Kim Possible and Ron Stoppable, and all other copyrighted content is property of Disney.

Please r&r. This is my first fan-fiction.

Chapter Five Second Chances

"Damn-it Ron! Don't you dare play stupid with me. You know very well what I mean." Kim said. She was getting agitated now, and squirming around moving her arms, so Ron let her go.

"You know very well I was the one who asked to break it off. I was the one who gave up. And I am the reason we have not seen each other in six years! You have to hate me!"

"Kim, I don't hate you. Furthermore, I don't have to do anything I don't want to do." Ron said as calmly but sternly. With her injuries, he was afraid that getting her worked up even more would cause her to hurt herself. "Kim, maybe I better go. We can talk about this later, once you calm down and have a chance to collect yourself."

"NO!" She softened a little. "Please Ron, don't go. I know your upset, but I want to talk about this now." Kim calmed down a little, at least visibly. She looked pitiful to Ron, and he was sure that if her eyes were not covered with a bandage she would have launched into a full Puppy Dog Pout to keep him there.

"Sigh…Alright, I'll stay." Ron mentally kicked himself. This was going to be painful. Why not just let sleeping dogs lie? 'You know damn well why. It's the same reason you were sitting on that beach in the first place.' Somewhere in Ron's mind it surfaced. 'You still love her!' They both remained silent again. Where does one begin to sort out this type of situation? It took them both at least five minutes of silence and thinking to start some sort of conversation. It was going to be a long night.

"So…how have you been lately? Your mother told me that you graduated from culinary school last time I saw her. That was over two years ago, though." Kim spoke first. This was going to be a very long night.

"I've been good. I work down here at the Regent, just down the street a little ways. It's the nicest restaurant in Miami. I'm the head chef now." Despite the situation, and himself, Ron was grinning now. He was proud that he was successful at something. Everyone knew he had made lack-luster grades and was a bit of a klutz in high school, so to be a successful chef at Miami's hottest and nicest restaurant was a big deal to him.

"Good for you Ron! I knew you could be successful if you just could get interested in something."

"Yeah…Kim please, I know you already know all about my life from Wade. He told me you asked after me every now an then." Ron said, returning to serious now.

"Ahh…I can explain that…see I…"

"No need for an apology Kim. Truth be told, I have had him keep tabs on you as much as you have on me. Why didn't you know I did that? I never told him to keep it a secret from you, only not to tell unless you asked."

"I didn't want to know." Kim simply stated. "I was afraid what might happen if I or you knew. It was hard enough the first time..." Kim was forlorn looking again, If Ron could have seen her eyes, she probably would have been crying again. He reached out and took her hand again.

"Kim look, I don't hate you. I'm not going to yell at you or throw a fit. It was six years ago. I have learned to cope."

"How can you say that? I don't understand. I don't want you to do this Ron, I know I hurt you, and I know you have to hate me. Please don't hide it just because I'm hurt. If I'm going to get over this you have to let me know how you really feel!" Kim new very well Ron was adept at hiding his feelings from the world. He had done it for years against her in high school. GJ had done a physical and mental evaluation of the team following high school, and it was listed as one of his personality traits. It had said he would hide from confrontation or emotional upheaval by masking it with humor, or by avoiding it entirely. They had both read each others results.

"Kim, I know you think I'm hiding, but I'm not. I have had a lot of time to cope, and think since we parted and I am fine. Now I will say I am disappointed, hurt, feel betrayed, depressed, and a little angry, but I don't hate you." Kim seemed to accept this and nodded, squeezing his hand lightly.

"Look Kim, I was angry and hurt for a long time, but I got over it. It won't help either of us to get upset and start yelling at each other. It won't accomplish anything to hang onto anger that will not help us. Kim, I've let it go and accepted that this is my life now. I tried to hold onto the past for a long time. Eventually I found the only direction I could go anymore was forward. So please, for me, for us, and for yourself; let it go." Ron was normally a fairly easy going guy. This was the most serious discussion he had been involved in for years, and it was starting to give him a headache. Kim seemed to know it, weather or not she could see him. In no small part for the fact that for the better part of nearly 17 years they had been best friends and, eventually, lovers.

"Ron, I just want to say I'm sorry one last time. I'll try to let it go, but can I ask you one last question before you change the topic."

"Ok…I'm listening."

"Do you think we could try…at least try, to be friends again?" Ron smiled at this. He had thought there would have been a lot more discussion before they had reached this intersection.

"I'd like that." Ron said quietly, his smile growing wider. Kim finally smiled, for the first time that day, and to her, the first time in what seemed like forever.