Author's notes, thanks, etc. are at the end of the chapter. Please read 'em. However, I know you want to dive right in and find out what's going down at BN …
I.
Ron saw that the person holding the gun was more of a teen than a man. Not that that would matter if he decided to shoot. He also noted that the youth seemed jittery. That could be good or bad, Ron decided. He might chicken out. Or he might be trigger happy.
"You. Put your hands up and get over with those two," the teen ordered, trying to sound tough, but betraying a sense of nervousness.
It was clear to Ron that their visitor was a rookie; he'd read the manual and watched the video from Corporate about situations like this. "Okay, pal …" Ron replied, moving towards his two employees. Along the way, he stepped on the panic button, alerting the security company, and thus the police, that help was needed at Bueno Nacho.
Ron's first priority was ensuring that nobody was hurt. He could see the two kids were terrified. He was too; he wasn't ashamed to admit to himself that he had a strong desire to wet his pants. But he was responsible for the boys' safety, and so didn't have the luxury of being scared. Besides, he really didn't want to explain the whole pants thing to Kim when he got home. If I get home, he thought to himself. He didn't want to be melodramatic, but he knew that people had died during robberies of fast food restaurants.
"Give me the cash in the register. And the safe, too."
Ron looked dumbly at the robber, surprised that he knew Bueno Nacho had a safe. The teen smirked. "I worked in one of these dumps. You got a safe."
"Okay, just stay cool."
"Don't tell me what to do, loser!" the teen snapped. Then, to make his point, he fired a shot at the ceiling. Rajiv and Ahmed flinched.
Ron opened the cash register and removed the money. He began putting it on to the counter. "Here ya go. I've gotta go out back; that's where the safe is."
"Don't try anything funny, or I'll waste one of these froobs."
Ron was sure Rajiv and Ahmed were about to cry. "Stay cool, guys. It'll be all right. He just wants the money." I hope, he thought.
Ron went back to his office and opened the safe. He prayed that Gun Dude, as he found himself thinking of his unwanted guest, would just leave after he took the cash.
II.
Sergeant Ron Rieger was sitting in his cruiser two blocks from Bueno Nacho when the call came in over the radio.
"Is there a Middleton unit available for a 10-33 Hold-Up at the Bueno Nacho?" the dispatcher asked.
Rieger reached down and retrieved the radio mic from its cradle. "This is Unit Y-14, I'm en route; ETA, 30 seconds."
"Copy, Y-14 en route. Is there an additional unit to cover Y-14?"
"Adam-1," Chief Hobble replied in his thick Irish brogue. "I'll cover Y-14; I'm about two minutes out."
"Copy, Adam-1 and Y-14 en route to Bueno Nacho."
Returning the mic to its cradle, Rieger activated his overhead lights and floored the cruiser, arriving at the scene a short time later; he was soon joined by Chief Hobble.
III.
Gun Dude cursed when he noticed the flashing lights of the squad car in the lot. Ron, emerging from the office with the cash from the safe, also saw the lights, and hoped the robber would just give up.
He wasn't going to be so lucky.
Gun Dude was now panicking. He moved suddenly, catching Ron off guard, and grabbed his arm. He pulled Ron close and put the gun to Ron's head.
Ron gulped. "Okay, now what?"
"Shut up! I'm thinking."
"Here's an idea …"
The gunman pressed the barrel against Ron's temple. Ron began to think of Kim, trying to calm himself.
"I said shut up!"
"Let the guys go," Ron said, as calmly as he could. "They can tell the cops you're in here and you have a hostage. Then you can, uh, negotiate!"
"Why don't I just keep all three of you?"
"If I were you, I'd like my odds more if there were just one person to watch …"
"This some sorta trick?" Gun Dude asked skeptically.
Ron rolled his eyes. "Uh, chief, you've got a gun pointed at my head. I'm not gonna fool around." I'm just trying to get Rajiv and Ahmed out of here, he thought.
The robber jerked his head towards the door. "Okay, punks, go. Tell the cops not to try anything or this guy gets it."
Rajiv and Ahmed stood rooted to the floor, paralyzed with fear.
"Go. NOW!" Ron yelled, shocking them from their trance, and sending them out of the restaurant.
IV.
The police weren't the only ones heading to the fast food restaurant. The Middleton Evening News regularly scanned the police channels. When they heard what was happening at Bueno Nacho, they dispatched Tricia Labowski and a news truck.
The police quickly blocked off the surrounding streets. But that didn't stop people from gathering around the perimeter of the incident area.
The circus had come to Middleton.
V.
"Well, it's been a pleasure crushing all of you. Again." Kim said smugly, having just run the science category of Strategories. Her family, more than anyone else, had seen the transformation she had undergone since she became involved with Ron. Kim was happy, and at times even relaxed. She smiled and laughed. Yet she remained hypercompetitive and could still be insufferable when she was winning, as was evidenced by the way she was reveling in her board game triumph.
Tim snorted. "Good to see there's a bit of the Dragon Lady left in there"
"Yeah, all that kissy face with Ron this morning. Ugh. Sis is going soft!" Jim added, causing her to blush.
"Kim and Ron, sitting in a tree …" the twins began chanting, much to their parents' amusement. It had been quite some time since their three children had gotten along so well.
"Tweebs!" Kim tried snarling, before she began laughing, too. She got up, hugged her brothers and kissed her parents. "I should be going so I can get the apartment ready before I pick up Ron."
"… first comes looooove, then comes marriage …. Then come tweebs in a baby carriage!"
"Oh, God, shoot me now!" Kim mock-groaned, while actually enjoying the idea of having children with Ron. She continued to think about that as she left the house and went to her car, anticipating spending the final hours of Christmas with Ron in his studio — no, in their home. Kim found herself smiling at that. Our home. Spankin', she thought as she drove to Bueno Nacho to pick him up.
She was surprised when she saw the gathering crowd blocking the street up ahead.
She honked her horn, but people didn't move. She rolled down the window. "What's going on?" she asked a teenager.
"Hostage situation at Bueno Nacho!" the youth replied enthusiastically. "There's …"
Kim didn't hear any more; she jumped out of the car, not even bothering to shut the door or get the keys, and began pushing through to the front of the crowd, to Bueno Nacho. And Ron.
VI.
After Kim left, James and Ann decided to watch the evening news. They were shaken by the live report they were watching.
"Ron …" James muttered.
"James, if anything happens to him …"
"I know," he said. Kim's parents had become quite fond of Ron. They didn't want him to be harmed. And they knew what Ron meant to their daughter. They feared what would happen if she lost him, especially under circumstances like this.
VII.
Jim and Tim had left shortly after Kim, having to return to base and facing the prospect of a very long drive. They turned on the radio and heard the news of what was happening at Bueno Nacho. They quickly made a decision. It really wasn't hard to do, though there might be some serious fallout. They liked Ron a lot, even though they didn't know him very well. And even if they'd had a rocky relationship with their big sister over the years, they still loved her.
Jim withdrew his pocket supercomputer and began hacking away, gaining access to the Middleton Police Department's voice and data networks. He grinned.
"Remember Officer Hobble?"
"Yeah," Tim, who was driving, responded.
"Well, he's chief now. And guess what else …"
VIII.
Kim surveyed the scene. The Middleton Evening News truck had been joined by two others. Lights for newscasts had been set up. And a helicopter hovered overhead. Middleton wasn't accustomed to this kind of excitement, especially on Christmas Night. It all struck Kim as surreal and angered her. These people were voyeurs and parasites, looking for cheap thrills; they weren't interested in Ron or whoever else might be inside. She began throwing elbows and shoving people out of her way as she approached the barrier.
She ducked under the yellow police tape and began running towards the restaurant, driven by instinct more than thought. She was quickly intercepted by Rieger.
"Whoa, where do you think you're going?"
"Please, officer. My boyfriend. He's inside."
Rieger looked at the woman. He knew her. At least by sight. She had been a high school classmate, though she didn't remember that. One of the Queen Bees. The head cheerleader. One of the stuck-up ones. He'd seen her in the papers and on TV. She was now some hot-shot scientist. Married to Mankey, he thought. But now with a boyfriend. Divorced or having an affair? Rieger didn't care; it was none of his concern.
"Please, Ron," Kim said pleadingly as she recognized her old classmate. "I won't get in the way. I can help. I'm a doctor."
Rieger looked at Kim. He sensed that this wasn't the aloof girl he'd known a decade earlier. This was someone vulnerable, and very, very worried about someone she obviously cared about a great deal. "Follow me."
IX.
Rieger and Kim reached the command post, which happened to be Chief Hobble's car. He was talking on a cell phone. Kim looked over the roof of the car and into the restaurant. She gasped as she saw the gunman, who was also talking on a phone, holding a weapon to Ron's head. They were looking directly at her. Seeing Ron in such danger, she wanted to cry. But she knew Ron, being Ron, would then immediately begin worrying about her. Right now, he needed her to help him stay calm. She wanted to rush in, save him, but knew she couldn't. So she did the one thing she knew she could do: she returned his gaze and didn't let it go.
X.
Okay. I got Rajiv and Ahmed out of here. Maybe miracles do happen on Christmas. Don't think Rabbi Adler would like to know I thought that … At least if this guy pulls the trigger, I'll have seen Kim one more time. Jeez, am I selfish. I don't want her to see that happen … Don't think that way, Stoppable, Ron thought as he looked at Kim. You're getting out of here. Somehow. You're going to be with Kim. And that's all there is to it.
XI.
Chief Hobble put down his phone and looked at Rieger.
"Our suspect's a novice. Doesn't know what he wants or why. But he obviously hasn't hurt the hostage yet." Hobble looked at Kim; she was vaguely familiar. "Who's this?" he asked, sounding annoyed.
"I'm Kim Possible," she said, not looking at the police officer. "And the hostage has a name. It's Ron Stoppable. And he's my boyfriend."
Hobble swore. Just what he needed: an emotional girlfriend. He already had two shell-shocked teens on his hands.
Guessing the police officer's thoughts, Kim added, "Don't worry, Chief. I'm not going to go all freaky on you"
The icy tenor of her voice convinced Hobble she wasn't posturing.
XII.
Tim and Jim were standing behind Bueno Nacho, their backs against the wall. They had found the door they were looking for.
"Hobble, this is TJ1. We are in position."
"Copy, TJ1. We have heard from the suspect. He's on edge. There is one hostage. He's unharmed but is being held at gunpoint."
Tim cursed. They never made it easy. But that's why they paid him and his brother the big bucks.
"Copy Hobble."
"TJ1, proceed with extraction. Repeat, proceed with extraction."
"Copy Hobble. Commencing extraction now.
XIII.
"I didn't know Middleton had a hostage rescue team," Kim, once again looking towards Ron in Bueno Nacho, said, having overheard the conversation.
"Uh, it's actually called a SWAT team and they're, uh, new, Ms. Possible," Hobble informed her.
Hobble had been surprised when the call came in from what would prove to be an untraceable number; the caller knew all about his time in the Marines, and said enough to convince the chief that he and his partner had experience in this kind of situation. Hobble also knew enough not to ask for names. He'd figured out that whoever was calling was CIA or military, knew what he was doing, and knew that the less he told the police, the better. The chief also knew that the less he knew, the less he could tell the press, when the inevitable questions began to come. But right now, he was willing to deal with that problem if it meant the hostage was brought out safely.
XIV.
Jim watched his brother finish his work on the lock. Not for the first time, he mused at how easy — and lucrative — it would be for them to disappear with all the gadgets they had and become master criminals. They'd once actually talked about what they could do and realized that if they really wanted to, they could take over the world. They, of course, were not the only ones to reach that conclusion. Someone in the government had been keeping an eye on them ever since word began to spread a decade earlier of the two boy geniuses who were having articles about things like silicon phase disruptors published in peer-reviewed science journals — when they weren't experimenting with J200 rocket fuel. In their senior year of high school, Tim and Jim were approached by the CIA, Global Justice, and the Navy. Each offered to put them through college and then put them on the payroll. Tim and Jim accepted the Navy's offer when they were guaranteed that they would be able to use their inventions in the field after they graduated from Annapolis. That, plus the cool uniforms, won them over. CIA wore civvies. And the GJ guys, well, they dressed like dorks.
Tim and Jim were now officially part of the Naval Warfare Systems Development Command. That, however, was just a cover that offered the side benefit of letting them mess around in a lab. Their real assignment was as a black ops unit of the Navy SEALs that operated under its own code name: Team Possible. The arrangement worked well for everyone. People in Washington didn't have to wonder about Tim and Jim trying to take over the world. And Tim and Jim got to help people, do cool stuff, play with their "toys," and date really hot women.
They shouldn't have been at Bueno Nacho; what they were doing violated all sorts of regulations and laws, starting with the Posse Comitatus Act, which prohibits American armed forces from conducting operations on domestic soil. But they also knew that the life of the man their sister loved, the man who was helping her find real happiness for the first time in years, was at stake. And as far as the twins were concerned, even if they and their sibling had had a strained relationship over the years, there was no question: Dragon Lady took precedence over Uncle Sam.
XV.
He's smiling at me! Kim thought in amazement. She flashed him a huge smile in return. Then, she reached behind her head, removed her barrette, and shook out her hair. She knew Ron liked it when she did that.
XVI.
Ron's goofy grin only grew larger as he watched Kim's hair fly. He knew what she was doing and he loved her for it. It's so flippy, he thought, feeling a deep calm settle over him.
"What are you smiling at, loser?"
"Nothing, chief. Just trying to keep my spirits up. You know …"
"SHUT UP! You talk too much!" Gun Dude barked, sounding increasingly edgy.
Ron began to worry. He knew he was dealing with an amateur.
XVII.
"Kim?"
Reluctantly, she turned to Ron Rieger.
"Sorry, I know what you're doing …"
Kim blushed.
"… but one of the guys who was in there asked to talk with you."
Kim looked back to Ron, then followed Rieger to a cruiser. The two teens were sitting in the back seat. One climbed out.
"Dr. Possible?" Rajiv stammered.
"Yes …" she thought he looked familiar. Most of them did by now. "It's …"
"Rajiv."
"What's up?"
"I just wanted to tell you. The boss. He got us out of there. Offered himself as a hostage. I'm sorry we left him …"
Kim saw the teen was about to lose it. He feels guilty, she thought. "Rajiv, it's okay. Ron knew what he was doing."
"But Dr. Possible, if he doesn't …" The young man broke down. Kim grimaced, not wanting to contemplate the implications of "if he doesn't …"
"He's coming out, Rajiv," she said softly but confidently. "I know it. Ron won't let us down. He won't …" she said as she embraced the crying teen.
XVIII.
Tim and Jim quietly eased the door open, then crawled into the rear of the restaurant. Like ninjas, they made their way through the food preparation area. Once behind the counter, they tossed smoke grenades over to the other side. Both Gun Dude and Ron were caught completely by surprise.
Ron didn't know what was going on, but he took advantage of the moment of confusion to make his move. He reached up and wrested the gun from Gun Dude's hand, knocking the weapon away, before taking his captor's arm, which he twisted viciously, provoking an animal-like cry. Ron then flipped the teen onto the floor.
Tim and Jim, wearing infrared goggles, saw this unfold as they rushed around the counter, their directed energy weapons drawn. They were impressed by Ron's initiative. He was a rank amateur, but he'd clearly been paying attention in those kung fu lessons he was taking with their sister. With the gun away from Ron's head and Ron out of the way, they were free to shoot Ron's attacker. Tim had the better angle; he took aim and fired at the assailant, stunning the youth.
XIX.
Kim grew tense when the inside of the restaurant was obscured by smoke. She prayed that the SWAT team knew what it was doing.
XX.
Okay, this night has officially gone from scary to level ten weirdness, Ron thought, as the two figures emerged from behind the counter with futuristic looking weapons. He saw one of them fire at Gun Dude. Then, they quickly retreated back behind the counter and disappeared, leaving Ron standing in the smoke-filled restaurant, wondering what had just happened.
XXI.
Ron walked out of Bueno Nacho into the night air. It was bitterly cold, and he was wearing a short-sleeved shirt, but he didn't care. He was free. He looked towards Kim, and saw she was running to him; he wanted to respond in kind, but couldn't, as his knees began to feel wobbly and his hands began trembling.
She pulled him close, sensing his distress, and embraced him, gently stroking his hair.
"I'm here, Ron. You're safe. It's over."
"Th-thanks for being here, KP. I, I can't tell you how much seeing you meant to me."
"Hey, you once said you had my back. Well, I've got yours," she murmured before kissing him.
XXII.
The police found the robber unconscious in Bueno Nacho. Ron gave them a brief statement. He tried to avoid the media, but failed. After they heard about what Ron did for Rajiv and Ahmed, they insisted on talking with him. Rieger suggested to Kim that she encourage Ron to give them their interviews, since they wouldn't leave Ron alone until they got what they wanted. This was too big a story.
So Ron, with Kim close by his side, approached the press, spoke for a few moments, and then excused himself, saying he wanted to spend what was left of Christmas with his girlfriend. Rieger gave Kim and Ron a ride back to the apartment and also offered to collect Kim's car for her, assuming it hadn't been stolen by now.
As Kim climbed out of the police cruiser, Rieger called her name.
"Yes, Ron?"
He grinned. "Glad to see things turned out okay," he offered, jerking his head towards Ron. She sensed he meant something more than this evening.
"So am I. For a stuck-up Queen Bee, I did do all right, didn't I?" she asked, smiling warmly.
Rieger chuckled. "You're okay, Possible. See ya around." And with that, he drove off.
Kim then took Ron's hand and led him into their home.
XXIII.
"Mmm. Good morning."
Ron opened his eyes to see a dazzling smile beneath sparkling green eyes framed by a riot of red hair.
"Hey," he replied tenderly, pulling Kim in for a kiss. He felt the warmth of her body against his and felt at peace, the events of the previous evening now seeming distant.
Ron noticed that he and Kim were a tangle of sheets, their clothes strewn about the floor. He grinned as he ran his fingers through her hair. "You, Doctor, are incredible."
"You're not so bad yourself, mister."
"No, I'm serious. I mean, how did you know to do that?"
"I am a trained medical professional, you know."
"Oh, so any patient would get that treatment …"
"No!" she replied indignantly, before giggling. "Only you," she murmured, as she began nibbling his ear.
When they'd returned to the apartment Ron had been exhausted, his danger-induced adrenaline rush having long worn off. Kim had gone to the little kitchen to make some herbal tea for them; by the time the water was boiling, Ron had fallen asleep in the armchair. She quietly opened the futon and readied it for sleeping, thinking to rouse Ron, but then decided against waking him. She draped the blanket over him, kissed him on the forehead, then kicked off her shoes and climbed into bed.
The clock said 2:48 when Kim was awakened by the sound of Ron screaming, his hand on his right temple. She immediately jumped up and ran to him, putting her arms around him.
"Ron, what is it? I'm here," she said, concern infusing her words as she held her trembling boyfriend. She led him to the bed and hugged him.
His breathing was labored and he was sweating. Slowly, he began to calm down. "Oh man. I, I dreamed I was back at Bueno Nacho. He was there, he had the gun to my head, and, and he pulled the … Oh geez," Ron whispered. "KP, I was so scared …"
"It's okay, Ron. It's okay to be scared. But don't forget: you were brave, too, Ron. You were a hero."
"KP, I was ready to pee my pants," he said, his words laced with shame.
"But you didn't, Ron," Kim said, holding him close. "You got those kids out. You stayed strong; I saw it. So it's okay that you were scared. It just means you're smart, too."
Kim noticed that Ron was still touching his temple. "Kim, the barrel, it was cold …"
"Shhh, Ron. Shhh," Kim said as she took his hand from his temple. She then began to gently rub that spot with her fingers, then kissed it tenderly. Then, to Ron's surprise, Kim began to take off her shirt.
"K-KP, what are you doing …" he asked, confused.
"When you reach to touch your temple, when you think of it, I want you to think of me, doing this …"
Soon they were bonding with an urgency and intensity that was consuming. They made love with abandon that night, and it wasn't until the sun began to rise that they actually fell asleep.
XXIV.
It was almost noon.
Kim removed Ron's arm from around her shoulder and threw off the sheet. She got up, allowing Ron to admire her, and went to retrieve his Christmas present.
"Whatever's in this box won't be as exciting as you," he said, leering and grinning at Kim.
"You are a bad boy!"
"You love it."
"Yes, I do," she purred. "Now open!"
He tore off the paper from the box, then removed the lid.
"Oh, Kim. This is … how?"
"Ned helped."
"KP, it's … oh man, this is great."
He was holding a picture in a silver frame on which the words "Nacho Boy and the Dragon Lady" had been engraved. He thought the inscription was a hoot. But what really moved him was the grainy black and white photo, shot from above from a security camera. It clearly showed Kim and Ron at the counter at Bueno Nacho. And the time/date stamp revealed that the picture was taken the day they made their introductions.
"Thanks, KP," he said, noticing that she was beaming. He gave her a kiss, then got up, allowing her to ogle him. He knew he wasn't as fit as Kim, and so he could be self-conscious. But he'd been trying to get into better shape, while learning to accept her assertions that she loved him for who he was, not how he looked. He presented her with two boxes, one cube-shaped, the other long and thin.
"Which should I open first?" Kim asked, practically bouncing with excitement.
"The small one," Ron answered.
Kim complied. "Oh, Ron, they're beautiful," she cooed, looking at the small pearl earrings. She began putting them on. Ron found this to be incredibly sexy, and Kim smiled as she noticed just how he was reacting.
"Down boy!" she teased.
"Be nice, or I'll take the other one back."
"So not going to happen," she said airily, before she removed its wrapping. "Ron! You shouldn't have. This must have cost you a fortune."
"No, it didn't. The earrings are real. The necklace isn't. But it's just an IOU until I can replace them with the real thing."
Kim threw her arms around Ron. "Don't even think of it. I love them." Kim pulled away and held the necklace, then looked coyly at Ron. "Would you …?"
He took the string of faux pearls from her, then draped it around her neck. As he closed the clasp, she wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him down onto her.
They had a most enjoyable afternoon.
XXV.
Both Kim and Ron were surprised by how well their new living arrangements were working even though Kim had been on her own for nearly a year and Ron had never lived with anyone else other than his parents. They had the occasional spat about toilet seats left up and tooth paste caps left off, but on the whole things went smoothly, and they adjusted to sharing a home. Ron enjoyed pampering Kim, always making sure that she had a good breakfast before she left for the lab and a homemade lunch packed in her briefcase. Kim kept the studio tidy and, on nights when Ron worked the late shift at Bueno Nacho, had special … treats waiting for him. They knew the situation couldn't go on forever, though. The place was just too small for two people. It was Kim who finally broached the topic.
"I'll miss having you here, KP," Ron sighed, knowing she was right. There wasn't enough room; their cozy studio would sooner or later become a divorce box.
Kim took a deep breath, as if she was readying herself to jump from an airplane.
"Ron, I'd like you to come with me."
"Huh?"
"I still want to live with you. I thought a condo — with a killer kitchen for you. There are some nice new ones near Mom and Dad."
Ron slumped. "KP, I can't afford real estate. You know that."
Kim saw the dejected look on Ron's face. It was his "failure face" and while she rarely saw it, when she did, it saddened her.
"Ron, I can." Sensing he was about to protest, Kim added, "And you can contribute what you currently pay in rent to the mortgage."
Ron sat quietly for what to Kim seemed an eternity. "You sure about this, KP?"
"Buying a place together? I'm the one with all the bon-diggity degrees, aren't I?"
"I mean … us."
"What are you talking about?" Kim asked, startled. She thought everything had been going so well for them; that was why she was ready to make this long-term commitment to a common future.
"KP, I love you. But …"
"But what?" she asked, worry tingeing her voice as she began to fear what Ron might be about to say.
"KP, you're so smart and successful and beautiful and you're talking about our buying a place but really you'd be buying the place and I'm just a manager of a Bueno Nacho who will never be able to afford to buy anything and I'm scared that you'll wake up someday and be bored with me because I'm stupid and I'd understand …" Ron trailed off and sat, hanging his head. He'd done it. He'd given voice to his deepest insecurities.
They were sitting on the futon. Kim wrapped her arms around Ron and nuzzled him.
"Ron, why are you worried all of a sudden? You know I love you."
"The conference thing." Kim had been invited to give an address at a prestigious gathering in Hawaii of scientists and researchers. She invited Ron to join her, thinking the two of them could use a break from what had been a very cold, snowy winter. And she thought having Ron along would make the whole thing a lot more fun. "There are going to be all these guys better suited for you. People you can discuss your work with. Smart people. Not losers like me."
Kim sighed. "Ron Stoppable, look at me," she ordered, placing her hand beneath his chin and lifting his face so his eyes met hers. "You are not a loser. You are my boyfriend. And my best friend. You keep me in check. You're brave and funny and sweet and kind and fun to be with, and when I was lost in my bitterness you led me back to happiness. And I think you're a hottie. So what if you're not Einstein? I bet Einstein couldn't cook the way you do," She said with a warm smile. Then, giving him a hug, she added, "Ron, I believe in you. Don't sell yourself short. I think you're pretty amazing."
"Really?"
"You've tamed Kimzilla, haven't you?"
A sheepish grin began to spread across Ron's face. "You must think I'm ridiculous."
"No, I don't, Ron. There have been times that I've worried you'd grow tired of me," she admitted. Kim's fear had been that Ron would grow tired of a research-obsessed scientist whose primary recreational activity was clothes shopping.
"Not gonna happen, KP. Ever." Ron retorted, thinking of the movies they went to, the conversations they had, the kung fu they were learning together, and all of the many other things he'd come to enjoy doing with his girlfriend.
"Then you should believe me when I say the same to you."
Kim saw the relief on Ron's face.
"So, you really want to get a place together?"
Kim smiled and nodded. "I do, Ron." Then she gave him a lusty smile. "Besides, you don't think after shacking up with you I'm going to be able to get by without 24 hour access to my Taco Boy Toy, do you?"
Ron grinned, then laid Kim back on the futon. "Taco Boy Toy this, Dragon Lady …"
TBC …
I continue to be astounded by the response to this story. My gratitude to all of you for reading.
Thanks to campy, JMAN2.0, The Odd Little Turtle, spectre666, mattb3671, daywlakr82, recon228, The Halfa Wannabe, Charles Gray, swiglo3000, Knottaclue, Theta-Alpha-One, Yuri Sisteble, SirDucksworthy, Jerzrianna2.0, Commander Argus, Harufu, Zaratan, The Incredible Werekitty, jasminevr, JPMod, TexasDad, conan98002, happyendingsmaybe, JeanieBeanie33, nmorgendorffer, Big B, zipporahvulcan, MtnRon, drakwolfstoppable, captainkodak1, Scoutcraft Piratess, Drakken's Woman, HorizonFilm, little-n-lost, Morsamare, Ace Ian Combat, and Dixon-San for reviewing and to everyone who has added Nacho Boy to their favs and alerts lists.
Special thanks to campy of his usual excellent proof-reading and beta services and to guest beta reader recon228 for serving as my police lingo and procedural consultant.
You should check out Recon228's Thin Blue Line and Loss of Innocence: Redux. They're bon-diggity good reads.
And, if you're interested in what I've got in store for you when I've completed Nacho Boy, go to my dA web page, which you can access via my author profile, and check out a preview of Kim Possible: The Next Generation.
Finally, you saw it on KP, Disney owns it.