Chapter 4: Beat of the head, wound of the heart

It was Monday and everyone was filing into the school but Ron was still in the past. He was daydreaming over what happened on the weekend. At the movies Ron was tempted to put his arm around his date's shoulder but he was extremely timid. His arm had moved closer and farther away, yo-yoing back and forth until Joan moved her self so his arm got pinned down around her. Did she do it on purpose? Ron didn't know or care, she obviously didn't mind. After the movie they went for a picnic in the park and finished their date with ride around town on his scooter.

"Life is sweet, right K.P.?" Ron said fishing his books out of his locker.

"Uh? Yeah, whatever." Kim answered emptily.

"Something wrong?"

"It's nothing."

"Okay see you in Latin."

Ron walked off to meet Joan. As Ron walked with her Joan looked back at Kim with a concerned look on her face. Kim was in solitude. She leaned against her locker arms crossed and eyes staring at the ground. She had started to regret not following Ron on his date to see what happened; she knew something big must have gone down. She just heaved a sigh. Kim heard footsteps approach her from her right but didn't look up.

"Aw, what's the matter Kim? Jealous that someone stole your precious boyfriend away?" Bonnie Rockwaller's negative voice filled Kim's ears.

Kim stood up straight to face her hated rival.

"He's not and never was my boyfriend." Kim argued sternly.

"Don't feel bad." Bonnie replied mockingly. "I understand. I know what it feels like to be dumped…oh what, no I don't."

Bonnie walked off laughing darkly as the rest of the squad followed in silent support. Kim didn't have to convince herself that Bonnie was wrong, Ron was never her boyfriend, but she couldn't help but feel like she had been dumped. They day continued on and so did Kim's empty feeling.

"Ready for some snackage?" Ron asked Joan as he waited by her locker.

Joan glanced over at Kim who was down the hall talking to Monique.

"Actually Ron, I have to get home early. I guess it's just you and Kim today."

Ron was surprised at first but shrugged.

"Okay, see you tomorrow."

Ron started to walk towards Kim.

"Monique it's getting worse!" Kim shouted silently.

"Are you just saying that because you didn't see what happened at the fair?"

"No! People think that I care if Ron has a…" Kim gestured the last word.

"So you don't care?"

"Yes. I mean no…well kind of."

"Run this by me again."

"I hate being in this position. You don't know what it's like to be third wheel of the world's most obvious couple?"

Monique stared at Kim blankly.

"What?"

"Ron's coming."

"Good you're going to talk to him like you agreed to."

"Maybe you should. It would make a lot more sense."

Kim opened her mouth to argue but was silenced quickly.

"Hey guys. Kim looks like it's just you and me for snackage today."

Kim looked at Monique who gave her the "it's the perfect opportunity" look.

"Okay, but Monique's coming to."

Monique looked at Kim with perplexed eyes.

"Hi-ho silver away!" Rufus shouted from down below.

"You heard the naked mole rat." Ron said heading for the door.

"Why am I coming?"

"For support at the least!" Kim replied firmly dragging Monique by her wrist.

"And I don't know what it's like being the third wheel." Monique scoffed silently.

Later at the Bueno Nacho after they ordered Ron, Kim and Monique were all sitting at the usual table. Ron was engulfing his food, Rufus the same while Kim picked at her food while glancing up at Ron periodically. Monique had her arm up on the table to support her head as she glared at Kim. She constantly head gestured to Kim to start talking but Kim did nothing.

With a fake exuberance in her voice Monique announced. "Well I have to go to the ladies room; I'll leave you two alone for a minute."

And as she left she gave Kim a quick yet hard nudge to give the noted push in the right direction. Kim rubbed her hands together for a moment before speaking.

"Roncaniaskyousomething?"

Ron stopped eating and looked at Kim.

"What?"

Taking a breathe Kim slowed down. "Ron, can I ask you something?"

"Sure, what's on your mind?"

Kim's mind was a blank. No idea what she was doing or even what she had intended. Kim began to act on impulse.

"You really like Joan don't you?"

Ron sat back and made a goofy face.

"No. What makes you say that?"

"Ron?"

"Okay, I do. Don't tell anyone K."

"Everyone already knows Ron."

"Really?" Ron blushed with embarrassment.

Kim never saw Ron so worked up over a girl before. He had always been trying to get a date and all but this time it seemed like he really liked her. Kim didn't let herself get distracted by this matter.

"Ron, do you think you're… is she… is there…" Kim couldn't finish.

"I don't follow."

Kim sighed. "Never mind, I'm just tired."

Kim returned to forking her salad, Ron went back to his nachos. Monique had been watching the whole time from the order counter and rolled her eyes.

"Painful to watch huh?" she asked Ned.

"Yeah, she's not even using the diablo sauce. It's what gives the flavor" Ned responded with equal frustration.

"You don't know a thing about girls do you?" Monique accused turning to face him.

"I know they can be slaves to fashion and popularity. That they will always choose the handsome jock who thinks epinephrine is a form of toothpaste over the quite guy who's a good listener and open to new experiences. That their kindness and flirtation is only used to get what they want and the thought of hurting someone's feelings doesn't even enter their mind."

Monique stared at Ned a little overwhelmed.

"Wow! That was harsh and yet brutally accurate."

"Does that mean you'll go out with me?" Ned asked with hope in his eyes.

"Not a chance!" Monique snapped walking off.

"You see, this is exactly what I was talking about!"

The next few days brought more disappointment and Kim felt the same seclusion even when she was with Ron. Gradually Ron and Joan started to be more open to each other, they would hold hands in the hallway, Ron would drive Joan around almost everywhere and this only made Kim more and more agitated.

It was cheerleading practice and Kim was warming up as she noticed Joan came to watch, apparently they had another date afterwards.

"K.P. you okay? You seem a little spaced out."

"No, not at all. I'm fine with it."

"With what?"

"Everything. There are no problems at all."

Ron shrugged and walked over to side of the court putting his mad dog head on. Kim shook her head and tried to clear her mind for the next routine the squad would perform. Kim had to come in from the side complete a few quick regular cheer poses, followed by back flipping down the path the other girls would create where she would be fall back on the last flip to be hoisted up to the top of the pyramid. No big.

"Let's go!" Kim commenced the routine.

Following through the poses with no flaw she began her flipping keeping full attentiveness to the how many more was needed to reach the end. She exited the flips with out fail and fell back onto the two girls who lifted her up to the pyramid where Kim stood tall and proud and announced.

"Go Mad Do…" Kim couldn't finish.

Kim's eyes had locked on to the side of the court where Ron had taken his mad dog head off and had his arms around Joan. The two where kissing, fully lip locked. Gravity increased on Kim a thousand times over as she lost her balance. She plummeted to the hard basketball court floor with a painful thud. Her vision blurred over and the last thing she heard before she blacked out was Ron screaming her name.

"Kim?" a voice waved gently across her ears.

Kim's eyes slowly fluttered open to see everyone was standing over her with Ron and Monique kneeling beside her.

"So she isn't in a coma, I guess I owe you a buck Tara." Bonnie mumbled.

"Are you okay?" Monique asked.

"I'm fine I just Ahhh!" Kim grasped the back of her head as she rose.

"That doesn't look good, come on Kim, let's get you to the hospital." Monique slowly helped Kim to her feet.

"I'm coming too." Ron insisted.

"NO!" Kim roared.

Ron looked violated.

Kim changed her tone. "I'll be okay Ron, just get back to practice."

Kim stepped slowly as she made her way to the doors. The other girls watched momentarily before getting back to practice.

Ron stood beside Joan as they surveyed her condition.

"Do you think she'll be okay?" Ron asked in need of reassurance.

"I hope so." Joan answered with a guilty look on face.

Monique had driven Kim to the hospital where she received an examination from the best doctor in the field of the cranial cavity, Dr. Possible. Kim waited in the examining room for her mom to come back from the lab. The back of her head was pounding with quick intense bursts of soreness. Kim rubbed the patch but it did nothing to help. Kim's thoughts kept on returning to the moment that she lost balance, what she saw before she fell. She didn't want to remember that moment, she wanted it erased, the more she hated it the more she thought of it thus initiating the vicious cycle.

"How are we feeling know?" Mr. Possible asked walking through the door.

"Horrible."

"I should think so after a fall like that."

Mr. Possible put up the three slides that made up the full body scan taken just a few minutes ago.

"But lucky for you, you've inherited your father's thick skull. There's no damage or flaws just a nasty pump that should go down with a little ice and rest."

"Wonderful." Kim said sulking as she stared at the floor rubbing her head.

"So, how was it that you fell?"

Kim paused and searched for an answer. "I just lost my balance, no big."

Mrs. Possible looked at her daughter and used her "mom" powers to detect a further problem.

"Kim it doesn't take a brain surgeon to…"

Kim glared angrily at her mom for her unintentional joke.

"Oops. Sorry." Mrs. Possible giggled. "Anyway, I can tell that something else is bothering you. Is there something you're not telling me?"

Kim shook her head no.

"Or someone?"

Kim didn't answer.

"I know about Joan, Kim."

Kim looked at her mom confused. "How did you…"

"Monique told me everything while you were in the scan. About how Ron and Joan are getting along and how you have been reacting to it."

"Well, you know how Monique exaggerates everything."

Mrs. Possible raised an eyebrow. "Really? Because from what I am hearing your head is hurting only second most to this." She was pointing to the midsection of Kim's chest on the x-ray.

Kim stood up trying to control her intensifying aggravation. Her quick movements forcing her to clutch the back of her head once again.

"Are we done here? Can I go?" Kim couldn't find an argument to stand her ground.

"Yes Kim, you can go now. But you are going straight home to bed; I'll let your father know that you are not to be out and about."

"Fine, whatever." Kim replied storming out of the room still massaging her head.

Mr. Possible leaned on the door frame and let out a sigh and shook her head as she watched her daughter walking away to the lobby.

"Hey Kim! You have to go to the hospital cause you bumped your wittle head?" Tim teased as Kim walked in through the door.

"Yeah, what's next? Surgery for a paper cut?" Jim joined in.

"I'll deal with you later." Kim threatened as she climbed the stairs to her room.

The tweebs' laughter made the pulsing hurt more. Kim entered her sanctuary and closed the door to silence the mockery. A bag of ice and her pajamas had been laid out for by her father. Kim carefully changed, trying to avoid movements that caused greater pain. Finally she slide under the covers of her bed, placed the ice pack under her head, and snuggled up to her panda-roo. Kim tried to sleep but the throbbing pain refused to leave let alone descend. Kim just lay in her bed trying to relax and think about peaceful thoughts.

"Feeling better Kimmie-cub?" Mr. Possible asked after quietly walking into the door.

"Not really."

"Don't worry, it'll get better. If it makes you feel better Ron has left a total of seventeen messages asking if you're okay."

Ron's courtesy made her smile but it quickly died after the recurring memory returned.

"I let him know you're doing fine and I prepared everything so you don't have to leave your room."

"Thanks dad."

"Your welcome now gets some rest."

Kim was once again let alone with the painful aftermath of her accident. Eventually Kim managed to fall into a light and troubling sleep. A couple hours later Kim awoke with the pain still there. A gentle knock at the door made Kim sit up.

The door opened, it was her father again. "You have a visitor."

"Tell Ron I'm not in the mood to talk."

"It isn't Ron."

"Who is it then?"

Mr. Possible stepped aside to let the guest walk in and stepped out closed the door behind her. It was Joan.

"Hi." Joan said softly with a little wave.

Kim sulked down in her bed and looked at Joan with a little mistrust in her eyes.

"I just wanted to see if you were okay."

Kim didn't answer.

"Everyone was really worried about you, especially Ron."

Still no acknowledgment. Joan took small steps towards Kim and looked around curiously.

"So, this is where the great Kim Possible sleeps huh?"

Kim looked around with her unimpressed.

"You sleep with a panda-roo, I love cuddle buddies. I can't sleep a wink without my chimpanzeebra." Joan said cheerfully.

Joan blushed red after realizing what she said.

"Please don't tell anyone about that."

"I won't if you won't." Kim finally responded.

Joan smiled for both the confirmation and the response.

"Can I sit down?" Joan asked as she stood next to the bed.

Kim raised he legs to make seating room.

"Thank you."

The two exchanged glances for a moment as Joan put her hands in her pockets.

"Oh, I almost forgot. I brought you this." Joan pulled out a CD for Kim to look at. "I listen to this whenever I don't feel well; I thought that maybe it would work for you."

Kim looked at the CD like it was an insect. Deep down she was thankful for Joan's kindness but couldn't seem to get over this sour exterior she kept up. After a brief silence Joan spoke her mind.

"Kim, do you like me?"

Kim looked at Joan with a look of misunderstanding.

"I mean… does it bother you that I am… you know with Ron?"

No reply once again.

"Because I don't want there to be tension between us, I value our friendship and I don't want to jeopardize it."

Kim hated the way she was acting to someone who was trying to be so nice and courteous but she turned slightly so not to look into Joan's gentle eyes.

"I can see you're not in the mood to talk." Joan said still being polite. "I will let you get some rest, I hope you get better."

Joan was almost out the door when Kim spoke up.

"Is there anything you don't like about Ron?"

Kim knew she was being obnoxious but the question just flew out her mouth.

"Honestly, I don't like how he's neglecting you." Joan answered.

This answer made Kim's eyes go wide with surprise, she turned to look at Joan but she had already left. Kim was left speechless and at fault. Kim looked over at her dresser and saw that Joan had left the CD there. Laying back down Kim tried to sleep but found herself glancing over at her dresser every ten seconds. After losing the fight with temptation Kim slowly got out of bed and grabbed the CD and moved her player closer to her bed so she could have easy access to it. After organizing her pillow and ice pack for better comfort and held her cuddle buddy as she pressed play. A soft, instrumental melody began to play from her stereo. Kim wasn't use to this type of music but found it very peaceful and relaxing. Slowly Kim's eyes grew heavy and the throbbing in her head was silenced to a numb buzz. Before to long, she was lost in a deep dreamless sleep.

The alarm clock burst to life blaring it's annoying tune. Kim opened her eyes sleepily and turned off the beeping. Kim stood up took a long hard stretch and went to her closet to pick out her clothes it wasn't until she approached the hallway that she realized that the pain was gone entirely. Kim tried the familiar movements that triggered that pain but proved to be cured permanently. She glanced back at the CD player.

"I guess it did help."

After her shower Kim was in the kitchen preparing herself some breakfast.

"Feeling better Kimmie-cub?" Mr. Possible asked glimpsing up from his newspaper.

"A hundred percent." Kim answered spreading butter on her toast.

"That's good to here."

"Good morning Dr. Possible." Mrs. Possible greeted walking into the room.

"Good morning Dr. Possible." He replied.

"Good morning Kim, how's the head." Mrs. Possible asked examining the back of he daughter's skull.

"Just fine."

Jim and Tim ran into the room, Jim acted as a stepping stool as Tim climbed up on him to reach the freezer. After successfully pulling out the Pop tarts they stood back up.

"Hick-a-bick-a-boo." Jim began.

"Hoo-shaw!" Tim finished.

After placing two each in the toaster Jim and Tim turned to their parents.

"Who was that girl here last night?" Jim and Tim asked simultaneously.

"Ron's girlfriend." Kim said instantly without thinking.

Jim and Tim stood silent. Kim even had a perplexed expression to her own words.

"Ron has a girlfriend?" Jim asked.

"EWWWWW!" The tweebs groaned.

"Doesn't he know where cooties come from?" Tim questioned.

"Three more years." Mrs. Possible began.

"And counting." Mr. Possible finished.

"Until what?" The tweebs inquired.

"Puberty." They answered.

"Puberty?" Jim replayed.

"What's that?" Tim asked.

"A living nightmare." Kim answered.

The tweebs were inquisitive to this "living nightmare" so much though that they completely forgot about their Pop tarts. Kim had taken them and put them on plates for her brothers. Snatching them greedily they planted themselves at the table and commenced eating.

"By the way Kim does you're little owey still hurt?" Tim mocked.

"Did mom kiss it better?" Jim continued.

Kim walked out of the kitchen with a sly smile. "Enjoy your Pop tarts."

Jim and Tim looked at their half eaten Pop tarts and then at each other, both with nervous faces painted on.

Kim returned to her room and looked herself over in her mirror. Quickly putting on some make-up and brushing her hair, she grabbed her back pack and was almost out the door when she remembered the CD. Kim returned to her player and grabbed the CD. Putting it back in its case and into her pocket she was out the door and headed for school.

Walking down the hallway towards her locker Kim saw that Monique, Ron and Joan were all standing there talking.

"Hi guys."

"K.P." Ron's voice was in alarm as he looked at her closely. "Are you okay?"

"So not the drama Ron. But seventeen messages? Isn't that kind of extreme?"

"I was worried about you."

"Thanks for the thought."

Kim looked at Joan sheepishly.

"Could I have a minute with Joan?"

"Sure, I need to return some notes anyway." Monique said taking off.

"I'll see you class." Ron headed for his first period.

The two stood there for a moment.

"You're okay right?" Joan inquired.

"Yes. Thank you for the CD, it really worked." Kim handed the case back to its rightful owner.

"I'm glad it helped."

"Listen Joan, I'm really sorry for how I acted last night. I was being selfish and acting like a real jerk."

"It's okay, a fall like that would make anyone a little grumpy."

Kim knew that wasn't the reason.

"No, I'm going to make it up to you." Kim cleared her throat. "Yes, that's where I sleep. Yes, I like you. No, it doesn't bother me that you are going out with Ron. And no, it won't jeopardize our friendship."

Joan smiled.

"I was just a bit concerned; I don't want to see Ron get hurt."

"Of all people Kim you have to worry the least from me."

"I know that now."

The bell rang and Joan went to walk to class but Kim grabbed her shoulder.

"And the cuddle buddy thing…"

"What cuddle buddy?" Joan said emptily implying her secrecy.

Kim felt a thousand times better. The painful feeling she felt was now gone. Her unconfirmed suspicions of Joan trying to ruin her friendship with Ron had vanished. Kim had a new friend.