Ron was asleep and was dreaming of the beach, white sand, blue water, palm trees, Yori in a tight one piece swimsuit. "Yori in a tight one piece swim suit?" Ron jerked awake, that was weird he thought to himself before rolling over and going back to sleep.

The dream returned, white sandy beach, blue water, palm trees, Yori in a tight one piece swimsuit, she was trying to talk to Ron.He was in a beach chair holding a drink with an umbrella in it. Ron could hear her now, "Stoppable San, you with your American style raging hormones." Yori said chuckling and shaking her head.

Ron smiled, "ahhh ha ha, I'm not the one that dressed you in that swimsuit Yori." Yori placed her hand in front of her mouth and chuckled, there was something so totally exotic about her beauty, the brown skin, black hair, almond eyes that could penetrate Ron's soul.

Yori shook her head, "Always with the American style jokes, I am dressed in a way that you would like to see me, and you are dressed in way that I would like to see you dressed." She explained to Ron.

Ron looked at what he was wearing and nodded, "That explains the ninja outfit." Yori giggled.

Ron shook his head, "This is not good beach wear."

Yori turned more serious, "Now that you no longer have the chip from the ones without honor, we can meditate and commune with one another."

Ron shifted nervously, "I don't know, it sounds like I am loosing one chip and picking up another."

Yori looked hurt, "Of course, it would be my honor to commune with you but only if you allow me to."

Ron shifted his weight in the beach chair, "I…uh…sorry Yori…I…I didn't mean it like that. It would be my honor to commune with you." Ron said nervously.

Ron looked down at his drink and when his gaze returned to Yori, he found Master Sensei in a tight one piece swim suit. Ron jerked and closed his eyes, "Sick…wrong sick, ewwwwwwww, and then he peaked out again to find Master Sensei dressed in more appropriate garb.

Master Sensei bowed, "Good day Stoppable San, I found the swimsuit to be very…slimming."

Ron gave queasy little smile. Master Sensei had a cool and calm demeanor, it was one that always led you to believe that no matter what the circumstances, he would always be the one in complete control. "Now that you are no longer with the ones without honor, you will return to Japan to complete your training in the ways of the Ninja so that you may be able to wield the lotus blade to its full potential."

Ron blinked, "Nope, I don't do that stuff anymore, I'm working, and I'm going to be a senior in high school and I'm just so tired of fighting the good fight and for what? For nothing." Ron said with a bitterness that shocked even himself.

Master Sensei tilted his head to the right, "So you are the noble warrior that has lost the will to fight. Stoppable San, your soul is injured. When it becomes time, you will seek us out."

Ron closed his eyes and when he opened them, he was on the beach alone and then his eyes opened upon his room. Ron let out a deep breath, "What did he mean my soul was injured?" Ron thought uneasily to himself.

He started his run with a stop by Coach Barkin's house; Ron needed to know when the cross country team met and how to try out. The coach was mowing the lawn and it took several tries to be overheard by the big mower. The coach narrowed his eyes, "Who are you and what do you want?" he demanded of Ron.

Ron closed his eyes, "Stoppable, Ron Stoppable…remember, small and weak?"

Coach Barkin scratched his chin, "Yea I remember you, and you look different somehow."

Ron nodded, "Yea, new haircut, I was wondering when the cross country team was meeting so I could try out?"

Coach Barkin started to laugh and saw the humor of it was lost on Ron, "Wait, you're serious."

Ron nodded, "Note serious face." He told the coach without humor.

The coach rubbed his face, "Well the tryouts will be out in the stadium the Wednesday the week before school starts. You might as well give it up Stoppable we have some of the best runners in the state, it's not likely you will make the team."

Ron nodded, "I didn't do all this work just to tryout, I did this to make the team."

Then he turned and jogged down the street.

Coach Barkin watched Ron run down the street, "So Stoppable's grown a set of nacos…interesting."

Ron was running hard and Ron was running mad, "I am not doing all this to try, Kim might be able to do anything, everything always comes so easy for her. For me nothing comes easy, I've worked and I've worked so damned hard for this, I am going to make that team. A damaged soul, ain't no damaged soul here, everything is firing on all cylinders. I'm alright, everyone else is screwed up, glad I had sense enough to get out."

Ron pushed himself and pushed himself and his body obeyed, Ron knew he would be ready when the time came to tryout.

Ron spent the day in high agitation, he had the tryouts on his mind and he hadn't heard from Lacey all day. He knew she was sick, "God please, not the cancer." He thought to himself.

Ron also knew that this would be the last week for his college buddies before they all headed into their different directions, "I will miss them." He thought sadly.

All of these things plus the two jobs, the chip and the weird dreams were starting to strain Ron, his stress meter was stuck on high and his fun meter was stuck on zero. Ron shook his head, "Have to work through this, have to get through this, it has to get better." He thought.

Mr. Dotson called Ron in at lunch, "Come on in Ron, I think we need to talk"

Ron was getting nervous, he didn't think that he had done anything wrong.

Ron took a seat across the desk from Mr. Dotson, "Ron, Lacey won't be coming back to work, her cancer came out of remission. She's going to start the chemotherapy treatments, she's a tough kid she beat it once, she'll beat it again."

Ron felt an icy chill run through his body, "Oh no, no, no"

Ron was turning pale. "I'm sorry Ron; I never would have introduced you to her if I would have known. You see Ron, Lacey's my niece, she hadn't had any luck with boys back home, and you seemed like a good kid."

Ron shook his head, "No, its ok, Lacey's great…I…I…this…uh…"

Ron went silent, he had never experienced anything like this and he was in shock.

Mr. Dotson shook his head, "It's ok Ron, I know it's a little overwhelming."

Ron nodded his head sadly, "yea"

Mr. Dotson nodded, "Lacey was also telling me you have some pretty bad nightmares."

Ron froze, he didn't want anyone to know about the nightmares, it would make him look weak, and people would make fun of him. "N…n…No, I'm fine."

Mr. Dotson held up his hand, "Ron I have them too."

Ron was breathing heavy, and sweating, "Y..y...You have them too?"

Mr. Dotson nodded, "I was a marine in the Persian Gulf war, when we liberated Kuwait. I was in the land invasion; the Iraqi army built these long series of trenches and burms to keep us out of Kuwait, they were supposed to be impenetrable. We moved in behind earth movers to take out the burms and then we hit the trenches; my biggest fear was stepping on a landmine. God that scared me still scares me."

Mr. Dotson stopped the story to wipe his face. "Anyway the earthmovers buried most of the guys that were left in the trenches alive, I can still hear em' scream. The funny thing is that doesn't really bother me, I guess because they were going to try and kill us and all. Well once we got the burm breached we hit the trenches and we hit them running, they didn't have enough men to protect the lines so they placed landmines in the trenches. I can remember running, we didn't have many targets to shoot at, and one of my buddies hits a mine in front of me, I saw him fly in the air before I heard the bang. I can still hear him screaming."

Mr. Dotson got a faraway look in his eyes. "Well here I am now, working at Smarty Mart, it's 14 years later and I still dream I'm running in that trench and sometimes it's my buddy that trips the mine and sometimes…it's me…I'll be 70 years old one day Ron and I'll probably still be dreaming about what happened when I was 19 years old, I'll still be running in that trench…So what's your nightmare Ron?"

Ron squirmed in his chair and cleared his throat, and then told him all about Killigan's castle, the exploding golf ball, 4, 3, 2, 1 and the white hot flash of the explosion."

Mr. Dotson nodded, "Yea, you got it. Ron you and I both suffer from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, it used to be called Battle Fatigue or shell shock in the old days."

Ron blinked, he'd never heard of such a thing, Mr. Dotson handed him a pamphlet from the VA it had general information and symptoms.

Ron looked it over and winced, "Yea…I see some stuff that happens to me."

Mr. Dotson nodded, "It could be worse, we could have waking nightmares, that's when you can hardly function or hold a job."

Ron shivered its one thing to have these things happen when you're asleep but to have them when you're awake?

Ron thought of Yori and Sensei, "Your soul has been injured." Now he understood.

Ron gathered himself back together, he had to deal with the nightmares for what seemed like all his life, but now there were more important things than Ron at stake. "When can I see Lacey?"

Mr. Dotson said he'd have her call so they could work something out, Mr. Dotson put his arm around Ron, "Ron, its good you quit when you did, whether you know it or not, you've paid a heavy price to help save the world."

Ron nodded and headed back out to the dock, "I feel so old, and tired, but at least I'm not alone anymore." he thought to himself, and the not alone part, made him feel good.

Ron needed to work, needed to relieve stress. He put his mind on autopilot for the rest of the night, and planned on all the fun things he and Lacey would do when she became better.

In their secret lair Drakken and Shego were making preparations for the latest take over the world plan. Drakken has created an unstoppable mechanical contraption and all that needs to be done is to place the new portable death ray into position. Drakken was ready, "Shego, my new destructocrab is getting close to being finished."

Shego was shaking her head, "It doesn't really look like a crab, it's more of a giant lobster."

Drakken stopped his rant, "Do you really think so?...hmmmmmmmm...Ok, when my new destructolobster is finished we shall head towards Middleton and then swing wide to the north and attack the Upperton/Middleton Nuclear Power Plant. Then when we have secured the plant we will make our demands on the world."

Shego shrugged, "Might actually work, no Team Possible, I like it." She smiled approvingly.

Drakken grinned and rubbed his hands together, "On Friday, we move our plan into action."

Friday came, it was Ron's last day at Bueno Nacho, he turned in his uniforms and said goodbye. Ron was joking with the other day shift workers, "Now I'll be sitting out front, and you can't make me make another nacho." They all laughed.

Now the day he had not been looking forward to at Smarty Mart had arrived, the last day of work for his college friends. They would all be splitting up and heading their separate ways, Ron hoped he would see them all again one day, but knew it was more likely he'd never see them again.

As tradition held the guys bought a lot of beer for a big party after work. Ron enjoyed the big parties, the drinking, the stories, laughing, Ron still wasn't a big drinker, he just thought he looked tough holding a beer. That made Ron smile, "I can almost finish a can now…Yuck." Ron thought to himself.

They had given Ron their email address, and told them to come to their schools during the year. Ron said he'd try, "senior year, what am I going to do next year?" he thought to himself.

He had started receiving various college brochures in the mail as well as stuff from the military. The marine corp. in particular seemed fascinated with him, he was grateful he was hardly ever home. Ron was hanging on the bed of a pick up truck that held the beer, "What will I do next year? I suppose I'll worry about that later." He thought.

Kim received a text message on her cell phone, "Wade911 890-2145" Kim called the number.

Wade answered, "Kim, I just got a call from Global Justice; they believe Drakken and Shego are on the move to either the Tri-County Dam area or the Upperton/Middleton Nuclear Power Plant."

Kim shook her head, "I can't go on missions, Wade." Kim said helplessly.

Wade was silent on the phone, "Most of my gear has been dismantled…I...I guess there is nothing we can do." Wade said helplessly.

Kim let out a deep breath, "I bet it's the nuke plant."

Kim's mind started to work. "Officially this wouldn't be a mission if I just happened to show up at Smarty Mart and try to get Ron to take me for a ride up north."

Wade was right with her, "Take the Kimmunicator, I should have my stuff up and running again in about an hour."

Kim grabbed a duffle bag and started loading up mission equipment, "Ok, can you get me a ride to Smarty Mart?" Wade said the ride would be over in ten minutes.

Kim new that Ron was off work, she had hoped that he would hang around the Smarty Mart parking lot with his friends. If he's not there, then we'll try Bueno Nacho. Then Kim had a really queasy feeling, "God, I hope he's not at Quarry Lake, that would really seal things with Ron if I have to pull him off Lacey to ride me up to fight Drakken."

Then Kim got a devilish smile, "Boy if he was mad at me a last week, oh boy." After circling the parking lot Kim spotted Ron's motorcycle over by a bunch of cars and trucks, it looked as though Ron were at a makeshift party.

Ron was still hanging over the bed of the pickup enjoying his half can of beer. He seen the station wagon pull up, saw Kim get out, he took a swig of his beer, "Too late to hide." He thought.

Kim leaned into the station wagon, "Thanks for the ride Mrs. Davies."

Ron could hear her from the truck and he knew what was coming, "Ohhhhhhh no problem Kim, after the way you saved the spotted owl from extinction." And then Kim will say, "Oooooooooohhhhhhh no big, it was only man's encroachment into the habitat that was the problem."

Ron shook his head, "Well let's see what I'm not going to help with tonight." Ron thought to himself.

Kim came up to the back of the truck, "I know you don't want to see me right now, and I don't blame you if you don't want to talk to me, but I need your help Ron."

Ron nodded, pointed at the cooler, "Beer?"

Kim shook her head.

Ron nodded; "Suit yourself"

Kim shook her head, "Your not going to make this easy on me are you?"

Ron smiled, "Nope"

Kim stomped and looked around, and then Angry Bob spotted Kim, "Well if it ain't the assassin for the state. Don't help her Ron Man, she'll try and chip you again and put you under the finger of "The Man" again."

Kim spun around, "Do you mind, I'm trying to talk to my friend Ron."

Ron was looking the other way; Kim could tell he was laughing.

Super Dave breezed by to claim another beer, "You don't chip your friends."

Kim closed her eyes, "Look Ron, Wade's been contacted by Global Justice, they think Drakken's headed to the Nuke Plant and I need a lift."

Ron nodded, "You just had a ride, should of had them take you up there, I'm busy drinking." Ron polished off the can for effect.

Kim was getting upset, "Ron we were best friends, don't do this."

Ron reached in the cooler and pulled out another can of beer, "Kim, know what the difference is between a good friend and a best friend?"

Kim closed her eyes and shook her head. "A good friend will bail you out of jail, a best friend will be in the cell with you saying "That was fun, let's do that again." I was always the one in the cell with you."

Ron took a drink of the beer, "Then I'm not worthy of being a boyfriend or a best friend, let's just be friends…It hurt but I said ok if that's what Kim wants and I moved on, then I found out that you chipped me, so now I don't know what I am to you." Ron looked at the can and then away from Kim.

Kim looked down at the bed of the truck, "I didn't handle things very well did I?"

Ron shook his head.

Kim let out a big sigh, "Look Ron, just take me up there and drop me off, I don't know how to fix things with you, but I'd like to try."

Ron looked at Kim, "Look, let's go over by the bike."

They walked over to Ron's motorcycle, "Now why do you have to go, let Global Justice handle this, I mean after all they pretty much disowned you after the whole chipping thing."

Kim looked around, "So Lacey's not with you tonight?"

Ron glared at Kim, "I ain't goin'."

Kim nodded, "Ok, you and Lacey break up?"

Ron shook his head, "No but if you must know her cancer came back, I'm sure Wade's told you all about it by now."

Then Ron walked back to pickup.

Kim gasped, "Ron…Ron I'm sorry, I didn't know."

Ron turned around and nodded and walked back to the truck, "Well now you do."

The familiar tones of the Kimmunicator rang out, Kim could see Ron bristle, "What's the sitch, Wade?" Kim answered.

Wade was smiling on the little screen, "Got the Kimmunicator working again, should be half strength on the other computers in an hour. Any luck with Ron?"

Kim shook her head, "no" and broke the connection.

She walked back over to the truck, "Ron, I didn't know…is there a place a little less crowded and noisy where we can talk?"

Ron shook his head, "You just won't give up will you, let me guess a nice quiet out of the way spot like a nuke plant."

Ron chucked his beer into the trash barrel, "Ok let's go, all of Ron's friends are headed back to college, I've got nothing better to do than go out with you tonight and sacrifice my life for a world that don't care…Let's roll." Ron said as he walked back over to the motorcycle and put on his helmet.

Kim realized what the problem was, "Ron's scared." She thought to herself as she walked over to the motorcycle.