Ron survived the school day, he was still tired from the night before but he perked up around lunch time and began to function normally again. After school was over he drove home, he was off the schedule at Smarty Mart for the week so he did worked out with his weights for a bit but his heart wasn't in it.

He took a nap and woke up at night; Bueno Nacho was still open so he figured that he and Rufus would close the place out and visit with Ned.

Ron pulled into parking lot and parked, seen Ned was working so he went inside. He approached the counter and made sure to stay in front of the cash register. "Hey Ned, I need a Chimerito Combo Grande Sized."

Ned nodded, "Sorry to hear about Lacey she was a nice girl."

Ron nodded, "Yea, it's been rough, her wake is on Wednesday night and the funeral is on Thursday. We have a meet but I'm not going to be able to make it…Probably take the day off school too." Ron said frowning.

Ned served Ron's food and then Ron went to take his familiar booth. He ate the chimerito and gave Rufus the nachos, he looked out the window, "Gonna be a rough week Rufus."

Rufus looked up from his nachos with a sad expression, "Poor Boy"

Ron nodded, "Yea, poor boy." Ron closed his eyes; he could still see Lacey sitting across from him, laughing and talking. It didn't seem like all that long ago.

Ned came over to Ron's table and broke his mood, "No sleeping on the job or I'll have to dock ya."

Ron laughed, "No sleeping, just remembering…So you ask Tina out yet?"

Ned shook his head, "Come on Ron, you know she'll never go out with me."

Ron smiled, "Yes she will, you just got to ask….Look I'll make a deal with ya, you ask Tina out for the home coming dance and I'll hook ya up with Rita and you can have a spankin' haircut like mine."

Ned got a big grin, "I'll do it, I'll do it."

Ron smiled, "Now what ever you do when you're at Rita's don't mention her sister." Ned gave Ron a weird look and all Ron could do was grin.

On Tuesday Kim was waiting on Ron by his locker, Ron walked up with a smile on his face, "Sorry for yesterday, I was out of it."

Monique laughed, "I figured that when you didn't know what day it was."

Ron looked down and was starting to blush, "Yea, well…thanks, I shouldn't of been here…I just didn't know what else to do."

Kim patted him on the arm, "It's ok Ron, do you think you'll be alright today."

Ron nodded, "I think so, I just have to keep moving, if I stop I just sort of shut down."

Ron reached over and spun the dial on his locker and got to open. Kim heard him let out a small sigh of relief. Then Ron smiled, "I can do this."

Then Tara came from out of nowhere, "Ronnie, I heard what happened yesterday and I'm sooooooooo sorry, if there's anything that you need, you just let me know."

Ron was grinning and blushing and then Tara gave him a big hug, "I'll be thinking about you…ok Ronnie?" Then Tara turned and breezed away like a great sailing ship that just put up its sails and floated away.

Kim had a look of pure green jealousy, Monique quietly excused her self and fled to her first class, Ron just stood there watching the great ship Tara breeze down the hallway, "RONNIE….RONNIE"

Kim was doing her best not to sound tweaked, but it wasn't really working. Ron shrugged, "She was always so nice to me when I was the Mad Dog, actually you and Tara were the only ones that treated me nice….huh, go figure…I'll see ya around Kim."

Then Ron got his books together and went to class.

Kim was just standing there with her fists balled up, "RONNIE, RONNIE, ohhhhhhhhhhhhhh Tara you are so in need of some special Kim time." Kim thought to herself as she stomped off to her first class.

In the afternoon, Ron worked out with the rest of the cross country team. It felt good to be out running again, he felt better, it felt better when he was active, sitting around the blues came very quickly for Ron. Ron finished his run, it wasn't spectacular but it was good to be out, then he spotted her.

Tara had come out to see him run, "Hey Tara how's the cheer squad?" Ron asked not knowing quite what else to say.

Tara smiled and waived, "Ronnie it's just not the same without you there, it was always so comforting to have a manly presence around."

Ron looked away and smiled, "Yea, Ron the Man, I got me a certificate and everything." Ron laughed, still puzzled about why Tara was there.

Ron was looking around smiling and then he started to rub the back of his neck, Tara jumped on Ron and gave him a big kiss. Ron's eyes flew open, then Ron closed his eyes and returned the kiss. The other members of the team were hooting at him and yelling, "Get it Stoppable."

Ron broke off the kiss, and smiled and blushed, "I…uh…guess, cheer squad really does miss me."

Tara shrugged, "Actually I miss you Ronnie, call me ok." Then she turned and breezed away, to the whistling and the howling of the other team members.

Ron stood there not quite knowing what to think, "If Lacey was here, she'd kicked her butt…but she's not…I shouldn't of let her kiss me like that…Lacey said don't quit living…Tara is sweet…I don't know if I want to do this girlfriend thing again?"

Ron was caught up in his thoughts, and then he realized the team had gathered around him, "How do you do it?"

Ron smiled and shrugged, "It's the shoes."

Then the team started throwing shirts and towels at him, Ron covered up, "No water bottles, no water bottles." Then everyone started laughing and it was time to go home.

The next morning Kim heard the talk about what happened out on the track, Monique was trying to calm her down but wasn't having much success, "Maybe it was a friendly kiss?"

Kim shot her a look, "They said tongues were involved, tongues aren't friendly, Monique!"

Ron walked into school and Kim decided to talk to Ron about this, see if it really happened. Ron seen Kim coming, "Uh Oh, she looks tweaked" he thought to himself.

Ron waived, "Hi KP, how are you today."

Kim smiled, "I'm fine…Now tell me what happened out on the track yesterday?"

Ron smiled a queasy smile, "Oh…you heard about that, huh."

Kim nodded, "Yea I heard about it." She said in a tight voice.

Ron shrugged, "I don't know what happened…Kim, she just showed up…I think she wants to date me, but I'm not sure if I want to do that right now….I'm still not comfortable about kissing her."

Kim nodded, "So you did kiss her then."

Ron looked puzzled, "Well, yea…I guess…yea…Lacey ain't even had her funeral…what was I thinking?" He said looking down into his locker.

Kim was going to lay into Ron but Monique came and rescued him, "Kim come with me for a minute." Kim looked at Monique and decided that she had better go with her.

Monique got a good distance away from Ron, "Girl what are you thinking? You ain't his girlfriend, and if you want him back you're going to have to put up with Tara for the moment. You need to spend time with Ron and reconnect with him, you still think he's the old Ron; he's not the old Ron. He's a whole different person than the boy you took to that prom."

Kim was still upset, "Tara kissed him, she kissed him and he kissed her back."

Monique nodded, "So you're going to cause a big scene by yelling at Ron in front of everyone, go ahead and drive him to Tara and put a big ol' ribbon on him and say "Here Tara, take my Ron."

Kim looked at her, "Well what should I do then?" Kim asked in frustration.

Monique shook her head, "The same thing you should have done back in May, make time and talk to him, get to know him again…Reconnect with your Ron."

Kim nodded, "Ok, I can do that…but what about Tara?"

Monique looked at her, "Forget about Tara, he's already kicking himself for kissing her. He's emotions are like a roller coaster right now…or haven't you noticed?"

Kim shook her head, "No…I really haven't noticed, I don't see him that much now."

Monique nodded, "Reconnect Kim, reconnect."

Wednesday night was Lacey's wake and Ron didn't have a decent dress suit to wear, so he had to go to the mall and buy one, he looked good. The suit was black with a black tie, Ron thought if he had sun glasses he'd look like one of the Blue's brothers.

He arrived at the funeral home at dusk, he walked in and met with Lacey's parents and then went in to the viewing room. His legs began to shake again, he was trembling as he walked up to the casket, and then, there she was.

She wore a nice white dress, she had a peaceful expression on her face, they had a brown wig that was close to the way she wore her hair but it wasn't the same. The body was a husk, there was no longer any Lacey there,

Ron wanted to reach out and touch her hand but the thought had frightened him so he went and sat down in a chair across from the casket.

He stared at the casket for long minutes, then he looked at his shoes, "I shouldn't of kissed Tara…" Ron felt guilty and ashamed,

Lacey hadn't even been dead a week and he was kissing another girl. Ron looked around the room, in one corner they had a DVD playing that had pictures of Lacey from when she was little to one that was with her and Ron goofing around at Smarty Mart.

Ron smiled and sniffled, he remembered the picture. They were in the break room and she was sitting on his lap. Ron walked over to the other side of the room and there was TV set up playing home videos of Lacey through the years. Ron sat down to watch it, then a piece of tape rolled from back in June of her and Ron together.

Ron sat there mesmerized is that really me?

"Come on Ron, say something to mom." Ron was shrugging, "I don't know what to say?" Lacey was becoming exasperated, "Say Booyah or something." Ron was smiling, "I gotcha this is where I say Booyah and someone comes out and hits me with a pie or something." They both started laughing. "Ain't he the best boyfriend?" She said hugging him. "Yea, you're pretty cool too." They hugged each other and then the next piece of tape ran from when Lacey was three at a birthday party."

Ron watched the video again and after the part with he and Lacey, he put his hand over his face and started to cry, "Noooooooo, no, no"

Lacey's mother came and put a hand on his shoulder and Ron straightened up embarrassed at his emotion. "Ron we made you copies of the tape and DVD, I knew you'd want that. You and Lacey had become pretty close." Ron nodded and tried to speak but nothing came out, so he just nodded.

Ron went outside to the lobby and sat in a chair to gather up his emotions. He found a little flyer with a picture of Lacey on it, he opened it up and it had information of Lacey's life, told a little bit about her and at the end of survivors it said "Boyfriend, Ronald Stoppable of Middleton."

Ron swallowed hard and then he went back in and talked to Lacey's parents again and thanked them for the tape and the DVD. They asked if he was coming to the funeral tomorrow and Ron said that he was, then Ron went home.

Kim had been thinking about what Monique had said and she was right, she had to get a grip or she'd drive Ron away. She sat outside the house, it was a cool October night, and she was hoping to see Ron for a little while tonight. She knew that he was going to Lacey's wake and she wanted to make sure he was ok. She saw the car go by and turn up the hill, she saw Ron driving, and he was white as a ghost. She took a deep breath and started to walk up the hill, "Well here we go." She thought to herself.

Ron pulled up in his driveway and parked the car, he didn't get out, and he just sat there.

Kim came up to the driver's door and knocked on the window, "Ron, you ok?"

Ron turned and looked at her, she saw that his eyes were red and puffy; she knew he'd been crying. "Ron, open the door and talk to me."

Ron reached the door handle and opened it, "Hey Kim"

Kim took a seat on the ground, "You ok?"

Ron looked and her and shook his head no. Kim nodded, "Tough night?" R

on took a deep breath and nodded, "Yea"

There was a long silence, Kim reached out and took Ron's hand. "You know I'm here for you."

Ron smiled and nodded, "Funeral is tomorrow…God…I don't know if I can take much more."

Kim squeezed Ron's hand, "You'll get through this, you're a strong person whether you know it or not."

Ron chuckled and shook his head, "No I'm not, if I was it wouldn't be killing me so bad."

Kim smiled, "Yes you are, most guys would of run out a long time ago Ron and you stayed till the end."

Ron quenched his eyes together, "I should not have kissed Tara, I shouldn't of let her kiss me…It's killing me, Kim, it's just killing me."

Kim swallowed hard, she was not expecting to hear this from him, "Ron…would Lacey want you beating yourself up over this?"

Ron shook his head weakly, "No…she told me not to quit living because of her…but it just wasn't the right thing to do." Ron started to chew on his thumb nail.

Kim let out a deep sigh, "Ron can we get together on Saturday sometime and talk, I don't remember the last time me and you actually talked. It feels like it's been forever."

Ron nodded, "Sure Kim…I think, I'd like that."

Kim smiled, "You're not coming to school tomorrow?"

Ron shook his head no, "Funeral, one more long day."

Kim stood up and dragged him out of the car and hugged him and told him to go to bed.

She watched him climb the stairs and go inside, then she closed her eyes, "This is killing him." She thought to herself sadly.

Ron attended the funeral the next day, it was hard on him but he endured it. Then he went to the graveside service and then left when he saw the casket being lowered into the ground. He would call Lacey's parents later, Ron had to leave, he was tired of death and all things connected to it.

Ron drove to Quarry Lake and sat on the hood of his car and stared at the water. He truly did love this place, it was autumn and the leaves were changing color and there was a quiet stillness to the area, Ron could hear leaves falling in the distance and see the squirrels running around gathering acorns for the winter.

Ron ran his tongue around his mouth and then his teeth, "Lacey is in a better place, I know I have to go on….but I don't feel like I'll ever be happy again." Ron thought to himself sadly.

Then Ron climbed into his car and drove away.

Friday came and Ron returned to school, he didn't want to be there, he didn't want to leave his room. In the end he scooped up Rufus and pushed himself forward, "I have to keep moving." He thought to himself.

Tara came by the locker, "Ronnie you didn't call me." She said with a pout.

Ron nodded, "Hi Tara…I've been kind of busy with the funeral and stuff, I don't know if I'm ready to start over again, but when I am, I'll give you a call."

Tara frowned, "It's ok Ronnie, I kind of lost track of what was happening with you, you call me when you feel ready…ok."

Then she gave him and a hug and breezed away.

Ron just watched her breeze down the hallway, he chuckled, "Must be the shoes." He thought to himself.

Kim was down the hall and seen Tara's little show, "Ok Tara, It's time for me and you to have a little Kim talk."

Kim set off after the great ship Tara, it was as if Kim was the Torpedo and Tara was the cruise ship. "Ohhhhhhhhhhhh Tara"

Tara heard her name and started to look around until she saw Kim, she waived, "Hi Kim"

Kim nodded and wiggled her finger at to come over to her. Tara tilted her head to one side not quite understanding what Kim wanted. Kim was smiling a tight smile, "Yep she's a blonde." Kim thought to herself.

"Tara what starts with come here and ends with ouch?" Kim asked.

Tara was still standing there shaking her head, "I don't know."

Kim nodded, "Come here Tara."

Tara walked to where Kim was and then before she knew it she was shoved into the lockers, she yelped a little, "Ouch"

Kim had finally got her attention, "Tara we need to have a talk about Ron…He's off limits for you…you see he's my Ron…not yours."

Tara was staring at her with big blue vacant eyes, "Tara…Tara, I see the lights are on is anyone home in there…It's simple, from now on you think Ron, you think Kim, Kim Ron, Ron Kim, got it? Now let me hear you say it….HELLO!"

Tara started to stutter and stammer, "RonKim, RonKim" she ran the names together but Kim could tell she got the point.

Kim smiled and nodded, "Good, I'm glad we could have this little talk, now go to class." Kim turned and started to walk off and realized she had quite an audience; she turned red and walked away with great speed.

Saturday came and Ron had forgotten about meeting up with Kim, it was an unusually hot day for October so he decided to wash his car in the driveway. He slipped a pair of running shorts on and old pair of shoes, he grabbed Rufus and took him along, "Might have to use you as a sponge buddy."

Rufus recoiled, "No Way…uh huh." Ron laughed and went down to wash the car.

Down the street Kim hadn't forgotten about meeting with Ron, she was going through her closet trying to achieve the proper look, "No if I wear that he'll think I'm coming on to him and scare him off, nooooooo too formal, cargo pants and a green midriff shirt…no I always wear that…little black dress…no."

Kim finally chose the look and the tone she wanted to set with Ron. Blue jeans and a simple top, nothing fancy, no head games, just talking cloths, she took a depth breath and walked outside. Kim looked up the street and saw Ron finishing up washing the car, "I bet he forgot, he's had a lot on his mind." She thought to herself.

Kim walked up the hill and saw that Ron had finished but he was just standing there looking into space and swapping the sponge from one hand to another. "He doesn't even see me" She thought.

"Ron" Kim called to him and waived.

Ron jumped and looked sheepish, "Hi Kim, I wondered away for a bit." Ron was looking around he was clearly embarrassed.

Kim nodded, "No big" They looked at one another, Kim shook her head, she couldn't believe how different he looked.

Then a delivery truck pulled up and broke the mood, a man stepped out with a small package, "You Ron Stoppable?" Ron nodded;

"Sign here" Ron signed and took the package.

He started to open it and froze and look of panic came over his face, he looked up shaking his head at Kim, "No, no, no…nooooo"

Kim started to walk to Ron, "Ron what is it."

Then she heard the familiar jingle of tones and Kim closed her eyes, "No Wade, not now." Ron was shaking, and looking at Kim.

Kim was trying to reassure him, "Ron I didn't know Wade was sending that, you got to believe me." Ron looked at her and shook his head.

Then Ron started to turn red, he hit the connect button, Kim could see his jaw muscles tighten, "Hi Wade…What's the sitch." He said in a most menacing tone.

Wade was on the other end, 'Hi…Ron, I thought about what you said back in the summer…and I decided to make you a Ronunicator…it does all sorts of cool things."

Ron nodded, "I bet…I bet it keeps track of me too…Well lookie, lookie Wade, the gangs all here."

Ron turned and aimed the device at Kim, "Kim's here, she's dressed very nice today."

Then Ron turned and pointed the device at his car, "See my spankin' car, I had to work my butt off for it."

Then Ron turned and walked into the garage, "This is the motorcycle Drakken gave me for retiring…note word retiring."

Then Ron strolled over to the other side of the garage, "Ohhhhhhhh look Wade here's a blubbermaid 35 gallon trashcan." He took the lid off and dropped the Ronunicator into it, put the lid on top of it and then wiped his face.

Kim found her voice again, "Ron, I didn't know that Wade was going to send that to you…you got to believe me." She said in a desperate voice.

Ron paced around the driveway, "Ok, ok, you didn't know."

Kim sighed, "Ron, Wade must have felt pretty bad about things or he wouldn't have sent that to you."

Ron looked at the ground and shook his head, turned and walked back over to the trashcan and took the Ronunicator out, Wade was still trying to apologize to Ron.

Ron looked at the device, "I hear ya Wade."

Wade was on the other end, "Ron you've got to believe me, I'm so sorry about the way things went."

Ron nodded, "Yea well, I'd be more inclined to believe you if you would have came out of that damn room and said it to my face…There's a big world outside that room Wade…you ought to get out more."

Wade looked shocked, Ron was saying what his mom had been saying for three years, "I would come by but I'm afraid you'd punch me."

Ron laughed, "Well don't think I didn't think about it, but no, I'd probably yell at you for about a half an hour but I wouldn't punch you…don't want to break that hand again."

Wade chuckled, "Yea"

Ron looked up at Kim, "Well Wade, Kim wants to talk to me, so I gotta run, drop by sometime…ok."

Wade nodded, "Sure Ron" and then the screen went black.

Ron let out a deep breath, and held the device up to Kim, "You have no idea how much this thing creeps me out." he told her.

Kim nodded, "I just wish it wouldn't have came today, now you'll be in a bad mood all day."

Ron nodded, "I'll be alright as soon as I shower and get cleaned up."

He let out a deep sigh, "Come on in Kim, I'll just be a few minutes."

They walked into the kitchen and Ron stopped and pulled out a freezer bag from one of the kitchen cabinets, he sealed the Ronunicator up and put it in the freezer.

Kim shook her head, "That chip has really messed him up." she thought sadly.

Ron closed the freezer, "Don't want Wade observing me all the time, shower, bathroom, ewwww." And then Ron visibly shook.

Kim nodded, "He's been through a lot be patient with him." She thought to herself.

Ron motioned for her to follow him upstairs, "I got to get some cloths to wear, I'm kind of going commando here."

Kim shook her head as they entered Ron's room, "Commando?"

Ron smiled and then leered at her, "I'm not wearing any underwear."

Kim blushed, "Too much information Ron."

Ron laughed and got his cloths together and left for his shower. Kim shook her head, "He's going to have to wash those shorts twice." She thought smiling to herself.

Rufus was standing up on the dresser glaring at Kim, "Kim Yuck"

Kim squinted at him, "Ohhhhh you be quiet."

Then she turned and started to look around Ron's room, it looked different from when she saw it in May. There were no posters or pictures on the walls, and most noticeably there were no pictures of Kim anywhere, "He really did move on." She thought to herself sadly. She walked up to the mirror and saw a list taped to it:

Top 5 things I want to do this summer:

I want a job

I want a car

I'm not going on anymore missions with Kim

I want to live like a normal person

I want a new girlfriend

Kim closed her eyes, "He really thought this out, and he actually did everything on the list…wow"

Kim looked around on the mirror, there were lots of Lacey trinkets, pictures of her and Ron together, "He really loved her…she was his first girlfriend, and not me." She thought absently.

Then she saw pictures with Ron and his friends from work all proudly displaying their cans of beer, "I don't think I like those friends of his very much." She said grimacing at the memory of the club.

There were different catalogs from colleges and brochures from the Army and the Marine Corp. Kim smiled, "Ron a marine…I don't think so."

She looked over different papers that were out and then she saw the picture. The picture was of Ron and her kissing, with the word "Loser" written in red magic marker with an arrow drawn right to Ron. Kim grimaced, "They drew the line to the wrong one, I'll see to it Ron gets a better picture." She thought to herself.

She heard Ron coming down the hallway, he was talking on his cell phone, "I told you she'd say yes, yea, yea…I know, look we'll meet up next week and go see Rita…I know…yea, I gotta Run, Kim's here visiting…ok, Ned…ok, bye."

Ron turned and looked at Kim, "Aughhhhhhhhhhhh Ned's driving me crazy."

Kim laughed, "Tina said yes?"

Ron nodded his head, "Yea…about time he asked her out."

Kim nodded smiling, "You finally got Ned to ask."

Ron nodded, "Now we have to get out of here, the Marine Corp. sergeant is about to drive me insane…He seems to think I'd be perfect Marine Corp. material…make a man out of me and all that stuff."

Kim laughed, "I can't see you as a Marine."

Ron shrugged and looked at Rufus, "You coming?"

Rufus turned his back, "Kim Yuck…No Way"

Ron smiled, "I think Rufus is a little mad at you."

Kim looked at Rufus sadly, "I guess" then she followed Ron outside the house.

Ron drove Kim up to Quarry Lake; they talked about school stuff and Ron's job. Normal routine stuff that people talk about when they feel awkward around each other.

Kim looked out the window of the car and was trying to figure out how to start, "I don't even know where to begin, do I start off with May or do I start off with Lacey…I don't know." Kim was trying figure things out.

Ron was in his own little world, he figured Kim just wanted to drag him off on a mission or two. Ron pulled up into the parking lot of Quarry Lake and parked. They got out and headed to Ron's favorite picnic table.

Ron sat down facing the lake and Kim sat next to him, he pointed out at the water, "This is probably my favorite place on earth right now."

Kim nodded, "It's pretty out here, makes a good lovers lane at night, I'll bet." She said smiling.

Ron laughed and nodded, "Yea it does at that." He said looking over at the spot he used to park the motorcycle at.

Kim swallowed hard, "Well here it goes, I might as well get to the point."

She looked around and then at Ron, "Ron…I wanted to talk to you, I've wanted to talk to you for a while…I miss you…I mean I really miss you…and I was wanting to see if we could…be best friends again…and I'd like to be your girlfriend again.'

Ron sat thee blinking, then he rubbed his face and chuckled, "No…no…ummm…I don't know Kim, I mean my first girlfriend dumps me without even going out on a date with me and my second girlfriend just died. I don't think you should be in such a hurry to get in the line of Ronnie the cursed boy."

Kim closed her eyes, "Yea I'm sorry about that first girlfriend, she shouldn't have done that…Ron, I really miss you."

Ron shook his head and shrugged, "Well I don't miss you…no"

Kim started to pull her head in.

Then Ron continued, "I miss my old friend Kim, the Kim that wouldn't of left me in a janitor closet for three days, I miss the Kim I grew up with, the Kim that wasn't all that, the Kim that would listen to me, the Kim that I thought actually cared about me at one time, the Kim that wouldn't of done anything bad to me,. I miss that Kim" Ron said wiping at his eyes.

Kim was looking down at the table, "Well he laid it all out there." She thought sadly.

They sat there and watched the lake, "I think I know where that Kim is, I just need someone to help me find her." She said looking at Ron.

Ron looked down at the table, and then back Kim, "Look Kim….I don't know…I mean…I just lost Lacey…I don't know if I'm really wanting to get involved in another one so quick…I don't really trust you very much and the thought of getting into a relationship that's only going to last days…I can't…I can't do it." Ron had his hand on his head and rubbing it like he had a headache.

Kim looked at him, she remembered what her mom and Monique had told her, to listen to Ron, "Ron…I learned a lot this summer too, I learned not to take you for granted and that maybe sometimes I don't always know what's best."

Ron chuckled, "You got that right…sorry…I've cried a lot this year, I think I've cried more than I've cried in my life."

Kim smiled, "I thought men don't cry." She was trying to lighten the mood a little.

Ron shook his head, "I know Kim Possible doesn't cry…Sometimes I think I was crying for the both of us."

Kim swallowed hard, "I cried too, I cried really hard when an old friend told me to go away." She said while taking Ron's arm and resting her head on it.

Ron nodded, "I was sooooooo angry with you about that chip, almost called you a bunch of names that I'd never associate with you." Ron said frowning.

Kim nodded, " I deserved it."

Ron shrugged, "What's done is done…I don't think about it much…unless I see Wade's stuff." Ron said with a laugh.

They sat at the table watching the lake, Kim was looking to lighten the mood, "Ron, let's play that old game we used to play when we were little, remember, the favorite game."

Ron smiled, "Yea I remember it.'

Kim rolled her eyes in thought, "Ok, what's your favorite food?"

Ron smiled, "Easy, Nacos, what's yours?"

Kim closed her eyes, "Ummmm…ice cream."

Ron nodded, "Good answer….What's your favorite word?"

Kim thought for a moment, "love…yours"

Ron smiled, "Booyah"

Kim shook her head, "That's not a word."

Ron looked at her, "I thought it was a word….ok…peace."

Kim looked at him, "Peace?"

Ron smiled, "You get out of the saving the world business you get to appreciate it."

Kim nodded, "Ok….ummm….word you hate?"

Ron frowned, "Cancer'

Kim closed her eyes, "Sorry…ummm goodbye, I guess." She said quietly.

Ron was quiet for a long moment; Kim decided it was time to change the subject, "Ron what was Lacey like?"

Ron smiled, "She was cute, funny, if you made her mad she could be hell on wheels…I never made her mad, she had a bright smile that could light up a room, she was a lot of fun to be with, she had a way of always making things seem…ok, she liked making out…said I had a talent for it." Ron said laughing.

Kim laughed, "If Lacey was still here, you wouldn't be with here with me would you."

Ron shook his head, "No" Then he looked away.

Kim nodded and swallowed hard, "Sounds like you had a great summer?"

Ron nodded, "I had some good times."

Kim nodded, "So tell me about Jennifer?"

Ron looked at her funny and shook his head.

"The girl from the club…the one you kissed." Kim reminded him.

Ron remembered, "Ohhhhhhhhhh, well something's I think are better kept to myself." He said with a grin.

Then Ron got a far away look on his face, he was trying to remember, "She tasted like cigarettes."

Kim looked at him, "Ewwwwwww too much information Ron." They both laughed.

Ron was quiet for a long time looking out at the lake, "I think I'd make a good father." He said confidently.

Kim leaned away from him, "Where did that come from?"

Ron just shrugged, "Funny little things that float through my head from time to time."

Kim laughed, "I bet…So tell me about Bartholomew and Cordelia?"

Ron gave her another funny look, then he remembered, those were the names of the kids that he and Kim were going to have before he got dumped, "Awwwww noooooo, don't make me tell you about that, that was embarrassing…it seems like a million years ago."

Ron said trying to get out of telling. Kim was persistent, "Come on Ron tell me…please, don't make me do the puppy dog pout."

Ron tried to hide his face in his hands, "Ok..ok...umm…Let's see little Bart was all boy, into everything, good at sports, good looking, unlike his dad…Cordie was the spittin' image of her mother, beautiful red hair, green eyes, no big ugly ears like her dad, and she would be daddies little girl, she would have been my princess….and I would spoil her."

Ron said in a far away voice. Kim's held Ron's arm tighter and her heart just melted, "Wow, he's intense." She thought to herself.

Ron just shook his head, "It's hard to remember, I only had time to think about it for a day and a half." He said with a smile.

Kim shook her head, "Yea…"

Kim was going to cry and she knew it was time to change the subject, "So why's Bonnie being so nice to you now?" She asked with a cracking voice full of emotion.

Ron smiled, "Awwwww I promised I wouldn't tell anyone."

Kim perked up, "My, you are full of secrets these days…spill."

Ron laughed, "No then you'll tell everyone and Bonnie will be mean to me again."

Kim curiosity was getting the better of her, "Come on Ron tell me."

She was bouncing on the seat she was so excited. Ron chuckled, "Promise you won't tell anyone?"

Kim nodded, "you know I won't, now tell me."

Ron laughed, "Ok…ummm…It seems Bonnie is Jewish."

Kim gasped, "No Way"

Ron laughed, "Yep Bon Bon's a Jewish American Princess, and it seems I'm the nice Jewish boy her mom wants her to date."

Kim looked at him, "You not going to date Bonnie are you?"

Ron laughed, "It would make my mom happy…I hope her mom doesn't meet my mom or they'll have us getting married."

Kim was laughing and tugging on Ron's arm, "You and Bonnie, that's so funny."

Ron narrowed his eyes, "No funnier than me and Tara dating."

Kim pulled her head in, "I guess you heard about that, huh."

Ron nodded, "You know I might have wanted to ask her out but a certain psycho red head threw her into some lockers."

Kim gave a sweet smile and pulled in her head further in, "Sorry"

Ron shook his head, "No you aren't."

Kim straightened up, "Your right, I'm not, besides she's not your type anyway."

Now it was Ron's turn to pull away from Kim, "And just exactly WHO is my type?"

Kim smiled and rolled her head around, "Let's change the subject."

Ron nodded, "Ohhhhhhhhh that's how it's going to be." He said with a smile. Then he got a far away look, "Tara has the tiniest tongue." Kim looked at him with smirk, "Too much information Ron." Ron started laughing, "I thought we was changing the subject?" He told her.

Kim looked around, "Ok, what do you want to do when you get out of high school?"

Ron rubbed the back of his neck, "Well I was thinking about going to college somewhere, thought about the Navy. Then Rabbi Katz said I could go to school in Israel and I'm leaning towards that now…How about you?"

Kim shook her head, "I couldn't see you in the Navy or in the military at all. As for me, I don't know, I haven't really thought about it yet…Israel, huh?"

Ron nodded, "Yea"

Kim nodded, "That's so far away."

Ron nodded, "Well after high school, I'm out of here anyway…Time to move on."

Kim shivered, "You're planning on leaving?"

Ron nodded, "Been planning to since I was little, why do you think I can cook, clean, do laundry and sew?"

Kim looked at him, "You can sew? Why do you want to leave?"

Ron's eyes narrowed, "I have my reasons."

Kim was worried now, she had never heard Ron talk about what he was planning, "Ron tell me."

Ron looked away, "Well…umm…It's kind of hard to talk about…I...I think I've been a disappointment to my mom and dad…I don't know why but…that's what I think…they packed me off to camp wannaweep when I was seven…after that…I…got the message."

Ron had his eyes closed and his shoulders slumped forward.

Kim didn't know what to say, she had no idea he felt that way, "Ron, you know that's not true."

Ron started to say something, then shrugged his shoulders, "Kim you had to notice a difference when I came back from camp…we used to sleep over at each others houses and then we wouldn't sleep over at mine anymore, I didn't want to be there anymore…I started wetting the bed, nightmares. My parents and I have never been close; wannaweep was just the breaking point. That's when I put it all together, and I figured as soon as I could leave, I would…I was so angry at them."

Kim had tears in her eyes, "Ron…why didn't you ever tell me?"

Ron pressed his lips together tightly, "Well, it's just not something I like to talk about, much less think about…Besides, I didn't want to risk not being able to be around your family. You guys were always sooooo cool, you did stuff and let me hang around. God your mom was great, she saved me"

Ron was starting to tear up and then fought it off, "I used to pretend that I was your brother…I got in all kinds of trouble in third grade for signing my papers Ron Possible…they wanted to send me to a shrink…I tried to help you out as much as I could with your stuff…I tried to help you on those stupid missions…Even helped you out with Josh Mankey…Then when I got locked in that closet…I know this sounds pretty pathetic but I can remember dancing in the closet, pretending I was at the dance, dancing with all the pretty girls that I knew would never dance with…someone like me…then after the dance….no one came and let me out, so I had all this free time on my hands. I felt kind of bad, you were with Josh…I was with a mop."

Ron wiped his eyes and started laughing, "So I got this weird thought in my head around…Sunday morning…I think, hard to tell time in a closet…I thought, why can't I be Kim's boyfriend, why can't I be with the pretty girl…Then the answer came, because you're a dork, a dweeb, but the thought was there and it never left, I could never shake it. Then Eric came along…God he was perfect, I was going to tell you how I felt then but…I was afraid, I'd be laughed at."

Ron stopped and wiped his eyes again, Kim had her head buried into Ron's arm, she had got a little more than she bargained for in her reconnection with her old friend.

"Then luck was with me, Eric didn't pan out and I had the pretty girl for a dance and kiss…Then the dream blew up in my face and I was left…with nothing…I didn't have my own life, I didn't have any friends…So I just did the best I could and things turned out pretty good…I had a great summer, I don't hate my parents anymore…we'll still never be close, but that's ok…met a great girl….lost a great girl…and now here I am." Ron finished with a shrug.

Kim was reeling, she had no idea that all that was running through Ron's head, "I screwed things up so much…I wish I'd stuck to babysitting."

Ron laughed, "yea, me too…Hey, it wasn't like I was running around broadcasting it to everyone."

Kim chuckled, "Yea"

Ron put his arm and around Kim and drew her in tight, she started to pull away and then folded up into Ron. Then Ron looked around, "I'm hungry, want to go to Bueno Nacho?"

Before Kim could answer the familiar tune of the Kimmunicator went off, Ron got a really angry expression on his face, "Can I see that?"

He didn't wait for an answer he just snatched it out of Kim's hands, "Hi Wade, what's happening?"

Wade was on the screen, "Where's Kim? Dementor's got a…"

Ron cut him off, "Kim and I are talking right now, call Global Justice."

Then Ron threw the Kimmunicator as far as he could into the lake, where it made a terrific, "Plunk" noise when it hit the water. Kim was looking at him rather irritated, "You know that was mine don't you?"

Ron shrugged, "I have one in my freezer, you can have it."

Kim started laughing, "Ok…All your little quirks you would have made a first class super villain.'

Ron put his hands on his hips and in his best Zorpox the Conquer voice he could muster, "So my buffoonish side kick, Kimberly Anne Possible, do you want to go and conquer Bueno Nacho with me?"

Kim laughed, "So now I'm the buffoon?"

Ron crossed his arms, "Awww come on Kim play along, say something buffoonish."

Kim shrugged, "booyah?"

Ron threw his hands up on his head, "Ohhhhhhhhhh noooooooo, I know you didn't go there, that is my patented saying, come up with your own."

Kim laughed, "I don't want to be a buffoon, I'd rather have a bad attitude."

Ron laughed and shook his head, "Come along my ill-tempered side kick and we shall pick up the Mole Rat of Doom and they shall quake in fear at Bueno Nacho when I produce my hard earned ill-gotten gains."

Kim was laughing as she got in the car, "I broke through, I'm getting my Ron back, this is the Ron that I know." Ron was ranting about nacos and ruling the planet with nacho cheese.

They went and picked up Rufus, he still wasn't sold on Kim but the promise of cheese was a good enticement to go along. They pulled into the lot and Ron shut the car off.

Kim looked over at Ron, "So Ron…can I be your girlfriend again?"

Ron looked away and became quiet. Ron was looking at the steering wheel, he was having a tug of war between his mind and his heart, "If I say yes, she'll try to drag me on missions, Lacey said to give her a chance, I'm a tool, It's Kim give her a chance, don't trust her, I'm not sure…if I should date again, I miss Lacey." His was really thinking it over.

Kim looked at him, "Ron?"

Ron sat up in his seat, "Kim there is so much damage control that needs to be done on my head…I don't know…"

Ron heaved a big sigh, "There's a home coming dance next weekend and I was wondering if you'd like to go with me to it?"

Kim had tears in her eyes, "Yes Ron, I'd like to go with you to the home coming dance."

Ron let out a breath, "Whewwww thought you was gonna say no for a minute."

Kim punched him. Then Ron shook his head, "Kim promise me…that no matter what happens…you'll let me have at least one more date than Josh Manke."

Kim laughed, "I promise."

The couple went inside and Ron ordered the food and went to his usual booth, Ron told her his schedule for the week. Kim laughed and told him that he was going to be as busy as she was. Ron asked her if she could come out and watch him win against Lowerton on Thursday, he was going to win no matter what for Lacey. Kim nodded and said she'd try to get the other girls to go again, minus Tara of course.

Monique stopped by the booth and showed off her new mission outfits, "Yea, I'm bad in yellow, look out Drakken, I'm gonna slap your fat head."

Ron gave Kim a worried look, Kim waived her hands in front of her and mouthed, "No more missions."

Ron nodded and smiled. Kim smiled back, "If Ron's not going, neither am I, I'll retire too." she thought to herself.

Ron looked relieved. Monique sat down next to Kim, "So…you back with Ron?"

Kim shrugged, "Ask him."

Ron blushed and nodded his head, "Looks that way, till she gets tired of me again."

Kim gave him a look, "Not gonna happen, I learned my lesson." She said with a smile.