothing -lol.

9. Thank-you, Fox! No worries, Tension Living will not be abandoned, as I said, I'm actually done writing it and am continuing on the second story! Not sure where I find detail and length... I just... write what I have in my mind; write what needs to be written. It's like painting a picture with words and I love it. Thank-you for the comment on detail too.

10. No-no, you never miffed me, Sukari! I wasn't miffed and I wasn't responding to whatever you said it was to someone else, I know that much XD.

11. I can't tell you what Ron was eating or why he's lapsing into fevers yet; sorry, they're spoilers! There are hints and I think it is able to guess a general idea, but hopefully I hid them well enough since I don't want you to -KNOW- yet but when you do find out you'll be able to go back and go 'oh! I didn't notice that but it was there all along!'. Hopefully.

Wow, is it just me or are these author notes becoming longer and logner XD -lol? No worries, I don't mind answering questions as long as you don't mind reading this. Again, thank-you SO much for the WONDERFUL comments and compliments, they're so amazing! I love them and I wish I could thank each and every one of you for your specifically kind words (stupid FF doesn't allow direct reply through the email, I would if I could!). Instead, I'll list you all in my thanks-of-reviewers! You guys ROCK! All of you!

Thanks to: Ace Lannigan, Amaris, Spiral-Fairy, John Steppenwolf, CPO3, Maedara, Forlong, kimnronever, AmyRM, Geor-sama, continental-line, RiCo, JulesFure, The Only Way Out, fox, Sukari, RCEEJ01, Ashley, ShadowGirl, leejosephine, crazyboutbooks, penmistress, nebulia, miss-starfire, silver-badger, fern-nu, awardwinningwriter28, Char, Ptashi and LOO (Don't forget to scan those hot Ronfus yaoi hentais to me plz.)

A. KiNG! (SE)

¤ Instalment 11 »» Day Seven: The Cure ¤

And if you think I'm worth it

And if you think it's not too late

We might start falling

If we don't try too hard

We might start falling in love

-Danny Elfman, 'We Close Our Eyes'

"Ugh! What's this? Mail!" Dr Drakken raged as Shego walked smoothly into the room and unceremoniously piled a group of unopened letters onto Drakken's desk where he was currently tinkering away with various gadgets. During her absence, he awaited eagerly for her return from a mission.

"I thought you went to steal me a microchip not someone else's bills!" Drakken dropped the hand-held ray-gun he had been trying to put together (and failing at) to swipe a letter from the stack and tear it open without even looking at the addressee. He let out a horrific gasp. "Look at this person's bill! It's outrageous! I have enough trouble trying to pay my own, thank-you very much."

Shego sighed and rolled her eyes, strolling back over to Drakken at his desk when she had been trying to make her way over to the armchair in front of the fire to file her clawed gloves.

"This is your mail," she elaborated, resting a hand on her hip. "You should thank me for picking it up for you while on my way in."

"M-my mail!" Drakken did a double-take at the bill in his hands and indeed recognized his own name and address at the top of the bill. "Are these all bills!" Distracted by the bills, Drakken hastily forgot about the fact that Shego had just returned from the mission he had sent her on and instead went into a flurry to open all the bills.

"This is disgusting! Inflation! The bill used to cost half this, they're ripping me off!" Drakken slouched into his seat, dropping all the numerous bills onto the table and scowled in a sour temper. "I'm not going to be able to pay all of these off! Might have to call that Vinnie person I keep hearing about to start help managing my account…"

Shego shrugged, indifferent. The doctor's bills didn't effect her in any way. Just so long as he kept paying her the steady amount she demanded for her services. Any decrease or I.O.U's and Shego couldn't care less about abandoning Drakken for better pay. Leaning back in the chair across from Drakken's, she stretched out her legs and rested them on his table.

"Look, if it's any help, I got the chip."

"The chip?" Drakken sat up blinking in confusion.

Shego sighed again and held out a little container about the size of a ring-box and placed it onto the table in front of Drakken. "From Dementor to you, enjoy."

"Oooh!" Drakken clapped his hands eagerly and snatched the box to open it, marvelling at the small microchip that it contained. "Excellent work, Shego! With this microchip, I'll be able to implant it into a ray-gun of my choosing…"

It was now that Shego wished she had brought her headset with her. She really needed to keep it with her at all times, you could never be too sure when Drakken would burst out into one of his evil-plan monologues…

"How are you going to pay for a new ray-gun when you hardly have enough to pay your bills. … And my pay check," she interrupted with grim menace, a hidden threat.

"Errrghhh!" Drakken growled, closing the box and pocketing it onto his person before slamming his fist down on the table in frustration. A letter from the pile of mail floated to the floor, Shego noticed this and picked it up. "You're right! I'm going to have to find a way to cover all of this!"

Never one for much regard for other people, Shego tore open the envelope with one of her slicing claws and withdrew the letter inside. From the handwritten lettering on the envelope, she doubted it was another bill.

As Drakken continued to ramble about his money issues, Shego read the letter and, slowly, a nefarious grin curled across her devilish black lips. "Maybe you won't have to ask your Mother for some money after all," she spoke out artfully sly.

"What do you mean, Shego?"

She leaned forwarded and handed Drakken the letter. "Looks like you've finally been invited this year."

Drakken snatched the letter from her and read the letter with squinted eyes. "Wha… Falsetto Jones is inviting me to his Annual Villain's Ball! What do you mean 'finally'? You mean this isn't the first party?"

Shego threw back her head and laughed cruelly, regarding Drakken through cold eyes. "I've been invited in the past. Guess I never had the heart to tell you." She withdrew her own letter from inside her jumpsuit and showed Drakken the envelope with her name on it.

"You're right about the 'not having a heart' part," Drakken muttered which caused Shego to snarl bitterly and her clawed fingers to twitch dangerously. "But I see what you're getting at… yes… Falsetto Jones, the renowned cat burglar and dog breeder, is one of the richest villains there is next to Monkey Fist!"

"Ha, scratch that, he's one of the richest men period," Shego corrected him, inspecting her nails.

"That's right…" Drakken smirked, stroking his chin and standing up. "We'll go to this party as guests and leave with the best goody-bag ever!"

"Ugh, not that kind of party."

"It's a joke, Shego," Drakken's lip curled. "And this…" he patted his pocket where he had placed the microchip, "Will come with me in case Dementor plans to steal it back during our absence."

"He might send his henchmen to do it but he'll be at the villain's ball too; he was there last year."

"What! Dementor too! It seems that everyone but me was invited previously!"

"Uh…" Shego tapped her chin with a single claw, "Actually from my memory, you're right about that."

"ARGHHEET!"

ø

Morning came to Kim with the agonizing sound of her alarum clock's ring berating into her sleeping mind. Groaning, she did not fight the clock like before. Instead she rolled over and switched off the alarum. Lying on her back, Kim stretched her free arm and yawned widely, stretching out her legs as well. Sighing, she propped herself up against the headboard, waiting for the remaining drear to waft away.

Sniffing, she turned around to face Ron. Of course he was still asleep, even through that accursed alarum clock. Kim wondered how on Earth Ron awoke in his own bed for school since he seemed to have a penchant for sleeping through the noise.

The events from yesterday felt like worlds away for Kim. Slept had done her good, last night her body had been so weary and exhausted. In fact, she didn't actually realise how weak she was until she hit her pillow; she remembered falling asleep almost instantly. Her body definitely felt better from the sleep; all that trudging through the muck and slime was years past, time to move on and move forwards.

But.

But what about the other events that happened yesterday? It truly had been a turning point for Kim. No, everything that had been exchanged between her and Ron, in the bog, in the tree, on the dock… those were all fresh in her mind, even the thing that had almost been exchanged between them.

Kim cast her eyes downward, then back at Ron, studying him closely. How close they had been… Would they ever have that chance again? Did she want that chance? Did he? Or was it just some sort of freak accident?

No. Kim thought determinately. I can feel it inside me, I feel… I definitely feel more aware of Ron. That he's beside me, that he's a person and he thinks and has feelings. Not someone who just follows me around and does what I say.

True, Kim felt different. She felt… more optimistic, for the lack of a better word that she herself could not fathom. Things would be different between her and Ron to-day. No… different from now but…

Thoughts of their sleep-over the first night they had their hands stuck came, she was feeling more like back then, but still with her more mature self that she was to-day. It was if that old self had been buried under her boisterous, domineering attitude. Yet it was back now, how they used to spend time together, as equals when they were much younger. And now it was balanced within her, not wild and child-like during the sleep-over, it was balanced with her adult confidence. And it was her. Not some mask or front that felt false, but this was the real her, fully blossomed.

Josh Mankey. He had been a crush for her old self. He was not someone the new and true Kim would flitter after. No, she had matured past that.

She smiled and focused her blurring eyes on Ron. Things had altered inside her, for the better- for both of them. Reaching out, Kim shook Ron's shoulder gently. He stirred slightly.

"Wake up, Ron, it's a beautiful morning!"

Ron gurgled something incoherent.

"What?" she leaned closer.

Something like: "Since when were you a morning person?"

Kim smiled sincerely, deciding to ignore his early morning sour 'tude. "We've got school to-day, in case you've forgotten. Feeling any better than yesterday?"

Ron shuffled and poked his head out of the comforters, rolling onto his back to face Kim. "Yea, yesterday was way too insane for me. I hope there's no missions to-day cos I think I'm mission-ed out."

"Well, if we do have a mission, I hope it's something easy, like stopping a thief or something simple like that."

Ron rolled his eyes, "Yea, like yesterday's stopping Monkey Fist from 'thieving' the manuscript wasn't simple enough."

Kim laughed, "Aa, true. But it looks like we have a different mission to-day."

Ron appeared startled, "And what's that?"

"Surviving school. Now get out of bed, you lazy pink sloth," she laughed again and playfully pushed Ron out of the bed who tried everything in his power to weigh ten tons and thus be unmoveable but in an equally teasing manner.

Kim growled playfully, "C'mon! We don't have forever to get ready for school!"

"Right, right, you gotta put on your guck 'n stuff."

"The only 'gunk 'n stuff' I wear is lipstick, now get up! Up! Up! UP!"

"Ok, but… what's this..?" Ron stood up and froze. "I… I think I'm stuck in slow motion… I… can't… mooooove……"

Kim flopped forwards on the bed, hitting her head into the comforters. Lifting it, she grinned, "Then I guess I'm gonna have to put you into fast forward." Kim leapt out of the bed and flew Ron over to the screen where she stepped behind, but she was careful not to go too fast and was aware of the surrounding objects so she didn't slam him into anything unlike before.

"I wonder how cold it is outside?" Kim wondered aloud from behind the screen.

Ron stood on the other side, leaning against it, looking out the window. "I unno, but I'd wear something warm. It was kinda cold yesterday walking to school."

"Yea, I remember that too, better dress warmly."

"Yea, like no skirts."

Kim snorted without any verbal response making Ron chuckle.

When Kim stepped out form behind the screen, she wore her light khaki pants and her crimson t-shirt with the pink long sleeves underneath tucking into her usually loose pants. "Stylin' and practical! Help me put my hair into a ponytail in the washroom?"

"Sure thing," Ron nodded, stepping behind the screen for his clothing change. When Ron emerged, he was wearing his classic red and white with the navy blue mock turtleneck underneath.

Picking up their backpacks with their completed homework inside, they left them outside the bathroom door to wash-up. Lastly, Ron helped to scoop Kim's beautiful hair up and tie the hair-tie around her hair. Ron stuck his tongue out as he slowly, but gently, fixed her hair with a careful hand as Kim helped to hold her hair up with her free hand.

When he was done, Kim evaluated it in the mirror, patting the side of her hair.

"Looks nice," Ron breathed quietly behind her.

"It's ok… ah! Yea, you did a great job, thanks, Ron. Couldn't have done it this good with just one hand."

"Anytime," and Ron meant it.

Leaving the bathroom, they carried their bags into the kitchen where her parents awaited them along with her obnoxious brothers, Jim and Tim, who were already eating their breakfast. Kim and Ron's plates awaited them on the breakfast table and the two slid in, Ron sitting beside Kim's brothers. They exchanged hands so they could both eat with their right hands.

Tim observed them doing this and commented: "You two are still stuck?"

Kim nodded, taking a bite out of her jam-laden toast.

"How long has it been?" Jim asked, scooping up a spoonful of cereal.

Kim opened her mouth to respond but quickly covered her mouth with her hand as she continued to chew. After swallowing, Kim looked befuddled. "I'm not sure exactly," she admitted. "It seems, like…" Always. "Do you remember, Ron?"

"I think it was Saturday."

"No, it couldn't have been; we were at the mall on Saturday."

"I thought that was Friday," Ron put in.

"No, wait, it was Thursday, because it was a long weekend and it was during the mission after school, I remember."

"Wow, so, that means it's been…" Ron tried to calculate in his head, failing.

"Seven days!" Kim exclaimed, "Wow, it's been a whole week since are hands stuck to each other."

"Seven days? Couldn't have been…" Ron drifted off, trying to think.

Neither of them were concerning themselves in answering Jim's question anymore, both were now conversing with each other solely.

"But I guess it has…" Kim replied, looking down at her toast. Ron dropped his own fork and looked at Kim, they both lapsed into a moments of silence. Mr Possible peered over his newspaper at the two.

Ron looked at Kim carefully. It's been a whole week and whoah… look at the progress we've had… so many ups and downs. We've been with each other twenty-four seven and both of us are neither sick of the other. In fact, I just want to spend more time with her… and last night at the dock… Ron sucked in his breath. So close… She wouldn't have if she didn't have different thoughts about me, right? This morning felt different too, I wonder if I can act differently. If I can… maybe… touch her and not have her freak out at me. He remembered how Kim had returned the nuzzle he had given her and he wondered if he could ever do that to her again.

But Kim suddenly shrugged, causing Ron to sit up straight and snap out of his stupor. "Oh well, doesn't really matter, does it, Ron?"

"Yea?"

"Yes, it's not like it's life-hindering or anything," she laughed, "At least we have all our classes together, that's our main concern right?"

But when she said this, she wasn't saying it lightly. She meant something behind it; it wasn't just about them having all their classes together, not the 'main concern'. Kim was looking directly at Ron when she said this and he knew, he knew, she had just banished his doubts.

He gave her an equally meaningful look, "That's exactly right."

Finishing their breakfast, they said their good-byes and left for the walk to school, Rufus riding safely inside Ron's pocket.

"Aren't you worried though?" Ron pressed, concerned. "It sounded like Bonnie was threatening us on Tuesday. I thought you didn't wanna go to school."

Kim sighed, "Not really, but yesterday was a good lesson. I'm not just gonna hide in fear. And certainly not hide from Bonnie of all people." Kim snorted, "Please, we can take whatever that tart decides to throw at us, we're still better people than she is and if she wants to stick her nose into our business and decide for me who or who I shouldn't hang with, then… then, well… she just has issues. Tchach, I mean, really."

" 'We'?"

"H'm?"

"You said 'we'. 'We can take whatever', etcetera."

Kim leaned her head forwards to look at Ron striding beside her. "Of course, Ron. I still remember what you said to me, Monday night." Ron's look was so comically quizzical, Kim couldn't help but let out a laugh and pull him closer so their shoulders touched. "And yesterday."

Ron smiled down at her; she couldn't believe he was now taller than her. In the past, he'd always been shorter. But now, the top of her head went to about his eye level.

"It's just me and you, Ron," Kim continued, "You and me, against the cruelties of high school!" Kim flexed her skinny arms pretending to be macho.

The two broke out in laughter, for once actually truly enjoying just being with the other. It really was just the two of them and felt like it always had been.

ø

Both Kim and Ron were glad to finally be indoors, although they had dressed warmly, it was still chilly and brisk out and it was still September too. Ron was highly aware of the heads turning to look at them and their hands, mostly students who were in the same grade as he. Students who had been in the library and their gym class mainly. He tried not to let it irk him, but it suddenly felt like everyone was scrutinizing him. Not Kim. Blaming him. Because he was the loser.

Ron could tell Kim was aware of them too. He feared Kim's change of mind; feared Kim would weigh her popularity and social status over him. But remarkably, Ron watched her roll her eyes and pull Ron closer to her. "Like the whole school cares who Kim Possible decides to hold hands with," she muttered. "Puh-leeze."

It was apparent to both of them that the school now thought them a dating couple. Kim found that she didn't care what they thought and had no instinct to blush or quickly correct everyone unlike Tuesday. The only reason they annoyed her was because she was infuriated with the fact that everyone should concern themselves with whom she was dating and felt the need to criticise. (Not that Ron and I are dating, that's just what they're assuming). Kim didn't stalk in a furious mood, dragging Ron along as she might have in the past. This Kim walked with Ron side by side, outwardly calm. (Keyword being 'outwardly'.)

Kim sighed as Ron watched his wary friend reach her locker. But before Kim could open it, they both gasped audibly and Ron took an instinctive step towards Kim. All over Kim's locker were taped streamers saying things like 'loser', 'player', 'whore' and other such horrible demeaning words. Some of the bold even scratched these words into the locker paint with their keys.

Angrily, Kim yanked the streamers off and carried them (Ron making sure she didn't drop any), throwing them contemptuously into the nearest trash bin.

"Aren't you gonna tell Mr Barkin about it?" Ron asked with deep concern. "They could get into big trouble for doing that to you." He knew she liked her revenge.

"And who's 'they'?" Kim asked, her expression troubled when she turned back to face Ron once again standing in front of her locker. "We may have suspicions, probably Bonnie, Brick and some other jocks but we have no evidence of that. Besides," she trailed off as she turned the dial on her locker, "I doubt Mr Barkin would really care."

Ron nodded with disappointment. "I'm sorry."

"What for?" Kim asked, looking up at him.

"I unno, just, everyone's saying those things cos you're with me. Kinda feel like it's my fault, I suppose."

"But it isn't," Kim persisted, bringing up their attached hands and giving his a squeeze, not caring who saw. "It's them. I can… be with who I want and you're not a loser, Ron. You may not care about where you shop or be physically inclined but you've got something here," Kim pointed to Ron's left chest with her free hand, "That they won't have. And probably never will. That's worth way more than what a bunch of shallow people think of you at high school."

Ron looked down at his heart where she had pointed. Inside, Ron could have melted to her words. In fact, if they weren't in the middle of the halls, he might have helped to further the closeness of this conversation. But he decided to say: "That's rank with cheese, KP."

Kim laughed, "It might be, but it's the truth and sometimes, the truth is drowning in cheese."

Rufus poked his head out of Ron's pocket at the mention of the word 'cheese'.

"'Course, wish Bonnie and her posse could drown in something else," he growled, lowering his voice.

"Amen to that," she murmured back. Laughing and tilting their heads close as so they touched, Kim opened the door to her locker and immediately they were greeted by Wade.

"Hey guys, what's up?"

Kim rolled her eyes, "Just ran into some residue-of-Bonnie, but it's no big. Ron and I can always give her unnerving glares at lunch time. Any particular sitch going down on your end?"

"In fact, yes!" Wade flashed his teeth jovially at his friends. "There's a bit of a catch though. See, it's one of those good news slash bad news things."

Kim and Ron both exchanged a worried look. "Well, we've dealt with Bonnie, I'm sure we can handle what you're about to throw our way."

Ron loved that she used 'we' in her sentence more frequently.

"Good news is: we've discovered how to cure the hand-holding bug."

Both friends looked more frighteningly rattled than relieved and elated as Wade (and anyone else for that matter) would have assumed. Kim flushed nervously and took a step closer to Ron that Wade didn't miss. Neither did Ron, his expression upset, he moved closer to her and although Wade couldn't see this: they squeezed each others hand. For some odd reason, finding a cure and finally being able to be separated from each felt more like a death sentence. It felt like should their hands become detached, they would never see each other again.

Kim and Ron had both been so accustomed to being with the other for so long, for a full seven days. Inside, both of them felt anxiety soar at the thought of being separated, even if it was just their hands. Ron inside could feel Kim's anxiety as well. It was a sickly yellow colour that plummeted on the mental graph in his mind and pulsated painfully.

Huh, and this is the good news, Ron thought grimly.

"Well," Kim said slowly, finally looking up at Wade, "Go ahead, what else?"

"So, what we need is a microchip." Wade explained, holding up his soda and taking a sip. "The microchip has many functions and mainly it's an amplifier attachment that can transfer computer calculations and coding into a laser beam on another computer, if the two are directly connected. I've talked to the scientists and they've agreed to loan it to you since you saved their hard drive from a pair of Russian ninjas last year."

"What about the calculations?" Kim asked.

"I'm still typing those up, but, amazingly, it's fairly simple. Plus the scientists have been, ah, 'aiding' me in one way or another."

"Hacking, my friend?" Ron tsked.

"I won't tell if you want," Wade shrugged. "But I'll probably have the calculations done to-night while… while you two…"

"While we what?" Kim asked suspiciously.

Wade sighed, "See, here comes the bad news: Professor Dementor stole the microchip from it's location about, oh… an hour ago. It's up to you to steal it back."

Kim sighed, "Doesn't sound that bad, I assume it's with him in his stronghold?"

Wade nodded. "I scanned for it sometime ago and picked up its trace within his lair. I've already gotten a hold of a ride for you two; think you can skip class for now?"

At this question, Kim's eyes darted nervously to her locker door. "Alright, sounds pretty much like touch and go. We'll suit up in the washroom and be ready outside the school in five."

Wade shook his head, "They're here now; you can change onboard."

"Now!" Kim's voice escalated in panic.

"Now," Wade nodded.

On that note, Kim swiftly grabbed her bag and Ron his. Before Wade could even say 'farewell' she had slammed the locker door and fled outside the school doors in a flurry. The jet plane was already hovering above the school which was now a pretty common sight for the students of Middleton.

If they had only stood there in front of the computer screen a second longer they would have been approached by two figures. The black-haired girl stood, tilting her head at her friend's sudden flight and the one beside her watched with a sigh as Kim ran off to save the world again or something like that. But this time, he understood.

ø

"Shh," Kim said, applying her finger to her lip telling Ron to keep his mouth closed for goodness sakes.

Kim and Ron had both changed into their mission clothes aboard the airplane after jumping onto it from the jet which they had then parachuted down to Professor Dementor's marble island lair. Apprehensively, they had avoided traps and detectors and had continued to follow the map of the immense palace-like lair to Dementor's computer room where the microchip had been last scanned for when Wade had done so earlier that morning.

But as they slowly stalked up to the doors of the computer room, they could hear an incensed voice shouting out which echoed down the near-empty, but polished and clean, hallways. Exchanging glances, Kim and Ron pressed their ears to the doorway and peered through the slit.

"I CAN NOT BELIEVE YOU, FOOLS!" Dementor was screaming his voice hoarse. The short little yellow man in the helmet was stomping around the room, weaving in and out his huge, burly henchmen (trained at Hench co.!) who looked bedraggled, worn and beaten.

"I have all of you! ALL OF YOU! All of you on guard in and around this room and you fail! FAAAIIILLL! You are trained! You are the best of ALL ze henchmen! And yet you all, ALL fail me! Time after time after time after time it's failure, failure, FAILURE!"

Although Professor Dementor was absolutely tiny in stature compared to the henchmen and together they could easily squash the storming man they still cringed at every word flung at them; all of them appearing greatly disappointed in displeasing their boss.

"I can not believe all of you were defeated in battle by a GIRL! A GIRL! Singular!" Dementor whipped around and shoved a finger in front of a trembling henchman. "Not ze plural!"

"Think they're talking about you?" Ron whispered.

Kim shook her head and again applied her finger to her lip.

"Again this happened! Drakken, he comes in—no! He sends her in and she steals! She steals my inventions, she steals my artefacts, she steals my PRECIOUS STOLEN MICROCHIP!" (Kim and Ron both gasped loudly) "And it's ALL YOUR FAULT! One skinny girl comes and BANG! You're all WORTHLESS! I want zat microchip BACK and NOW. NOWNOWNOWNOWNOW."

Professor Dementor began another round of hollers at his henchmen. While he did so, Kim turned to Ron, aghast. "We came here for nothing!" she whispered, "Shego stole the microchip from Dementor! I guess we're gonna have to go to Drakken's lair now. I'm not sure where it is anymore since someone blew up the last lair."

Ron let the last remark slide, "What are the odds of that?" he exclaimed and animated his hand, spreading his arm out which knocked over a vase on a pillar; it shattered loudly on the floor. Kim shot him a death glare and he puckered his lips in embarrassment.

"What was zat!" Dementor hollered and burst through the doors only to stand stunned at the sight of Kim Possible and her sidekick, both bending down to try and piece the vase together (which was utterly fruitless).

"The Hero Thieves!" Dementor shouted, pointing an accusatory finger at Kim and Ron. "Back to steal more of my own creations!" Kim gave him a repulsed look. "Or maybe you have come to spy! Eh? EH? Which iz it my Hero Thieves?"

"So not," Kim retorted, crossing her arms and standing with her weight to one side.

"N-nuh-uh," Ron agreed, "No, we, uh, came here cos… cos we…" he nervously exchanged a glance with Kim whose eyebrows were arched for him to think of something. "We're called here."

"Called? I did not call for you…"

"That's because we were called by… uh, your henchmen. Yeah, one of them called us. To… to, uh," Ron's eyes darted about frantically and came to rest on a nearby… "Bathroom. To clean yer bathroom."

"My Bathroom!" Dementor whirled around to face the aforementioned bathroom.

"His bathroom!" Kim hissed.

"Yea," Ron agreed awkwardly, and rubbed the back of his neck with a gloved hand. "Your bathroom."

"Is this true!" Dementor wheeled around on his intimidated looking henchmen, all still wary-eyed (although you couldn't see it what with their dark goggles) over the previous scorning.

But when Dementor turned on them and all of them thinking 'it wasn't me!' none of them were willing to admit it to their boss for it meant they let another troupe of thieves into Dementor's Lair. So naturally (to Ron's relief), they were all too eager to nod their heads in agreement.

"That's right," Ron added, tugging Kim close to him via their attached hands. "Kim Possible: she can do anything! Which includes a good ol' bathroom scrub!"

Kim glared at Ron. Yes, she still remembered everything from their previous conversations about her being more aware to him, but that didn't mean she wasn't allowed to be mad at him on the occasion. And this was such an occasion.

Professor Dementor regarded them each carefully, stroking his yellow chin. "In that case I won't send you to my dungeon but rather you two can get straight to work. Henchmen Three and Seven! Take them to my washroom and make sure they clean every inch. It's not every day you have a hero to do your 'dirty work'!" Dementor broke out into laughter, snapping his fingers for the rest of his henchmen to follow him down the hall leaving Henchmen Three and Seven to Kim and Ron.

Henchmen Seven smirked at them to which he received daggers in their eyes.

"Let's just do this," Kim growled, pulling Ron along roughly with their attached hands.

Taking the elevator to the fifth floor, they entered the bathroom which they would be giving a scrub down. It was even larger than Kim's bedroom. The enormous circular bathroom was more like a swimming pool or Jacuzzi. The entire place was grand and expensive. Yes: this would take a substantial amount of time to clean.

No windows, Ron noted sourly. No way we can escape without passing by Thing One and Thing Two. He sighed, what have I gotten ourselves into?

"Well, let's get started shall we?" Ron did his best to smile, but that was ever so difficult when looking at Kim's scornful glare…

ø

They were far into cleaning the grand bathroom, in fact they had cleaned over three fourths of it in the one and a half hours they worked away at. Together, Ron and Kim had scrubbed the bathtub, getting on their hands and knees on the tiled floor, the bucket of soap slopping water onto the floor between them. With their sponges, they had mercilessly attacked the entire floor and even braved the toilet area together, freaking out over every little speck and suspicious looking dust ball. (At one point Kim claimed the dust bunny moved and she repeatedly hit it with her toilet brush succeeding in killing it dead whether or not it had been alive or not to begin with.)

At the present time they were actually cleaning the sink area, the last part that needed to be done. Once again the hero and her sidekick were down on their hands and knees, tackling the pipes and cobwebs in the sink's cupboard. Ron, however, was pretending to scrub the same spot on the floor for five minutes so he wouldn't have to do what Kim was doing which was braving the inside of the cupboards where various insects (alive and dead) were haunting.

"Ewwwww!" Kim's voice came from inside the cupboard and she flung herself back and out, flailing her free arm about, dropping her scrub brush into the bucket of water (they had to refill that bucket countless times).

Ron cringed as Kim excessively whipped her hand on her mission pants over and over, slapping the cooties off and shivering. "Oh, that is so gross!" A pause. "OH MY GOSH! Ron, I'm bleeding!"

"What!"

Ron immediately shoved his face into Kim's finger. It was only a small cut, like that of a paper cut, but there was blood and it freaked him out nonetheless and he made a whining sound in the back of his throat. "I'll get you a band-aid!" he announced fiercely.

Kim stuck her tongue out in disgust at her cut. It wasn't really the sight of the blood that disturbed her unlike Ron. For Kim it was more the stinging pain and the worry of it becoming infected.

Ron heaved himself up and opened the bathroom mirror and began browsing the shelves inside the cabinet. Running his finger along the edge of the shelf, he read the names in his mind on the different boxes and pill containers… until he came across a certain box. And it wasn't the band-aids.

He froze.

Why did he freeze? Was he actually thinking of… taking one..? But why, he'd had no use for one. Did he?

No! Don't even go there! But…

There wasn't supposed to be any 'but'! And yet…

And yet, you never know… Well, I was always told 'better safe than sorry'… What harm was there in just pocketing one? Just because he took one didn't mean anything was going to happen or had to, right? It would just be there, just in case.

"Have you got it yet?" Kim asked, now inspecting her nails as she winced from time to time from the pain of the cut.

"Uh… um… yea…" Ron stammered, his hand reached out for was inside the box but his mind was still undecided…

"Well then take it. I'm waiting on you here!" How ironic how her choice of words seemed to answer Ron's silent predicament. Breathing in, he whisked his hand into the box and pulled one out and slipped it into his belt pocket for later… a pending later. Not that he was expecting anything but… just in case…

"Well!"

"O! Right; right here, KP!" Ron snatched a band-aid from its box in the cabinet and handed it down to Kim, sitting down beside her.

"I am never doing this ever again. Not now. Not ever," she complained as she held the band-aid while Ron tore it out of its packaging with one hand.

Delicately, Ron helped to wrap the band-aid around Kim's injured finger. Kim could even feel his breath on her finger, it gave her chills.

"Thank-you," Kim said softly after Ron had applied the bandage.

"No big, KP," he replied. He was somewhat surprised to realise how close they were when he lifted his gaze.

Kim smiled, touching her forehead against Ron's lightly. "This sucks, but I don't think I can think of someone who I'd rather get stuck cleaning some demented villain's bathroom with other than you." He smiled back and affectionately pressed his cheek to hers. "Even if it was your fault," she teased.

Ron pulled back and sighed, rolling his eyes. "Must it always be my fault?"

Kim inched closer to Ron, her shoulder pressed against his. " 'Because we were called to clean your bathroom!'" Kim mimicked and Ron laughed.

"Okok, so it's my fault, I give in!"

Kim giggled, "C'mon, let's finish this so we can get out of here, bathroom-boy."

Ron scowled, "Fine by me, Cinderella."

"Hey!" Kim picked up the scrub brush that was floating in the dirty water bucket.

"Don't you even dare!"

But she did! Laughing, she flung the scrub brush by Ron, raining the dirty water from the scrub brush onto Ron's defenceless self. He let out an undignified squawk and flung the water at her off of his own scrub brush. Yelling out, Kim fell over backwards while Ron laughed in his triumph. He didn't laugh for long for once Kim recovered, she continued to spray Ron with water and soon enough they were in a playful water-war, laughing and shrieking.

"Hey!" said a deep voice from behind them. Turning around, they saw a henchman peering into the room. "Get back to work!" He left.

"Pfft," Kim snorted, throwing her scrub brush down into the bucket, water slapping onto the floor. "Like he controls me- HEY YOU WANNA SAY THAT AGAIN TO MY FA-"

"Get down!" Ron hissed, pulling Kim back down onto her bottom as she stood up, about to march towards the henchmen.

Kim laughed, "Yea, I guess you're right. Ok, when I'm getting home I am so taking another bath. That is, if you don't mind."

"It'd be an honour," Ron bowed at her which made Kim snort in her laughter thinking he was mocking her.

"Ugh, let's just finish this… ew…" They both peered into the dark bleakness that was Professor Dementor's sink cupboard, arming themselves to the teeth with sponges and scrub brushes for the most dangerous task yet to tackle…

ø

"Well, that was a waste of my life that I'll never get back," Kim rolled her eyes and took aim with her grappling hook, aiming for the high window across from them.

After finally finishing with Dementor's bathroom (a task Ron never wished to bring upon himself or Kim ever again), they made a beeline for Drakken's Lair grabbing the quickest and fastest lifts they could after Wade tracked down their arch-enemy's latest lair. It was strange to be there in the day time. For some reason, Ron always thought a villain's lair to be perpetually surrounded in the night sky. It didn't look so bad with a cheery Mr Sun delightfully shinning its rays over the lair.

They were so close to retrieving the microchip, Ron could feel it! Just within these walls was the chip that would separate his hand with Kim's. Like she had said, they'd lived a full week together through so many emotional roller coaster rides. After all this time, they'd finally be able to walk in different directions. Which should have been a good thing and yet still whenever Ron thought of his hand detaching from Kim's, a great anxiety surged inside himself.

His foot beneath him slipped slightly, some pieces of rock tumbled down into the ocean below them. Nervously, Ron inched himself up the rock. They were sitting on a slant and if one of them should slip… well, none of them were wearing any restraints.

Ron turned his head to look at Kim now, sitting on the rocky precipice beside him as she took aim with her grappling hook and fired it over to the open window in the lair opposite them. Then he looked down at their attached hands. It didn't make sense. Detaching their hands didn't mean they'd never see each other again, it didn't mean she would revert to her old self. But that's how it felt to Ron. It felt as if their hands should detach, he'd never see her again. He would be so frightened without her at his side…

Ron's inner emotions must have been showing on his face for when Kim turned to look at him before wrapping her arm around him so they could swing over to the window, she gave him a look of deep disturbance.

"Ron," she whispered, weakening her grip on the grappling hook. "What's the sitch, you feel another fever coming on?"

"I, no." Ron responded, "I dunno, KP… I guess it's nothing."

"I don't think so."

"No?"

"No. I think I know what you're worried about." Kim looked back at the window and jerked upwards on the grappling hook with her free right hand so it loosened itself from the window and reeled back into the hair dryer.

Haha, how symbolic.

Kim rested the grappling hook in her lap and edged herself closer to Ron. "It's about what's inside the lair, isn't?"

"What? Shego? Drakken?"

"No, Ron, the microchip."

"Well, yea…"

Kim cast her head downwards, "About finally being separated…"

They both looked down at their hands. An ocean breeze rustled by their faces; Kim picked their hands up, sitting shoulder-to-shoulder with Ron, placing them on their knees between them.

"You… ah, feel kinda weird about it?" Kim murmured.

"Yea, I… I think it's gonna be kinda awkweird, yea, I do," Ron admitted, still not looking at Kim but rather their hands. "I'm not stupid for thinking that am I?"

"If you are then I'm stupid too."

"Really?"

Kim nodded. "I know it's so stupid but I feel like I'm going to loose you if our hands break free. Which is dumb because I won't; you'll still be here and so will I. We'll be here together. Just as we are now."

Ron then lifted his head to look at Kim, laying his head on his knees. "Just as we are now?"

"Yes." Kim insisted, placing her free hand on Ron's blonde head to pat. "We'll be just as we are now. The now now, not the now we were seven days ago."

"So… y-you know…" Ron flushed greatly, no, he blushed something that Ron rarely ever did.

"I told you Ron, I'm a lot more aware now than I was seven days ago. Or even yesterday for that matter." Kim played with Ron's cowlick as she continued to talk, "It's because of our hand holding. I don't think we'd end up as we are now without it, because of me."

Ron couldn't find anything within the entire English language to say.

"I guess psychiatrists and stuff would say we'd suffer some sort of anxiety from being separated because we were stuck together for so long which, I think, is a load of rubbish because I actually think we've grown closer together," Kim went on. "In the past, we've been together since Preschool, and have never been more than ten days apart since. But because of us being stuck, we're even closer. A better kind of closer, right? One that… makes us… both happy…"

"I hear that," Ron murmured, his eyes looking up at Kim.

"So no the drama then, right?" Kim smiled at Ron, laying her cheek on her knees as well to face Ron directly. "We don't have to worry about us being separated because it did what it was supposed to do, even if we don't know how it happened."

"H'mm…"

"Ron, I know I've been a total loser to you in the past about saying how I remember these kind of conversations, but trust me, please. I… I like being with you, Ron. I know that now. We'll be just as close when our hands separate."

"I don't wanna loose you, Kim," Ron whimpered, "You're, like… the only…"

Kim giggled to help relax Ron who appeared absolutely beyond distressed to her. It worried and frightened her to see such a great fraught inside Ron to which she doubted she'd ever seen before. This truly showed Kim exactly how much she meant to him. Even if he was always joking around and casual, he really, truly and immensely cared for her. More than Josh ever would. Who was 'Josh' again?

"And you're my 'the only' too," she replied in a whisper and touched her nose against his.

If Ron had left his face there a moment longer, he might have received a kiss if Kim convinced herself into it, but instead he sat up and heaved a sigh, turning his sights back to the window.

"I suppose we ought to get this over with. 'Sides, I'm really hankering for a naco and they're not exactly easy to eat with one hand!"

Kim laughed, "There you go, if nothing else can cheer up Ron Stoppable, call in Bueno Nacho," and she rolled her eyes in a jocular manner.

Picking up the grappling hook from her lap again, she stood up and aimed for the window. Before she could fire the hook, she felt her left hand in Ron's being pulled closer to him. Turning to look at him with a touch of confusion on her face, she watched Ron bring their hands up and smile.

"Kim, you're the best 'the only' I could ever have."

Kim smiled back sincerely and together they determinately faced that window that seemed to watch them with exasperation to hurry up and retrieve the microchip that was their only cure from inside. In a small plume of smoke, the grappling hook whizzed through the air and immediately fastened itself to the window.

"Going up?" Kim asked as they cumbersomely rearranged their hands so Kim could firmly wrap her arm around him to bring him along with her as they left the rocky precipice.

I'd rather go down, Ron thought with a smirk but perhaps that was a little to brazen to say… yet. Instead he nodded and grinned.

The fly over to the window was a sickening blur and slightly terrifying for Ron especially when they flew over the gap from the rocky cliff they had been sitting on through the air above the ocean below over to the window on the nearby island lair. Kim's feet hit the side of the building while Ron's still hung in the air clinging to Kim, the feeling of nothing underneath his feet freaking him further. But Kim reeled them in and they tumbled through the window together and onto the marble floor.

"Ooo marble!" Ron said, patting it with his free hand. "Is marble, like, the 'in' thing for villain's lately?"

"I dunno, I'll check it when I get home since I'm still on the Villain's Digest mailing list," Kim replied rubbing her bare side which had slapped into the hard marble floor.

"Or you could check it right now."

"What do you mean?"

Ron shrugged, standing up and then helping Kim to her feet with their attached hands. "Well, there's a copy right over there, on the bed stand."

"Bed stand? Which means…"

"… That there's a bed beside it?"

"Which means…"

"That we're in a bedroom..?"

Standing to her feet, Ron watched Kim survey the room they had landed in. True, it wasn't a hallway but someone's bedroom. Judging by the black and green décor, the owner of the bedroom was rather obvious.

They knew Shego was into the whole green and black vibe, but really, this far? The curtains which hadn't been drawn were black and green, the bed sheets were horizontally stripped with her two favourite colours; even the floor was a dark marbled green with black flecks.

At least Shego herself wasn't inside.

Kim strolled over to the bed stand out of curiosity and picked up the Villain's Digest magazine. Ron peered over her shoulder and found a copy of Villainess lurking underneath. There was also a stylish sleek black phone on the bed stand and a lamp.

"Never thought about their rooms getting blown up every time we explotify one of their lairs," Ron commented.

"Yea, me neither. Wonder if they loose any of their stuff? Wonder if it's of anything of value."

Ron sniggered, Rufus on his shoulder laughing right along. "I'm sure they'd have their expensive stuff insured by now, KP."

Kim sighed, every time Ron heard of the expression 'value' he immediately thought of material worth. For all of Ron's sincerity, he was still stuck on money equals happiness. A notorious thought made her say: I hope I can change that someday. "Not that kind of value, I mean, like, photos and stuff. Or a scrapbook. Maybe some kind of object of personal worth."

"Oh," Ron replied solemnly. "There's some stuff of mine I wouldn't like to loose."

"Yea, me either. Maybe that's one of the reasons they hold a grudge against us."

"That or because we're constantly foiling their plans," Ron shrugged. "But c'mon, KP, it's Shego we all know her heart is as black as her hair. We've seen her with her fam, she dun like them at all. Can't think of anyone else she'd like either."

Kim shrugged as well, but not in agreement with what Ron had said. Looking at the bed stand table, Kim noticed a drawer. Wondering what Shego could possibly keep in there, she reached out for the handle.

But to Kim's great shock, Ron placed a firm hand on her arm and gave her a penetrating look. "It's not cool to go through her personal stuff, Kim."

Kim did a double-take. "Since when do you have a conscience?"

But Ron was firm in his belief and shook his head. "No-way, KP. Let's just leave her room, it's creepy enough as it is. We gotta get that microchip, ok? We don't need to know what Shego has."

"Um, ok," Kim pulled away from the bed stand and left the room with Ron walking silently behind her.

This time they were extremely cautious, after all they didn't want to add scrubbing Drakken's Bathroom to their resume as well; one villain was bad enough. But as they stalked vigilantly down the halls, no noises drifted to their ears. If not Drakken's bellowing voice gloating about his latest scheme or Shego snapping sarcastically, they at least expected to hear some noises, like the sound of Drakken welding or tinkering with some new invention. Not even music (what kind would they be into..?)!

It was absolute dead silence and completely unnerving.

Even though the place felt deserted, they still entered the main room with extra forethought. For all they knew, it could be a trap, perhaps Drakken and Shego had somehow figured out what happened to him and Kim and stole the chip from Dementor predicting their need for it. But when they peeked around the corner and slowly shuffled into the room with the giant screen monitor, Drakken's working desk and other assorted toys of villainy, they had yet to see a sign of life of any kind.

"Maybe they all went out to lunch or something," Ron suggested, scratching his head with his left hand.

Kim gave him a sceptical look. "On Drakken's budget? Doubt it."

Together the carefully surveyed the new room, no longer looking for unwanted hosts, but rather someplace where the microchip could be hiding. Kim led Ron towards Drakken's desk where a bunch of wires, hand-held ray guns that were either being put together or being dismantled plus various mechanical tools were residing. Perhaps the microchip had been placed in one of these devices..?

They stood behind the desk and while Kim picked up the various ray-guns and mini-computers looking for somewhere where the chip could have been implanted, Ron took to boredom, channelling it into leisurely shuffling through a pile of papers also on Dr Drakken's desk.

"Hey, take a look at the gas bill for this place!" he exclaimed, holding up a letter that had been beside an unopened letter. "Inflation! Man, no kidding about the budget thing; big-time villainy is obviously not for the poor."

Continuing to investigate the mechanical devices, Kim couldn't help put give Ron a side look. "And what happened to 'giving people their privacy'?"

"Hey, someone's bedside drawer is one thing, but carelessly leaving your unopened mail on your desk is so another," Ron replied matter-of-factly, fanning himself with a letter. "Sides, maybe he, like, mailed it to someone."

Kim snorted in amusement, "Heh, to who? His Mother?"

Ron shrugged, "You never know what these twisted villains are up to."

"It's no-use," Kim said, sighing and dropping the scrambled mini-communicator onto the desk with a clang! back into the pile of useless-looking gadgets. "I doubt it's in here, if Drakken really stole it from Dementor, he probably didn't leave it lying about out in the open in case Dementor planned on stealing it back. He probably has it on him."

"Maybe he's not even back from thieving it."

"That too," Kim sighed again, shifting her weight to one side while she delved into contemplation. "So what do we do, just hang here until he comes back?" No response from Ron. "Ron?" Kim asked, irritation growing on her from the absence of the microchip. "Ron, what are you reading? Leave his mail alone." She had an inclination to snipe the paper in his hands that he was reading but instead choose on waiting patiently.

"Looks like Drakken's been invited to some kind of party," Ron finally said.

"Party? For some reason, I really can't see him busting a groove on the dance floor."

"Yea, I think he's more of a karaoke person." He received an 'I-am-not-amused' glare for that one. "No really, listen: 'Dear Dr Drakken, you have been co- … co-or-din-ate-ed…"

"Cordially?"

"Yea, that 'to the Annual Villain's Ball. Hope to see you there, signed, Falsetto Jones.' Look here, it's to-night, starting and eight o'clock! Heh, kinda short notice, wouldn't you say?"

Ron was going to hand Kim the letter but realised she was holding up one of her own. She looked back at Ron and waved the letter, "Looks like Shego's been invited too. What's the time?"

Ron pulled out his cell from his backpack, "Uh, five forty-two."

Placing the letter back onto the table, she tapped her fingers on the desk in thought. "Alright, so we go home, take a bath, get dressed and intercept Drakken at the Villain's Ball and retrieve the chip before he's able to do anything bad with it."

"What!" Ron alarumed, dropping the invite. "We're going to the Villain's Ball? But it's gonna be crawling with 'em! They're gonna notice us if we just stroll in dressed all prom-like."

Kim laughed, "That's why you gotta think with the word 'incognito'."

"Disguises?"

"Exactly," Kim winked, leaning her free right hand on the desk. "We've got time to head back home and get changed and shower then arrive at the party. So let's not stall any time."

"But what if Drakken doesn't have the chip on him? What if it's here? Locked away somewhere?" Ron fussed, worry crossing his face.

"Maybe Wade can pick up some sort of signature from it, lemme ask." Kim pulled out the Kimmunicator and greeted Wade. "The microchip, can you scan for it in the lair?"

"Sure thing, Kim."

"Should have done that first at Dementor's place," Ron grumbled, sitting down in Drakken's plush swivel chair with the high back.

"That was when he thought for sure it was at Dementor's," Kim replied, then to Wade: "Anything?"

"Nope, lots of microchips, but not ours, sorry Kim."

"Thanks anyway," Kim pocketed the Kimmunicator. "Drakken must have it with him, where else could it be?"

"Maybe he sold it at a pawn shop…"

Kim sat down beside Ron on the arm of the chair. "So not the drama, Ron. It'll be easy, just sneak in, mingle with the party-goers, track down Drakken and snatch it from his coat pocket. Then… then we'll have two hands to type at the keyboard. And eat your naco."

Ron smiled faintly. "Yea, ok, KP, I'm with you. But what costumes..?"

"I'm sure you'll come up with something…"

ø

They had to stop off at Ron's house first to pick up his formal dress wear before returning to Kim's house. Thankfully Ron had his keys with him and they went in and out without any hassle. Kim wondered if anyone had even noticed people and just tramped up and down their stairs even walking right past them!

Regardless, when they came home, they bathed together, but unlike last night, Ron was able to wash himself (What a pity, he thought). After bathing, Ron dressed into his tuxedo, Kim helping him with his red bowtie as they came up with their villain disguises with Wade on Kim's computer.

"That place is gonna be up and down and all around with Villains, KP," Ron said, trying to inspect the bowtie. "We've gotta be heavily disguised."

"That's why you guys are gonna go through a few changes," Wade chuckled, sitting in his room in front of his monitor observing them sitting on Kim's bed.

"Please, plastic surgery is more of a Bonnie thing," Kim smirked to which Ron and Rufus chuckled at.

Wade had a laugh too. "Much simpler than that, Kim. More like, colour change, contacts…"

"A fake scar..?" Kim suggested leaning over and picking up the fake scar that was still residing on Kim's own bed stand from where she had left it after peeling it off of Ron's face Friday night back from their mall trip.

Ron fussed and rubbed the fake scar now on his cheek but didn't take it off; it was Kim's turn to laugh.

"Hair colour changes..?" she asked dubiously. "Where are we gonna get any hair dyes? I'm not sure my parents will allow me…"

"Yea, mine may freak if I come home with, say, green hair," Ron agreed.

"Don't worry guys, I made this batch myself-" (Kim and Ron both arched their eyebrows at Wade) "-It'll be completely convincible and will wash out in the next hair wash."

"And it won't powder off on my dress..?" Kim asked.

"Promise, sue me if it does."

"I'll mark you on those words…"

"I'm also sending you guys some contacts that'll change your eye colour. Kim, you'll have black hair and blue eyes and Ron will be a brunette with grey eyes."

"Ooo," Kim smiled. "But we don't have four to five business days to wait for its arrival, Wade."

"Kim, you worry too much. Have some faith in me! It should be there any moment now," he winked at them both, grinning.

At that moment, both Kim and Ron were greatly startled when what appeared to be a model airplane bumped into Kim's high window and continued to tap furiously, obviously begging to be let in. With her mouth slightly agape, Kim pointed to the airplane while looking at Wade.

Wade laughed, "Yea, Kim, delivery's here."

Ron walked with Kim to the window, observing her opening the window as she allowed the airplane passage into her room where it landed softly on her pink sheets. Ron could feel the cold air outside when Kim had opened the window and was already wishing to himself that he and Kim could have a quiet stay inside, even if that meant with attached hands. And with the past conversations he'd had with Kim, it definitely would be a 'quiet' night…

But Kim led Ron back to the bed where she opened the top of the airplane where there was a handle. Within the airplane were two bottles of hair dye and two small containers one labelled as 'grey' and the other 'blue'.

"Spankin'!" Kim grinned, pulling out the bottles. "Ok, Wade, we're going to the washroom downstairs to fix ourselves up. Thanks for everything, Wade! Hopefully this'll be enough to fool the villains."

"Yea, hopefully… I don't think going as Kim Possible and Ron Stoppable in a room full of villains who all have scores to settle with us is exactly what I'd call a tea party," Ron grimaced.

Kim gave him a 'everything-will-be alright, silly' look before laughing at leading him downstairs.

ø

Wade hooked them up with the rental of a private jet so they could arrive at the party in style like the rest of the famous (and wealthy) super villains. True, jets seemed to be the favoured vehicle as most arrived this way. Kim had been worried that a jet might have been too grandeur and grab too much unwanted attention, but then it was Falsetto Jones' party being held. All villains strived to show off what they had and how expensive it was.

When their jet had been approaching Falsetto's mansion, Kim recognized it instantly from the time she had infiltrated it during his annual dog show. It was absolutely prodigious! Kim wondered whose manor was larger, Falsetto Jones' or Señor Senior Sr.'s. Ron beside Kim was craning his neck to look out Kim's side of the window at the monumental mansion below.

Everyone seemed to be arriving at the same time so there was obviously some air traffic. They had to hover in the air while some of the others flew in circles awaiting to land in front of the mansion's front doors and step out with a flourished style.

Kim turned around to give Ron one last look before they stepped out of the jet once it was their turn to land. Ron's expression was still slightly unsettled, but it put Kim strangely at ease to see this typical Ron emotion. She smiled comfortingly at Ron and placed a hand on his shoulder beside Rufus who sat perched in his little fluffy owl costume, his two beady eyes poking out of all the feathers which puffed out and made him look like an over-sized brown dust bunny.

"It'll be ok, Ron, no big, we've done stuff like this before."

He smiled faintly.

Kim leaned towards Ron, her arm that was on his shoulder now wrapped around. Tilting her head, she whispered in his ear, "Be brave," and pulled away, giving him a wink.

The jet door opened and Kim stretched out a leg and placed her heeled foot down firmly on the concrete ground. The high slit in her black dress revealed a lot of leg as she did so.

"Heh, nice entrance," Ron whispered from behind her, scooting over.

"Shuddup," Kim retorted playfully.

When Kim stepped out fully waiting for her gentleman to step out, she was momentarily stupefied when she was greeted with flashes of lights searing her eyes. Looking from side to side, her straightened, black glossy hair swinging as she did so, she realised they were photographers. Probably for magazines such as Villainess, The Villain's Digest and others, (maybe even some Villain tabloids..?). But they still made her nervous and she shrank back instinctively, wincing when a flash briefly stole her eyesight.

She bumped into Ron who was now standing with her and took a step towards him. By now, Ron's worried expression had completely disappeared and was now replaced by a smirking grin. His eyes held in an intelligent way, those strangely grey eyes. In a frightening way, he almost looked like another person entirely. But Kim scolded herself for not acting in character, as Ron already was.

Composing herself, Kim walked down the red carpet with Ron leading the way, her black silky gloved hand attached to his firm hand, but no-one suspected that their hands were perpetually stuck. Kim was careful not to let any expression cross her face. The character that Wade had devised for her was a noble lady, with a critical gaze; serious and to the point when she spoke, if she did. The point of their characters was to not attract attention, nothing over the top, just some common Super Villains who would blend in nicely.

Kim was determined not to look at any of the photographers, but keep her line of sight straight at the entrance door ahead of them. She hoped Falsetto Jones allowed no press inside to-night's Ball. She was slightly edgy that one of the reporters or photographers might recognize them. After all, she and Ron were featured quite frequently in the villain magazines… the section on Most Wanted Heroes: Dead or Alive.

"Look this way!"

"Can we get a smile from the lovely lady?"

"How about a picture of the two of you together?"

"What is it exactly that you do?"

"Which continent would you like to take over first?"

Ron ignored every comment and question as did Kim. They strode by everyone and up the curved stone steps to the front wooden doors of the mansion. There was a smartly dressed man standing there with a clipboard.

"Names?" he asked.

Kim felt the impulse to respond, but held her tongue allowing Ron the honour.

"Doc Turnal and Lady Dusk," Ron replied smartly.

Kim almost blew their cover right then by bursting out laughing at their incredibly lame and corny Super Villain names, but with everything inside her, she held it in and kept a straight, unblinking face. According to Wade's search, word plays were a big 'In' thing with the Super Villain crowd.

Resisting the urge to glance nervously at Ron or frown with suspicion as the doorman checked the guest list, Kim watched him run his pen down the guest sheet. Nothing. He turned the page scanning the invite list. If Wade had succeeded, he was to have hacked into the computer and add their names to the guest list before the sheets were printed out.

But to their relief, the doorman made to small checkmarks and nodded them in. Kim walked forwards with Ron and they granted each other a caring smile as their jet drove off behind them, driven by the valet to allow the next jet or limo to drive up.

They had fooled the doorman, but the real trick was to fool the hundreds of villains inside… and Falsetto Jones himself; all of whom awaited them inside…

Walking down the hall and passing mingling villains holding cocktails and chatting amongst themselves, Kim and Ron were now on their guard of any sign of Dr Drakken and/or Shego. Kim glanced at Rufus in his little owl suit on Ron's shoulder. If only he could fly like and owl and scope out the guests! Kim's heels clicked on the glossy hall floor and some of the villains they passed gave them a glance, but nothing suspicious, only checking out the new arrivals.

Rounding the corner, they entered the ballroom, the doors were wide open and various villains were passing in and out of the room freely. Stepping inside, the two friends found themselves speechless.

The room was absolutely voluminous. Above their heads a chandelier spoiled with crystals glistened the room with bright lights aided by the small decorative matching torches holding electric lights on the side of the walls. The colour scheme of the room was a rich golden yellow. Along the sides of the rooms were tables covered in an expensive white tablecloth with butlers behind the tables ready to serve. The tables were bountiful with snacks, little desserts and rich drinks such as champagne and wine, the top of the top, no doubt. Between the tables was the dance floor, stupendous in it's width, it could easily fit all the villains so they could dance around with much elbow space and then some more! To the sides of the ballroom were more doors, leading to other rooms or hallways.

The sight was purely divine to Kim and Ron's eyes. It was everything that they could ever desire to have and never would. How anyone could afford something like this was beyond their belief. Even when Ron had the check from his naco royalties, Kim doubted that amount could have afforded all of this… They were purely dumbstruck for a moment, forgetting all about being in character.

But that wasn't all that dumbstruck them. It was also the immense group of people inside the room. Kim's jaw dropped and felt her stomach plummet. There was no way they would be able to find Drakken and Shego in all of this! Who knew there were so many Super Villains in the world?

The plan was supposed to be simple. Locate Drakken and Shego, apply them with tracking microchips and follow their movements on Kim's stylish black watch which was actually a mini Kimmunicator. When Drakken and or Shego dispersed from the main crowd, it was then that Kim planned to jump them and snatch the microchip from him. They couldn't just scan for the microchip for every time they tried while hovering above Falsetto's mansion, there received a jamming signal. It was obvious this was being done on purpose to block any military or government spy satellites. A group of villains converging on one point would be like Christmas for the authorities.

The tough part now would be trying to locate the pair among the massive group of villains to microchip them.

Kim sighed and stood straight. Leaning over to Ron she whispered: "Well, let's get mingling."

When Kim and Ron strode inside the room, a waiter approached the both of them and offered them cocktails on a silver platter. Kim declined in character by turning her nose at the platter disdainfully. Ron on the other hand plucked a tall, thin glass from the tray and nodded politely at the waiter.

"You're not planning on drinking that, are you?" Kim hissed through the side of her mouth. "May I remind you that we're underage?"

"Relax, KP, it's all ambiance," he winked at her and pulled her closer with a tug of their attached hands.

Kim didn't know whether to smile or roll her eyes.

She was glad she didn't know what to decide on for both would have been out of character and two villains took that time to approach the both of them.

Mildly surprised, it was DNAmy and Adrena-Lynn. Both of them were dressed for the occasion. DNAmy in a bright pink dress and Adrena-Lynn was donning a maroon dress, very seductive.

"Are you two new to Falsetto's annual get togethers?" DNAmy asked cheerfully, that same Otterfly Cuddle Buddy hanging around her neck.

Ron nodded curtly, "Our first year, yes. We're relatively new at the big-time villain thing. We just recently set our sights on the world. We were more into expensive theft, jewels, The Scream painting, that kind of thing."

Adrena-Lynn snorted, "Everyone wants to take over the world these days! Just because the Villains Weekly magazine keeps featuring it in their articles." She tossed her hair to one side lazily in agitation.

"Then what do you have your sights on?" Ron countered.

"I'll be satisfied with revenge against Kim Possible and Ron Stoppable for destroying my television career," Adrena-Lynn replied, looking at Ron through her slit eyes. Kim and Ron felt themselves instinctively edge closer to one another, Kim hoped they didn't notice. "But I'll tell you I'm also planning on mind control through television signals, that'll be sufficient revenge. Then they'll all be forced to watch my brand new daring television show in the making!"

"… Sounds… delightful," Ron commented. "And yourself?" he asked, inclining his head at DNAmy.

The portly woman giggled like a school girl, "I'm not big in the global domination thing either. I still like to stick to welding two animals together to make my life-sized Cuddle Buddies!" and she giggled again as if in afterthought.

"What are your names again? I didn't catch them," Adrena-Lynn drawled, gazing at Ron through her enticing eyes.

Ron gave a curt little bow, "Doc Turnal, and my… wife, Lady Dusk. And this is Archimedes," Ron added, pointing at the little owl on his shoulder. Rufus let out a little hoot.

"Pleased to meet you both, I'm sure," Adrena-Lynn returned although she didn't sound pleased at all when she met Kim's ice-blue eyes and regarded her with a sneer. "I'm Adrena-Lynn."

Kim controlled her urge to glare back. Instead she left her eyes cold and unaffected by Adrena's threatening expression. Kim did not believe Adrena-Lynn had seen through their disguises, no, she just obvious was not taking fondly to Kim's distance and aloof character.

"Oh, I see Monte!" DNAmy giggled yet again and waved in the direction of Monkey Fist. "I said I'd meet him here to-night. Well, I'm sure I'll see you two around, nice meeting you!"

As the bubbly little bio-geneticist flounced away to meet up with Lord Monkey Fist, Ron bent his head forwards to view his arch-foe with spooked trepidation. Kim felt Ron's leg shake and instantly pressed herself closer to Ron to keep him from bolting out the doors in terror.

Unfortunately, Adrena-Lynn caught Ron's slip of character. "You don't like him either?" she asked, a curl playing about her mouth.

"H'm?" Ron asked, still eyeing Monkey Fist with intense circumspection.

Kim debated on whether or not to step on his toes to bring him back to the present day. She didn't have to; Rufus at least was still on duty and snapped at Ron with his little fake beak substantially shaking Ron out of his fright.

"I don't blame you," Adrena continued, her long blond bang flopping down over one-eye. "Freaky is the word I'd use to describe him." Kim allowed herself a small smile which wasn't entirely out of character. "A man who'd rather be a monkey than the rich English Lord he is. Freaky. But it makes you wonder if he's a monkey all-around," she smirked at Kim and said more to her than Ron, "If you catch my drift."

Trying to control her laughter was difficult but still Kim's expression was blank. She turned her head to look at Monkey Fist and listened to Adrena-Lynn's continuing conversation with Ron.

"She doesn't say much, does she? Your wife?"

"No," Ron replied, looking at Kim next to him. Kim looked back at him until he turned his eyes back to Adrena. "She doesn't, but I like her that way."

Resisting against the urge of stamping on his foot was worse than when he had slipped out of character.

But when Ron smiled down at her, the flash off annoyance inside of her slipped away. His benevolent smile assured he was just giving a reply, and no shot was directed at her.

"Can't be much fun though, can she?"

Kim sighed inwardly. This conversation was just wasting their time. Dealing with a small 'hullo, how are you?' was manageable, especially if they didn't want to arouse suspicion, but this talk was going on far too long for Kim. She tugged gently on Ron's arm to indicate she wanted to go elsewhere.

Thankfully, Ron caught on during the first tug. "Ah, if you'll excuse me, my wife and I are going to go investigate the treats at the table, excuse us."

Ron scooted away with Kim's attached arm still resting on his, making them look formal.

"Why did you say that?" Kim asked as they weaved in and out of the fellow guests looking for any sign of Drakken or Shego.

"I thought you wanted to excuse us from the conversation," Ron replied puzzled.

"No, I mean… like, about me being your wife."

"O, um… I didn't think you'd mind."

"I don't, I was just curious."

Ron's check tinged with colour, "Just thought it'd sound cool. Y'know…"

Kim tilted her head towards Ron and touched his head with hers. "You know, it kinda does sound cool."

Rufus took that exact moment to hoot twice, making all three of them giggle with laughter. Kim dropped their attached hands so they hung at their sides. Placing her free hand on his arm, Kim leaned against him as they walked through the crowds.

"I think I very much like our disguises!"

Ron flushed and whispered into Kim's ear, "So do I."

Radiating, Kim blushed and silently wished themselves elsewhere.

"Oh, I don't think I've seen you two here last year!" said a voice from behind them and again Kim and Ron found themselves caught up in small talk yet again.

And so it went on for quite sometime. The three of them would browse amongst the villains searching out Drakken and Shego only to be constantly taken to one side by the means of some villain approaching them for conversation. The routine grew weary for Kim, who did very little talking, if any.

If only her hand wasn't attached to Ron's, then she could leave him behind to hold up their disguises and Kim could slip off. Kim found herself often tugging on Ron's arm indicating to break up the conversation with some villain. The only good thing that came from these conversations was the info they picked up. Kim soon caught on that Ron was actually prodding them for information and wanted to commend him for his smart thinking.

Kim covered a yawn, as she and Ron were drifting through the throng. She was about to rest her head on Ron's shoulder when…

There! And together—yes! Shego and Drakken standing together chatting with Falsetto Jones himself!

Drakken was in a tuxedo and Shego, well, her clothing shocked Kim. For some reason she had been expecting them both in their usual clothing but of course they wouldn't be at a fancy get-together such as that!

Shego was in a gorgeous green, black and gold Asian dress with a high split much like Kim's own. (Although she suspected that Shego's was even higher—if that was at all possible!) Her long black hair was pulled up with two chopstick hairpieces.

"Whoah, looking… different," Kim commented through the side of her mouth sounding slightly troubled as if she thought Shego's outfit was a threat to Kim's own.

"Better to look like a total babe like you," Ron replied back playfully and Kim batted him away with her free hand, blushing intensely.

Still blushing, Kim pulled out two small trackers and gave one to Ron from her small black handbag which was hanging conveniently around her arm that was stuck to Ron. "Let's only do this once, ok? We're gonna walk past them and stick these on. Ron, you'll get Drakken and I'll tag Shego. Anywhere you can manage is fine. But remember, do it inconspicuously."

"Gotcha, KP," Ron nodded all business.

Kim and Ron continued to walk forwards, their eyes set ahead appearing to only pass Drakken and Shego. Holding her breath, Kim let her hand forwards and casually brush ever so gently by Shego, the tracker successfully taking colour of Shego's dress and disappearing altogether. Shego didn't even notice a thing.

Kim smiled at her own successful achievement, her eyes wandering… onto Falsetto Jones who held her in his eyes as he talked with Drakken and Shego. Kim's eyes flickered at the abrupt shock as she continued to walk past, Ron not noticing Kim and Falsetto's visual exchange.

Pulling her eyes away, Kim felt unnerved by the event and felt herself walking closer to Ron. She didn't dare turn her head around to see if Falsetto Jones was still watching her. Had he seen her for who she really was? Did he suspect? If so, how?

Kim's brow was furrowed and she stopped Ron when they reached one of the side tables; Ron plucked a few champagne truffles off the fancy tray.

"Did you tag Drakken?" Kim asked, leaning against the table and dared to eye Falsetto Jones who was no longer looking in her direction but rather back at Drakken to whom he was still speaking with. She felt a wave of relief wash over her.

Ron nodded his head and 'Mm-hm'd' as he chewed on a chocolate, sticking the tin foil into his pocket and unwrapping another one with one hand.

Kim tsked, "Tcach, Ron, we're still in character, you know."

"I know," Ron replied, his mouth still fill with the chocolate treat. "You want?" he offered her a chocolate wrapped in a glistening red cover.

"No thanks," Kim replied and narrowed her eyes, but not at Ron or the chocolate.

Falsetto Jones was excusing himself from Drakken and Shego's company, Kim watched him carefully. Slipping away, she lost sigh of him from time to time in the crowd, but soon found him again bending down and whispering something to the conductor; she raised her head and observed the two intensely. The conductor nodded and turned to his band. Then the music began to play.

Kim blinked, that was it? Just to tell the conductor to begin the danging music? Looking around some of the couples broke off and began to waltz with one another to the sweet, gentle music.

Relieved, Kim sighed and turned to look at Ron who was munching on some of the truffles, sharing them with Rufus on his shoulder who was finding it the devil of a time to eat the chocolate through his fake beak.

She looked back at the people and found more and more dancing together. She suspected soon everyone would and Kim wondered if they should take this time to slip away from the room and find some place where they could sit and watch Kim's tracker, waiting for the moment when Drakken and Shego would disperse from the rest. They really didn't need to stay in the ballroom anymore now that they had found and tracked the enemies.

She was just about to suggest this to Ron when he lifted their attached hands, hers in his and gave her a polite little bow which made her give a small laugh. "Would you care to dance?"

Kim chuckled again, "Are you mocking me, Ron?"

"Not at all," Ron replied. His voice was serious now, standing straight, his grey eyes boring into Kim's as if demanding something of her.

She was slightly perturbed by his penetrating eyes but found herself nodding at Ron. "Alright, if you really want to."

"Besides, who says we can't enjoy this field trip, right?" he asked guiding her hand already in his towards a free spot on the dance floor.

"Yea, Ron; why not?" Kim agreed good-naturedly and took Ron's other hand, allowing him to lead her into a gentle sway.

Pleasured she was by Ron's sleek and gliding moves. Kim had thought Ron would be an atrocious dancer, and had pictured him constantly stepping on her toes. In fact, come to think of it, she wondered if she had ever in her life seen Ron dance serious and not just on those wild occasions when they had been young, having their karaoke sleepovers.

"Where did you learn to dance like this?" she asked. Was… was she smiling coquettishly! At Ron!

"There was one point when I ran away from Camp Wannaweep and found myself at Dance Camp, I guess I just picked up a few things during my brief stay," he grinned back at her. She marvelled at how easily he could talk with her and dance to the rhythm at the same time, so effortlessly; Kim found herself swooning into his entrancing movements.

They swept beautifully and cleanly, this was much more enjoyable than a stupid side-to-side dance that was most common during High School dances. This is first class, she thought and believed herself special to dance so elegantly with Ron.

Music which she might have otherwise felt boring and tedious was now hugging her and guiding her along in unison with Ron, never a mistake did the pair make. They danced as if they danced everyday together. Not that it was mechanical; no, they were just perfectly in-tune with each other. Ron delightedly felt gentle, smooth riding, rosy-pink waves flow in his mind which he received from Kim's emotions.

Time was gone, there was no such essence. It was only the two of them and the music that seemed to write itself as it went along, matching itself to Kim and Ron alone and nobody else in an infinite existence. Their eyes were on only one another, both of them enthralled inside with the other.

Different music played and couples broke up exchanging dance partners but Kim and Ron continued to dance with one another and those who had spoken to the Doctor and his Lady during the mingling hours thought and spoke to themselves what a perfectly alluring and devoted husband and wife they appeared to be, a married couple who were still in love with one another. And those villains who were sincere at heart wished upon themselves to have a relationship like the two dancers had. But the two dancers were oblivious to these thoughts and continued to solely be consumed by the other.

Again, time flew on and Kim forgot all about the mission. She felt her eyes distance, her mind becoming entranced by Ron's movements. She rested her head on his shoulder and his hers.

She was just thinking how glad she was that their hands were attached to one another, for if someone came and asked for a dance with one of them, they might be obliged to do so and Kim so dearly did not want to stop dancing with Ron, when she felt something stir within her.

Kim sensed something wrong, looking up, she saw Ron's expression, it was no longer delighted, but now grim and… and pained… His eyes… swimming and struggling to focus…

No… no not now, not again! Kim wanted sob and wrap her arms around his neck to ease his pain. She knew that expression instantly for his returning fever. The dancing and spinning was making him dizzy and nauseous. Disorientated too, his footwork which was usually so smooth was becoming clumsy and at times the tip of his shoe would catch against Kim's.

They had to stop! She had to take him elsewhere to rest. Kim felt her face flushing with worry for Ron's health.

Taking Ron's hand, she led him out the nearest door, navigating him through the dancing pairs, not the main ballroom entrance but one of the side doors where they then found themselves in a hallway. Neither of them were aware of the dark figure watching their retreat.

Moving slow for Ron's sake who was stumbling repeatedly, they passed some more doors and beautiful (and probably stolen) paintings. Kim selected one door which was far down the corridor from the ballroom. There was a head statue on a pillar just outside the door and Kim plucked Rufus by his small feathery body and placed him on the pillar platform.

"Stay here and alert us if anyone comes."

Rufus saluted Kim and hid behind the head statue, peering down the hallway back at the eerie ballroom door.

Leaving Rufus outside, she guided Ron inside the room. It was a small lounge, coloured in hues of royal red. She spied a sofa against the wall to the left and closed the door behind her with her heeled foot. Leading Ron to the sofa, she sat him down. His eyes were shut tight and sweat was running down his forehead. When he did open his eyes, they were unfocused. Agonized, Kim allowed Ron to lie down.

The back of his head was enveloped by the corner pillow on the chesterfield. Kim watched as his face contorted; watched his face struggle to overcome the expression brought on by his intense fever. Ron let out a choking sound followed by a gasp that sent Kim flushing in fear and worry for her… her friend.

This was the worst fever Ron had yet, Kim was positive, she could tell. No, she could feel. She couldn't describe it, she didn't know how or why, but she felt as if she was feeling Ron's emotions on a higher level than she ever had in her entire life. A heaving sensation grew inside of her, all the pain Ron was feeling felt like it was growing inside of Kim and she wanted to heave herself onto Ron. To comfort him, to comfort herself.

But she couldn't. She wouldn't.

Could she?

Ron tossed his head to one side, burying his face into the back cushion of the chesterfield, giving a slight moan.

Kim's eyes blinked repeatedly as she watched, unable to control her own pitying feelings towards Ron. She had never seen him so ill before, as Ron had once said, he had this fortress of immunity. Maybe on other occasions Kim might worry about catching what he had. (But you can't really catch a fever, can you?) In any case, she might have been, but not this time. Since there was nothing she could do to cure him, she wanted to at least consume him in her comfort.

Sweat was gathering on Ron's forehead; it didn't make any sense to Kim. How could these fevers come out of no-where? How could he be burning up when it wasn't hot in the room?

Oh, Ron, I want to help you… She forgot all about the mission, the work at hand. In fact, she forgot about a lot of things at that moment, as she watched the pain inside Ron translate onto his face into heart-jerking expressions. She forgot so much, including the boundaries, the reasoning, the restrictions...

Sitting on the side of the sofa, Kim leaned back to seat herself between Ron and the sofa. Lying down, she brought their holding hands up between them and rested her free hand on his chest that rose and lowered with constraining effort.

She knew he would and he did: Ron opened his eyes, even if they were half-open. The light coming from the single lamp in the room was dim. The light came from a rich crimson lampshade; this light shouldn't sting Ron's eyes like the brightness from the Ballroom.

He didn't look at her. His eyes remained straight, locked on the ceiling. She found that she didn't care about what he thought, about whether or not Ron would freak out or tell her not to lay beside him with her hand on him… Because this was what she wanted to do. She never hesitated normally as apart of her personality but when it came to her current conflicting feelings about Ron these past days, she didn't know what to do. Torn between what she felt like she wanted do, what she should do and what was expected of her. All that was gone, torn down.

Ron… I like you. And I want you to know it, no matter what you think. Even if you just want to be friends, I need you to know… I like you. A lot.

Ron lowered his eyelids again, was this good, or bad? He showed no signs of discomfort. But also no signs of acceptance. Even though she said she didn't care what he thought, she felt a growing desire to at least know. There was difference between caring and knowing, she convinced herself.

An answer! Ron turned his head to his right, into her, nestling it close against her cheek. Kim smiled, moving closer to him. Acceptance.

Does he get that it's more than friends though? Kim wondered. The border between friends and… and more than that is blurred between us. Because I'm a girl and he's a boy. If I were a guy or he was a girl friend, the line would be distinctly clear, but it isn't that way. These past days, the border has become invisible. I don't know what's acceptable as friendship and when it becomes more than that anymore. How can I know? I want to know. I have to know. But how?

She remembered how Ron had told Adrena-Lynn and DNAmy that they were married. The conversation she had about it with Ron at the time just felt like friendly banter, saying retorts that sounded like an answer, whether they really meant it or not. But…

Ron made slight noises in his throat now and then. She could hear them clearer now that he was so close to her. But she didn't mind, she took pleasure from being this close to him. It was more than just enjoyable to Kim. It was exciting, thrilling. She sighed in delight of their closeness while Ron choked back a pain.

Realising that she wasn't looking at him, she lifted her head to regard his face. His eyes still closed, but the sweat still dripped down.

Oh, Ron, what's become of you? Kim whispered in her mind. She lifted an elegantly gloved hand and touched the side of his face gingerly. Frustrated that she couldn't feel his skin, she tore off her glove, cascading it over Ron and onto the floor. Then she touched Ron's face again, with her bare fingers. This startled him, his body shuddered, but his eyes still remained closed.

That's ok, Kim thought. Just take hold of yourself, and control of your pain. She dipped her head down, leaving her hand over his shoulder, grazing his neck and snuggled closer.

She lay there for some time. She didn't care or know how long. But soon, (it had to be soon,) she felt Ron move and shift himself beside her, on what little room there was for the booth of them on the sofa. He was moving himself onto his side, trapping Kim between him and the sofa, it made her smile, although she wasn't sure why. He tilted towards her, his free hand on her attached hand to his other; Kim left her free hand around Ron's shoulder so she could feel his hair on the back of his head. She let Ron's leg rest between hers.

At this point, Kim closed her eyes. It wasn't sleep, but her mind was slipping into some sort of state. Time passed in silence. Everything was gone from Kim's mind, all except Ron.

When Ron let out a sigh, she opened her eyes to meet his. He looked a little bit better. At least, she hoped he was, not for the mission's sake, but for his. When her eyes met his, she found that she couldn't tear them away. Kim had looked into his eyes so many times before and yet, and yet she felt she was seeing things hidden behind those soft, gentle eyes that she had never seen before and it wasn't because of his newly coloured grey cornea.

Were they always there? What is there?

It didn't matter what was behind Ron's eyes, there was something behind her own. A new feeling. No, not new. It was always there, it was just… growing. Blossoming. Not her personality growth which she discovered that morning. This was a different blossoming. And it still hadn't bloomed yet, but a large growth was coming, growing, she could feel it because…. Because…

Because, oh my goodness, Ron. I look into your eyes and… and, like, I… She didn't hide the puzzled look on her face, it didn't matter if Ron saw it or not. Let him, maybe he could make some sense of it. Her eyes still chained to Ron's and during this time, they were studying each other like never before. Was that a puzzled look on Ron's face too? What was he thinking? He had to be thinking and, damn it, she wanted to know! Because…

Because I want to kiss you. But I can't… Because I don't know what you're thinking. I'm initiating everything, how do I know what you really feel? Is the line blurred for you too? Do you actually feel for me? Or are you just doing whatever you think I want you to do because that's what you think is expected of you? I won't… but I want to… I have to resist. What did you mean by 'the only'? Friend? More than that? Way more than that?

She didn't let her eyes dart to his lips, how could she when her eyes where still locked onto his own?

I… It's what I want. I like you so much, Ron. Like so never before. So much that I really want to kiss you. I want to kiss you... Bu-

She wasn't even able to finish her sentence. Kim had been so enraptured with his eyes and her thoughts, her desires, she didn't even notice Ron swoop forwards. As if he could read her mind, he leaned in and kissed her.

She was stunned. Utterly shocked at Ron's boldness, how he did something without being told, without fretting about it… But her shock didn't last for long. His kiss… it was all she wanted and could think about. To assure him, to do what she wanted, she returned the kiss, drawing him closer by wrapping her free arm around his neck. She felt his free arm slipping underneath her to hold her. Their kiss was long and tender, so loving, Kim felt.

How did you know? She wanted to cry as they broke apart. How long have you had feelings for me? Tell me, tell me they didn't just pop up to-night. Tell me you've been thinking about me longer than that!

As if to answer her, he gave her another kiss, this one was much more passionate than the other, she eagerly returned it. He pushed against her, pressing her into the very corner of the sofa, but she liked it and told him so by pulling him close with her one arm. He was almost on top of her, half beside her, half on top of her.

When they finally pulled apart, they parted by giving each other more short, fiery kisses as if to stop was a worse pain than Ron's previous fever attack.

What could she say? What was there to say? She could only look at him. Up at him.

! Her heart fluttered and her expression was more shocked when she instantly flashed back to when Ron had tumbled on top of her on his bed not too long ago. She remembered looking up at him, remembered feeling the exact same feeling then as she was now as she looked up at Ron, underneath him. The feelings, the desires, it had been there before, even though she couldn't understand them at the time, like an unknown language.

Everything had been there all along. She had been so blind. But that was the past and it didn't matter anymore. They were out in the open now. Ron knew. She knew.

Ron was smiling at her, his chest heaving, hers doing the exact same. He was rubbing her hand with his thumb on their stuck hands. Kim reached up with her free hand and undid Ron's bow tie. Entranced, she stared at Ron's pale skin, his neck... ran her fingers on it, trailing downward. Kim undid some top buttons on Ron's shirt so she was able to trace her hand down further.

All while Ron smiled down at her, his expression, although some fever was still left, was exuberant. He looked relieved somehow. She wondered if dominant male thoughts were flowing through his head, it made her want to giggle. As she stifled them, Ron threw himself down again, nestling in that same pleasurable position of being half on top and yet half beside her. His free hand was underneath her, wrapped around her waist. Kim leaned back, pulling Ron closer. So close so she could nestle her head between his head and shoulder.

Unable to control herself, she kissed him softly thrice on his neck and felt him curve his head into hers, giving her a kiss on her own neck. Kim closed her eyes, permitting Ron to continue.

If only she had two arms. She wanted to wrap her second tightly around him; she was sure Ron wanted his own free to properly hold her.

Ron pulled away to look into her eyes again. Kim darted them downwards, placing a hand on his chest. His bare chest. Warm, very warm. Too warm. The fever was still there. Not that she needed to touch his skin to know that. The heat from him was warming her as well, how could it not when they were so close?

Still no words could be said by either of them. For the first time ever, they had shown their true feelings for each other that had been bottled up for so long. Too long. They had known each other since they were little. Had been best friends, such close friends. It had always just been the both of them, how could one or the other find someone new to abandon the other? It was impossible. Never could Kim imagine herself without Ron and was sure he was the same. She would break down if Ron found someone else (and would surely be consumed by a fearsome jealousy!).

What they were doing now… it was so… so natural. It was like they were supposed to be like this, doing this, a long time ago and were just too stupid or blind to figure out this was the next step. It didn't feel wrong, or taboo, in fact, she felt relieved to finally be able to lay like this with Ron. To kiss him. To be able look at him the way she felt about him.

In fact, she sighed audibly, but perhaps Ron perceived it differently as she sighed when he pushed against her again to present her with another kiss. The high slit in her dress was being pulled back in her position revealing lots of bare leg. Not that Ron could see it.

Just as they broke apart and Kim slipped her hand underneath his shirt and onto his bare shoulder to kiss him again, a noise sounded out. Both their eyes popped open and froze in their start.

It was the Kimmunicator!

"Damn," Kim grunted as she pulled slightly away from Ron and reached for it.

Ron laid himself back down, head on the pillow with closed eyes, but he played with her hand in his as she flicked on the Kimmunicator to speak to Wade.

"What's the sitch?" she asked, a bit rudely.

She was startled to receive an equally rude reply. "What are you doing, Kim!" Wade demanded (was he psychic!). "Aren't you watching the Kimmunicator? Drakken and Shego are on the move! They've left the Ballroom and are heading down to a basement. What's going on? Why aren't you following their trails? You want to be cured right? Kim-"

"Kay, thanks, bye," Kim breathed and shut the Kimmunicator off in the middle of Wade's rant.

Now sitting up, she sat with her back against the sofa and her legs overtop Ron's. She turned to face him, his eyes still closed. "Um, sorry, Ron…" Kim muttered. "But you heard Wade, right?"

Ron nodded.

Although it shouldn't, it still spooked her that Ron chose to respond without speech.

"How's your fever? I'm not sure why Drakken and Shego are going to a basement but if they're alone down there, it'll be an excellent opportunity for them to steal. I, uh, think maybe we should go after them." Her eyes flickered and she cast her eyes downward, "If you're feeling ok… I don't want to drag you down there if, like, you're still unwell."

See, Ron? I'm sensitive to you. And she felt herself puff with pride.

Ron's eyes finally opened and Kim managed to finally breathe out. "Thanks." (She smiled warmly.) "I think I'll be ok." He pushed himself off the sofa, Kim helping by pulling on their hands.

For a moment, they just sat still beside each other, looking down at their feet on the floor. Neither of them knew what to say about what just happened. It wasn't that they felt guilty or as if they did something wrong, they just didn't know what to say period.

The silence was unnerving Kim so she swooned forwards and kissed Ron on the cheek glowing with an immense inner feeling as she did so. "C'mon, Ron, let's jet!"

Smiling behind her, Ron followed her out of the room, meeting up with Rufus who was still attentively standing guard behind the statue.

Together, the three of them followed the map to the basement on the Kimmunicator that Wade had pulled up for them. They followed down many halls and corridors, tramping down countless staircases, winding down, down and down further still. Ron walked warily a little behind Kim, glancing around at the marvellous mansion while Kim gripped the Kimmunicator and stared down at it following the map. It was hauntingly frightening, this walking down the hallways, for there were barely any lights on and everywhere they went, it was deserted.

Eventually they came to a room full of paintings. Kim stuffed the Kimmunicator back in her purse and the two looked around. The lights were off in the room but even through the mild blue tone of the room, they could see. There were no other doors leading elsewhere it appeared to be nothing but a dead end.

"Paintings…" Ron commented, "Shoulda guessed the safe would be behind one of em. But I don't see Shego or Drakken." Glancing back at Kim, he was surprised to see her shaking her head.

"No, there's a secret passage here, just gotta find it." Kim surveyed the room once more and then pointed to a large painting of one of Falsetto's wolfhounds. "There, it's the only painting big enough to fit through."

Approaching the painting, they pushed it aside, neither of them were surprised to reveal a hidden passageway. Kim smirked at Ron and stepped inside. The corridor's walls were made of brick with torches to light the way; a little creepy, but it was entirely clean and kempt. Walking on, they eventually came to another spiralling staircase. Kim pressed her finger to her lip to tell Ron that they ought to be silent. She was sure they would be nearing the vault soon and she at least wanted the element of surprise on their side.

The staircase seemed to go on forever and with each step Kim grew more and more anxious, fully aware that they were deep underground the mansion. A quick escape was not in mind when Falsetto Jones built this place.

When they finally reached the bottom, they walked down another corridor, the end in sight. With each step she felt Ron slow down and knew he was starting to frighten like a skittish horse in a dark forest. Kim wished for his sake that they were no longer attached and pitied Ron and his fears. Reassuring him, she gave his hand a small squeeze and he seemed to calm down.

At the end of the corridor to the left was an enormous vault. About the size of twenty Kims, give or take! Ron's jaw dropped when he stared up at the giant lock on the silver vault door.

"How can someone open that thing!" he hissed to Kim. "How are we gonna open that?"

"Don't have to," Kim replied dryly.

"Oh?"

Kim pointed to the door at eyesight level; the door was ajar.

"Heh, guess that confirms that they're already here," Ron replied.

"Guess so." Kim walked up to the door and pushed it open a little more, hoping it wouldn't make any noise and slipped inside with Ron following. "Now be quiet."

Ron nodded, cringing and swallowing a gulp. Together the two tip-toed further into the vault, it wasn't easy for Kim to tread softly for her heels clipped lightly on the clean, polished floor.

The vault was lined with metallic shelves containing gems, mini vaults and paintings, all of which Kim assumed were stolen. There were so many aisles and the vault was so massive, it was almost like a labyrinth. Looking up, Kim noticed that there was a catwalk attached to the walls going all around the massive vault high above her head. Wandering down the aisles, Kim had to peer around the corners before they walked down another in case Shego or Drakken were in that neighbouring aisle. Not only were their eyes attentive, but their ears as well and soon Kim and Ron heard faint whispering… bickering whispers to be more specific.

Rounding the corner and looking to her right, Kim realised they were now in an open area, the central area of the vault. Then up a couple flights of stairs, Kim spotted Drakken and Shego hunched over what had to be the largest safe inside the vault with a mini hovercraft floating close by. How they brought the hovercraft into the vault in the first place, Kim had no idea.

Advantageously, Kim bounded out from behind the shelf.

"Stop right there, Dr Drakken!" Kim announced. Standing firm, she pointed an accusing finger at Drakken who was attempting to break open the mighty safe with Shego at his side.

"Kim Possible!" Drakken yelped, whipping around to unexpectedly face his arch-foe. Shego too was caught off guard. Certainly neither of them were expecting to see Kim Possible at the Annual Villain's Ball! The two villains hadn't been so thrown off to see Kim Possible in their lives. At first the two of them stared at Kim and Ron, unrecognising either of them in their disguises but soon their eyes adjusted and saw the hero and her sidekick under the coloured hair and contacts.

"Hand over the microchip you stole from Dementor," Kim continued rigidly.

Drakken opened his mouth to retort but his eyes landed elsewhere. "You two are holding hands now?" he spluttered, pointing at Kim and Ron blinking in confusion. "The hero is actually dating the sidekick? Since when does that happen!"

Kim sighed heavily, throwing her head back.

"Why do people keep assuming that?" Ron asked.

"We live in a society where people jump to conclusions, pity us." Kim drawled.

"So…" Drakken swaggered forward, trying to sound, but failing, evasive. "You two hit sixth base yet?"

"What?" Kim asked.

"Well, you're on first base right now!" Drakken replied.

"Dude, you've got it all wrong," Ron interrupted. "First base is talking, second base is holding hands."

Drakken shook his head, "No, otherwise everybody would have hit first base (, except henchmen number four)."

"I'm telling you," Ron insisted, "First base is talk, second is holding hands. Third is kissing."

"I thought third was hugging."

"It's both."

Drakken nodded his head in thought, "Maybe you're right. Yea, because fourth base is snogging, fifth base is-"

"Heavy petting," Ron helped.

"Right, so six can only be-"

"ENOUGH!" Shego yelled, breaking the absurd conversation. She stepped towards Kim and Ron, her own high heel slamming onto the pristine floor with a loud click. She rose her flamed hands imposingly. "You two are going to hit home base when I'm done with the both of you!"

"O, dudette!" Ron blanched, "Do you even know what that means!"

"Shego, how could you!" Drakken wailed.

"ERGH!" Shego snarled, the flames surrounding her hands flaring with her temper, "Forget the stupid bases! I'm just going to bludgeon the both of you with the bloody hockey stick!"

"Baseball bat." Ron and Drakken said together.

Kim tilted her head to one side and commented dryly, "I hate innuendoes."

"They're not innuendoes, they're metaphors," Ron said.

"I thought they were similes?" Drakken put in.

Ron shook his head, "No, similes are with 'like' or 'as'."

"Aren't similes 'like' and metaphors 'as'?"

"No, metaphors are… like… not." Ron stopped and thought, "Well, maybe they could be idioms…"

"No, I know idioms, those aren't idioms."

"More like idiots," Kim grunted.

"Then… what's 'onomatopoeia'?" Ron asked.

"THIS!" Shego found her opening and launched herself forwards rearing a flamed hand in the direction of Kim's head which she aptly dodged pulling Ron unaware along with her causing Shego's hand to SMASH! into a bag of gold on a shelf behind Kim and Ron, gold coins spraying in every which direction and clattering onto the floor. Realising she missed, Shego let out a grunt and quickly chased after Kim and Ron who were high-tailing it out of the villainess' torrent path.

But Shego was lightning quick even in the high-split dress and heels, strands of hair flying out of the chopsticks and her face contorted in a fearsome rage bent on shredding Kim and Ron to pieces. She was on them in a flurry when Kim had no other choice but to turn around and block a striking blow that sliced through the air and almost disfigured Kim's face.

"Aah!" Kim let out as Shego's forceful blow rattled the bone in her arm which she blocked the attack with.

Infuriated, Shego brought her other clawed hand out and swiped for Kim's eyes which by now were wide open. She had never seen Shego use her powers without her gloves before. Her bare fingers were curved and her long black nails were just as deadly as her clawed gloves, make no mistake. Her pulsating plasma flames danced around her hands as savagely as Shego's temper.

The swipe almost ripped out Kim's own eyes but Ron intervened and slammed himself into Shego, blowing her backwards onto her back with an enraged cry of defiance.

Instinctively, Ron ran for the vault door, but was soon yanked back by Kim. "We still need to get the microchip!" Kim insisted passionately and pulled Ron in another direction towards Drakken.

Growling fervent, Shego pushed herself to her feet, the heels smashing to the floor (if she wasn't careful, they might break!). Leaping from the floor she bounded after Kim and Ron who were running as fast as they could towards Drakken who was ignorant to their approach, busy scooping out bags of money onto a little hovercraft gleefully.

But at that moment, Shego chose to fly at Kim, rearing her flamed hands lethally and diving forwards. Before Shego could strike, Kim noticed Shego's shadow and in a moment of quick thinking, pulled tension on her arm and Ron's, leaning back to her right side. She was worried Ron would pull in her direction but somehow he caught on to her idea and did the same, leaning to his left so they were leaning in opposite directions, their arms stretched out between them.

Unable to stop in middle air, Shego slammed into their attached hands like a pulled rope. But instead of knocking backwards, she pulled Kim and Ron down with her forwards and the three skidded on the glossy floor into Drakken. Gold coins, bills and gold bricks spilled and toppled everywhere, creating a massive mess.

Kim groaned, rubbing her head as she sat up. Instantly she noticed the microchip in its case on the floor next to Drakken that must have been knocked out of his pocket in the collision. She scooped it up and pocketed it into her hand bag before Shego or Drakken came to (which they were now doing).

With the money splayed everywhere, Kim looked around for Ron who was on his stomach now pushing himself up. She wanted to haul him to his feet quickly so that they could all leave while Drakken and Shego were still disorientated.

"Good work, Dr Drakken," said a high-pitched voice from somewhere above.

Shocked, Kim looked up with a jolt and saw Falsetto Jones up on the catwalk, gripping the steal bar and leaning forwards looking down on the scene. "They'll be a reward for you stopping these thieves!"

Alarumed, Ron exchanged a sickening look with Kim and the two of them gritted their teeth. Rufus growled on Ron's shoulder glaring coldly at two of Falsetto's wolfhounds which framed the imposing cat-burglar.

But that wasn't all who was with him. Every villain that had been in the ballroom was now standing along the catwalk fence, leering down at Kim, Ron and Rufus. They were completely surrounded.

"What?" Drakken rambled, pushing himself to his feet, Shego already up. She had poised herself, ready to attack anyone who tried to do her harm despite the deadly odds. But when Falsetto had congratulated Drakken instead of denouncing him as a thief, she recomposed herself, placing her hands on her hips and smirking down at Kim and Ron with contempt.

"I, oh… yes!" Drakken recovered himself, standing straight and grinning from ear to ear. "I caught these thieves trying to steal from your vault! Shego and I were only too happy to stop them for you."

Falsetto nodded and Kim felt her stomach plummet. She sprawled her free palm on the floor, her mouth agape, purely aghast. "Monkey Fist witnessed the two slipping off during the dance and then later spied you two disappearing right after them!" He shot a cold glare at Kim, "I knew I hadn't written these two on my guest list! So who are they really? Government spies?"

Ron shrunk back when Shego's venomous look turned to pure delight at exposing Kim and Ron's real identities. "I think the best part of the party is yet to come!" she announced, raising her voice and shifting her weight, both hands on her hip. "Anyone for a game of pin the laser beam on Kim Possible!"

Every villain in the vault let out a unified gasp of shock, everyone's eyes were now on Kim who sat on defencelessly on the floor. Recognition was riffling through the crowds. She recognised many of the villains who sent daggers at her with their gaze above her. Many of them would be glad to see her dead…

She had the microchip, now the real trouble would be escaping! Kim would have called the jet with the Kimmunicator to blast a hole in the roof, lower a rope and escape, but they were in the basement! The jet would have to blast through many floors to reach her and Ron, not only that but the vault was surrounded in a nearly impenetrable steal…

Rapid were Kim's thoughts, trying to grasp for some sort of plan of escape… But nothing was coming to her! Everything Ron had spat at her back in the bog about her not being able to do everything was coming back to her now… haunting her…

But she wouldn't give up! If she did… the circumstances for her and Ron would be absolutely terrifying. Already some of the villains were bringing out their weapons from inside their coats or the ladies who had lasers attached to a holster around their legs under their dresses… There was no way she could explain herself out of this one, they all saw her for who she really was this time. Could she do anything to save themselves! The vault door was still conveniently left open, if Kim wasn't positive that the villains would shoot at their retreating backs, she might have pulled a Ron and high-tailed it out the door.

"I say we use them for target practice!" one villain shouted out.

"No, kill them now while we have the chance!"

"I should kill her!'

"No me!"

"Make them suffer!"

"Torture!"

"Cut them to pieces!"

"Seriously!"

Some with twitchy fingers were already taking aim…

"This certainly is a surprise!" Falsetto smiled, folding his hands together. His pair of wolfhounds on either side of him were growling in anxious anticipation. "I'm sure we can come up with some sort of party game for these two!"

While the villains cheered and jeered, an idea suddenly sprang into Kim's mind. But it would require fast action and she wasn't sure if she could pull it off with Ron at her side. But no, she had to give Ron credit and attempt her plan regardless. She slid a look at Ron hoping… hoping he'd get the message. She made eye contact with him; his grey eyes were puzzled but seemed to have some sort of understanding. Sucking in her breath, Kim prepared herself and leapt to her feet, bounding forwards past Shego in such a blur that the vile villainess was too shocked to react.

As she dashed past Shego and Drakken, Ron was at her side, his eyesight focused on the hovercraft… her plan; he understood!

Normally she would have back flipped, but with Ron, she just took a mighty bound, Ron vaulting at the exact moment she did, and the two landed in the front seats of the hovercraft, Ron with his free left hand in the cockpit.

"GO!" she shouted at Ron urgently and Ron grasped the gear shift and pushed it into first gear, then second… and yanked another stick which sent the three of them in the hovercraft soared upwards!

"Watch out!" Kim screeched and Ron violently pulled the stick down right before they smashed their heads into the vault ceiling.

"GET THEM!" Falsetto shrilled, his white, shaggy wolfhounds snarling, snapping and howling at his side.

At that order, not that any of them needed it, the laser beams blasted out, shooting at the hovercraft and at Kim and Ron's very heads. The stream of lasers where numerous like rain pelting mercilessly as Ron struggled to navigate the hovercraft.

"Where are we going!" Ron cried out tersely, jerking the hovercraft to a hard left to avoid a particularly nasty laser which would have blasted one of their engines to pieces.

Kim slammed into Ron and grasped the side of the hovercraft to steady herself. "Look for an exit! Drakken can't have brought it in through the painting and all the hallways!"

"There!" Rufus shrilled and whistled, jumping up and down, feathers flying everywhere as he pointed to a hole that had been blasted through the vault. One of the feathers was disintegrated by a laser.

"Ok, let's get outta here!" Ron rose his voice over all the raucous: the engine of the hovercraft, the sounds of the shooting lasers and the loud deriding shouts and outcries of the various villains.

Thrusting the stick forwards as far as it would go, the hovercraft jerked savagely forwards and sped at a frightening speed towards the hole in the wall. Kim's blue eyes were as wide as they could get despite the wind tearing into her face caused by the speeding hovercraft. Her shinny black hair was almost in danger of being left behind; with her teeth gritted, she gripped Ron's hand so tightly she wondered why Ron hadn't shouted out in pain yet.

They tore through the tunnel, the sounds of the laser beams and villains dimming. The tunnel was entirely dark; their only light source was the hovercraft's headlights. Ron slowed down the speed for easier navigation, but not too slow. They were sure the villains would be running for their jets to give chase.

The tunnel was long and winding but soon they were going upwards in a steady slope indicating that they were heading towards the surface. Eventually the hovercraft burst out off the ground and soared high above into the night sky against the glowing ivory moon.

Kim looked behind her and saw the mansion out in the very far distance. So far, Kim could barely make it out. Ron didn't slow down in speed until they were gliding over the ocean on their way directly back to Middleton. Hopefully they had lost the villains.

"What are we gonna do with this money?" Ron asked, jerking his thumb at the few bags of money sitting in the back of the hovercraft.

Kim placed a thoughtful finger to her chin, "We can drop it off at some charity on our way home."

"Aww, too bad," Ron smiled wistfully, leaning back in the plush seat, Rufus snoozing on the dashboard in front of him. He had stripped out of his constraining owl suit and was curled up, his whiskers flapping in the ocean wind. "I was thinking of using em to purchase a three bedroom house for us three."

"Or even a two bedroom house!"

At that last joke, Kim and Ron laughed together but both of them wondering secretly what such a living arrangement would really be like.

Ron had set the hovercraft on auto control, Kim sighed softly, resting her head on Ron's shoulder. He was leaning back, propping up his feet, his head resting on hers. Keeping their eyes lazily half open to keep an eye on their navigation, they relaxed with one another, enjoying each other's company for the long ride home…

ø

The two burst into Kim's bedroom after flying by Kim's parents and twin brothers downstairs without a word, only the continuing laughter of their glee.

Just before landing the hovercraft in the driveway (her Father was sure to have a fit over that and the idea caused them to laugh even more!) they had rained down Falsetto Jones's money above the charity building, employees exclaiming loudly in delight as the heaven's showered them in gold and floating bills. Ron and Kim had a wonderful time giving away the money!

After that they beeped Wade on the Kimmunicator, telling him to alert the police of the major villain convergence at Falsetto Jones' manor. Hopefully all the villains would be captured that night and shut away in jail for their crimes! How the tables had turned, they laughed continually.

Kim shut the trap-door of her bedroom with her foot, tossing her shoes off her feet and her purse to the floor, and the two flung themselves onto Kim's bed, the springs bouncing them up and down with the force of their leap. Still they laughed in unison for awhile before settling down and Ron took the time to throw his tuxedo jacket onto the floor.

When they did, Kim opened her eyes to see Ron's face tucked closely to hers, their noses almost touching. Kim sighed with intense gratification, placing her free hand on Ron's chest and leaning in close to him. She could feel Ron's own free hand wrapped around her. She leaned forwards and placed a kiss on his lips. Ron gave her a kiss of his own and soon felt his weight gently pressing her side as he leaned forward to deliver some more of his sweet kisses.

Their hands in each others, he brought them upwards and laid them beside her head on her fluffy pink pillow. Kim laid on her back and Ron beside her, propping himself to look down at her with his free hand. Shifting his weight from his free hand to his attached hand, Ron lifted his free hand to brush away some black hairs that hung down on Kim's face. He lightly touched her cheek then pulled away and lay back down beside her, slipping his free hand around her again and snuggling close

Kim wrapped hers around his shoulder and leaned into him. Suddenly letting out an unexpected giggle, she leapt up and kissed him hard. She predicted his shock which came but he soon fell into the kiss and returned it with equal vigour. Repeatedly, they kissed each other, their attached hands between them, pressed against each of their chests as they yearned to be closer to each other.

Kim felt herself explode with blush when Ron adventurously put his leg over her and was practically on top of her. Still blushing drastically, she made a quick decision to dive in with a daring act of her own. She ended up thrusting her own tongue into Ron's mouth; his shock was brief for he was indeed pleasantly surprised.

She felt his hold on her tighten, but she enjoyed it. Bringing her free hand, she undid Ron's bowtie and began to undo some of his buttons. He leaned back to allow her to do this, but still remained close enough to continue his kisses.

It was complicated to kiss him back and undo his buttons, plus their attached hands were so cumbersome between each other, it was awkward and they twisted uncomfortably.

"Wait, wait," Kim breathed pulling away with a bit of a struggle from Ron's eager hold. She took a few long breaths, then said again: "Wait."

She almost burst out laughing, although it might have been cruel, at the sudden look of horror that crossed Ron's face. He pulled away quickly as if she had just burned him and began to shrink before her very eyes.

"I… did… what's wrong?" he stuttered, his eyes showed a frightened expression that perhaps maybe they'd gone too far, maybe Kim regretted all of this, maybe…

But Kim spluttered on her laughter, trying to cover it up with her hand. "Ron, hush, don't worry!" She placed her hand on his shoulder and looked into his eyes. "It's ok, Ron!" (He didn't look like he believed her.) "I was just going to suggest that now we have the microchip to cure us, we could contact Wade, get our hands detached then… it'll be easier… to… continue this…"

Immediately Ron brightened up, sitting much straighter; Kim laughed. "That sounds like a totally badical idea, KP."

"Thought you'd like it," she winked playfully at him.

Ron laughed and slipped his arm around her waist once she sat up and drew her close for one last kiss. Giggling, Kim pressed her nose against Ron before departing over to the computer which she booted up, picking up her purse from the floor.

Ron sighed with delirium, kneeling on the floor beside Kim's chair which she now sat in. He was so delighted with his relationship with Kim. It was what he always wanted and now… now she was his…

Kim gave an uncharacteristic slight frown before smiling at Wade when his video-screen popped open.

"What took you two so long?" their computer buddy frowned, sitting in front of his computer in his pyjamas.

"You mean to tell us you actually sleep?" Ron joked, grinning.

Wade shot him a 'not-amused' look before returning to Kim. "You got the microchip?"

"Right here," Kim sang back, pulling the microchip in its case from within her handbag. "Just tell us what we need to do."

"Hang on a sec," Wade turned from them and clacked away at another computer. Studying whatever was on the screen for a moment, he turned back to Kim. "Ok, open the back of the Kimmunicator and place the chip… here." Wade hit a button on his keyboard and brought up a diagram depicting the inside of the Kimmunicator, a glowing red light where the microchip was to be implanted.

Slipping open the back casing, Kim studied the diagram carefully before snapping the chip into place. She leaned back and looked at the chip before closing the protective backing back on the Kimmunicator.

"What next, Wade?" she asked, holding up the Kimmunicator with her free hand so Wade could see.

"I've got the calculations right here, just let me set things up."

"No big, we'll be here," Kim sighed, leaning back in her chair with a fwump.

After some moments of silence, Ron said quietly, "So… this is it, huh?"

Double blinking out of a trance, Kim replied, "I guess so."

"And everything will still be the same…"

"This is just so weird. I'm so not believing we went through an entire week being attached to one another… I still don't get how a wishing machine could have made this happen." Kim clicked her tongue and brought her hand up uselessly, shrugging.

Finally the light bulb went on in Ron's head. Everything was coming back. He could have slapped himself, he was such a fool!

A wishing machine! Didn't I wish I could hold her hand forever? Like, when we were escaping Drakken's a'sploding Lair? Then that shock I got! Oh man, oh dude…THAT'S how all this happened! But…UGH, I didn't want to hold her hand forever, like, literally He rolled his eyes at his own stupidity. But y'know… it's kinda a good thing this happened…He looked at Kim distantly, puzzled, he saw her frowning as if she was in deep contemplation; she looked slightly nettled.

"Alright, Kim," Wade alerted, returning to the screen. "All you have to do is press the button and you'll have two hands once again- each!"

Ron exchanged a nervously anticipating glance with Kim, each of them inexplicably fearing the moment their hands would part. This was it…

Kim pressed the button on the Kimmunicator, aiming it down at their hands. Both of them sucked their breath and pulled apart…

"Waaaaaadeeeee!" Kim wailed, dropping the Kimmunicator back down onto her desk unceremoniously. "It didn't work! Don't tell me we broke the chip."

"What?" Wade asked confused, "O, wait a second. No, sorry, I gotta fix some of my calculations. Just wait a few, ok? … Don't look at me like that, Kim! It'll get done to-night, just give me some minutes while I work this out…" Wade disappeared from the screen leaving Kim and Ron alone.

Kim groaned, rolling her eyes, slamming back in her seat once again.

What if Wade can't fix it! Ron suddenly thought panicked. This isn't what I wanted, dude. This is SO not what I meant when I wished I could hold her hand forever! I always wanted her to be mine, but not like this…At least Josh is gone from her mind forever. Heh. The stupid pretty boy, he never deserved her. Ron felt colour come to his cheeks as he thought, his still grey eyes shimmering. I'm so way past amazed at the progress I've made with her, it's remarkable! I'm just… so grateful… it has to be the reason our hands became stuck together! And because of that, she's mine… all mine. Oh, Kim… I want to be with you forever!

Ron felt himself glowing inside, glowing with the warmth of his affection for Kim. Everything… everything had turned out in the end. All Ron wanted to do was take Kim and snuggle with her knowing… knowing for a fact that she finally felt strongly for him. It was secure now, written in stone.

Then Ron noticed Kim, she sat still, her eyes wide and a look of dumbfounded horror stricken across her face. "K-KP..?" he inquired tentatively wondering if she was feeling some sort of pain (or cramps..?). Slowly, Kim turned her head to look at Ron, that same look upon her face that struck an immense fear from deep within him. Her eyes were on Ron, and yet they didn't seem to quite focus on him…

… When I wished I could hold her hand forever! I always wanted her to be mine but… …At least Josh is gone from her mind forever. Heh. The stupid pretty boy, he… …loved her. I'm… …remarkable. I'm… …the reason our hands are stuck together. And because of that, she's mine… all mine…Forever!

Everything had flown into Kim's mind and she sat as if Ron had just struck her across her face. He was still looking at her inquisitively, how could he? How could he! When…

My goodness… Kim thought, abhorrence dawning on her face, turning back to the computer screen. In her mind, she had felt strange emotions that felt foreign and even random words or phrases come into her mind in the past days that she was sure were not her own. But now. Now she knew and understood.

And… Kim's eyes… tears began to surface… Those were Ron's thoughts… Ron's very thoughts…

She whipped her head around so fast that Ron was greatly taken aback and recoiled at her sudden violent movement.

"How could you!" her voice was rising, almost in a panic and Ron had no understanding why. "So this was all some sort of sick plan of yours! You knew it was a wishing machine!"

"What?" Ron piqued, sitting straight, panic of his own rising. "I don't understand…"

Kim's voice was shaking as it rose, anger was slowly creeping in. "This is all your fault!"

"I, what? No-"

"And… and Josh, you knew he'd be at Bueno Nacho, didn't you!"

"What? How could I have, Kim-"

"You did this all on purpose!" she spat, now pushing herself out of her chair and standing with her feet apart, her blue eyes blazing down at Ron who was still on the floor, cowering. Her voice was so frightening to him, so full of rage like he had never heard before.

"No. Kim, I don't understand-"

"You don't understand! When you had this all PLANNED!" Kim's voice was now shouting—every word she spat out was filled with intense emotion. "All the hell I went through in the past week at school! My reputation, my position as head cheerleader… You got rid of Josh! You did it! You drove him away from me! And why! So I could be some sort of trophy for you!"

Ron gasped with fright on the floor, stumbling to try and stand up. "What! A trophy? Kim, I don't get-"

"So tell me, Ron, when I was crying over Josh and you took me in your arms… that was all some sort of façade to win me over! To gain my TRUST!"

"No! Kim, I lo-"

But Kim wouldn't hear whatever Ron had to say. She was in a vicious temper now and nothing would stop her from saying what she had to say. "Well GUESS WHAT, RON? YOU HAD IT! I can't believe it… I just… you… ah… I trusted you!" Kim scrunched her free hand into a tight fist exclaiming her emotion of disparity and hurt that lay beneath that layer of fulmination that exploded before Ron.

"And I didn't just trust you, Ron! I… I was falling for you and that was just all some sort of sick plan… OH MY GOODNESS. So… is that what you were aiming for this whole time!"

"Kim… what? No, please, liste-"

Kim's head cast back to the bed where they had been laying just moments before and then back to Ron who was now on his feet before Kim. "Just to score with me! You couldn't stand just being my friend could you! When did you start putting on this sincere mask around me, Ron! When did you stop being my best friend and when did you start turning into some sort of… of…" Kim grappled for a word desperately and then she found it, spitting the vile word out at Ron. He stumbled backwards.

Kim opened her mouth to scream more, but Wade popped back up on the computer. "Ok, Kim, it should work now, just press the button and-"

Wade never finished his sentence for Kim shut the computer off and snatched the Kimmunicator which lay upon her desk and pressed the button with uncontrollable vehemence, aiming the Kimmunicator's infra-red light at their hands and…

… And they broke apart, just as Wade said they would. They were free of each other for the first time in a week. The two were suddenly quiet, looking down at their hands which were no longer holding the hand of the other, both of them forgetting their argument to look down at their own two hands.

Ron raised his head and looked at Kim who was still looking down at her hands as if she had never seen them before. "Kim…" he attempted to talk to her calmly, taking a valorous step towards her.

But her head snapped back up, her eyes narrowing, taking a step away from him. "Get away from me," she spat cruelly.

Persistently, Ron continued to beseech her. "Listen to me, Kim. I need to tell you something, about the-"

"Shut-up."

Ron flinched but decided this was one time when Ron Stoppable would not back down from Kim Possible. No. He had something to say too and, bygone it, he'd say it!

He spoke clearly, calmly and firmly: "I think I know what you heard and I can really explain it if you'd just listen. Remember, Kim, you promised to listen to me-"

"Shut-up!"

"Kim, listen to me, I-"

"Shut-up!" she screamed. Ron was positive that her parents, no-matter where they were in the household, could hear them by now.

"KIM!" Ron raised his voice even louder, desperate to be listened to.

"I said SHUT-UP!" And in a swift, brutal movement, she struck Ron hard across the face with the hand that had just been attached to his own. The sound of her slap was deafening to Ron's ears.

Silence.

They stood facing each other. Kim panting hard from straining her vocal cords, her own hands shaking, but from what emotion, Ron had no idea. Ron himself was not looking at Kim, his head unmoved from when she had struck her blow. His eyes were focused onto nothing and yet they shimmered, brimming with tears of pain. Slowly, he finally turned his head to look back at Kim. Lifting his eyes into Kim's, shaken by her abuse. Even behind her blue contacts he could see her real eyes behind them, intoxicated by her fury.

Sounds from beneath the trap door could be heard, the shuffling of feet speeding up from the downstairs staircase.

"Get out," she hissed.

Ron lifted his head slightly.

"Get your stuff and get out. Get out of my room. Get out of my house. Get out of my life!"

Again, Ron recoiled. Could the hurt from those words possibly sting more than the slap?

Kim dashed over to where his bag full of clothing lay by the changing screen, she tossed that at the base of his feet then scooped down for Ron's mission clothes which lay on the floor beside hers where they had dumped them when changing into she had changed out of them to shower. She threw those at Ron too as hard as she could. Then… something slid out of Ron's pocket… and onto the carpeted floor.

They both froze once again, both staring down at what had slid out of one of his belt pockets.

When Kim had finally regained her senses, she bent forwards and scooped it up, thrusting the package into Ron's face. "And how long have you been carrying this around?"

Ron was too horrified to say anything.

"So this is proof!" her voice was so animated with countless emotions, there was fear, despair, rage… "PROOF right here, Ron Stoppable, of your real intentions! My… my goodness…" her upper half heaved forwards and she looked like she was going to collapse, but she regained her stance and glared fiercely into Ron. "Take this," she snarled, throwing the package at Ron's feet, "Take it. Go use it on some other girl. Take it and GET OUT!"

As always in life, whatever Kim said, Ron did without question. His movements were jerky, still shaken by the slap. Kim had struck Ron lightly in the past before, usually on the hand, but not like this… Never like this. Gathering his bag and clothes… and the protection, Ron turned and walked towards the trap door. Below it now he could hear Mr and Mrs Possible's voices calling up to them in worry.

Ron turned one last time to look at Kim. But her eyes held no resentment, only… only burning hatred. If only their hands were still attached, he wanted her to feel his emotions, to hear his thoughts of grief but all of that was only wishful thinking.

His halt must have been too long for Kim's liking for she let out a snarling scream: "I HATE you!"

The cries from below the trap door silenced. On that command, Ron flew from the room and tore past Mr and Mrs Possible who cried out at him to halt, the worry still in their voices; he ran past Jim and Tim, looking at neither of them.

He just fled from that room. Fled from that house. And thus fled from Kim's life.