Kim stood at the door and watched as Ron and his mom backed out of the drive. She thought back to what had remained of their afternoon. The thought of time spent on the couch with Ron just quietly cuddling brought a warm feeling through her being. The kiss he left her with had been so much more than she had ever experienced before.
"Kim… Kim… I have to go now." His words broke into her dreaming mind. "KP, are you in there?"
She just smiled widely to the muffled laughter of her mother and Rons'. "What?" she snapped back to reality.
Ron leaned back in and kissed her cheek softly, "That will have to hold you till morning." He said smiling widely.
She watched intently as the car went back up the street. Continuing to observe until it pulled into the garage. Only when it was gone from sight did she close the door and return to the living room. Her father, Dr. James Possible had returned only a short time before Ron had left, had been kept in the kitchen by her mother. Now he took his chair in front of the television for the nightly news. Kim strolled over slowly and took a perch on the arm of the chair.
"Daddy… I need to talk to you."
"About what Kimmie-cub?"
"Ron." She heard a very audible gulp from her father. "Does it bother you that we are together?"
James muted the news and took his only daughters hand. "I may have been overprotective about you when you began seeing boys, but those boys were not Ronald."
Kim was shocked. Her father didn't like the idea of his little girl dating, but those dates hadn't been with Ron.
"You mean if I had been dating Ron you wouldn't have been as overprotective?"
"No honey, I would have been just as overbearing, just not as concerned as to the motives of your date had it been Ronald."
This put things in a new light.
"Ronald has always been there for you. I don't think I would have let you go off on any of your missions had it not been that Ronald was going to be there with you. He was always looking out for you best interests even when you had no idea what they were." James got a wistful smile, "Ronald cared about you longer than you can imagine. Why else would he have kept the secrets he did? I mean who else in the world would have taken the risks he has, let alone for just a friend."
Kim had suspected that her father would approve of her and Ron's relationship when he kept a low profile around the two after she made her intentions known. Though she expected his reaction she hadn't been prepared for his full acceptance of it. Sure Ron was Ron, but he was still a boy, and daddy wasn't easy on any of them. Kim squealed loudly as she hugged him tightly.
"Oh daddy, thank you… thank you…"
"Kimmie, don't thank me. Thank Ronald, if he hadn't been the man he is I would have been even harder on him than any of the other boys. He proved himself every time you two went out on one of your missions."
The universe has amalign sense of timing. Ann got up and answered the phone. James and Kimberly were in the midst of a souls searching discussion, and Ann thought it best not to interrupt them. Her mood was one of joy when she spotted her daughter and husband sharing a moment. That mood changed abruptly at hearing the voice on the other end of the phone. She didn't remember saying good-bye, she didn't remember hanging up the receiver. Almost in a daze she walked into the living room. The faces turned to her in a joyous state that quickly melted away after seeing the sorrowful look that she now wore.
"James, get your keys and head out to the car, Kimmie go with your father while I get my purse and the cell phone. And both of you… hurry. I don't know what it is, but Ron was taken to the hospital, he collapsed."
Kim looked positively horrified and on the brink of tears. James hit the ground running, and Ann didn't waste time arguing. She grabbed the twins and ushered them out the door so fast their feet never hit the floor. James hit the ignition and the car sped off as the doors barely made it shut.
The ride to the hospital was made in nearly total silence, only the crude remarks directed toward the other cars on the road were heard, and then only muttered under the driver's breath.
As the car slowed, but before it came to a stop, Kim had the door open and had bolted into the entrance. Quickly she glanced around and spotted the nurses station. "I'm looking for Ron Stoppable, he was brought in a little while ago." She asked drumming her fingers on the counter.
"I'm sorry miss; I don't see a Ron Stoppable in the registration database."
Kim wore a scowl, "Please check again. I was told he collapsed and was brought here." She was leaned over the counter watching the clerk when she heard her name.
"Kimberly, over here."
Kim turned to see Barbara and Daniel Stoppable waving to her from a small waiting area. She turned and hurried over to them. They hugged her tightly and offered her a seat between them.
"Dear you must have broken every traffic law to get here as fast as you did. It seems like I just hung up the phone after telling your mom about Ronald."
"How is Ron, what happened, when can I see him?" Kim seemed to speak on double speed.
"Slow down Kimberly. Ronald will be alright, he just fainted." Barbara leaned over, "Theexcitement at the school took a lot out of him. He had been trying to conserve his energy, but that Gill person, he just got Ron really worked up." Barbara looked up to see the remainder of the Possible clanpass throughthe doors.
"I'm glad he spent time with you after the incident, being with you would have helped him. He probably never would have made it home if you hadn't been there for him."
A doctor came in reading from a chart. "I'm looking for the Stoppable's."
"That's us doctor." Daniel said holding up a hand.
"Good, I just came from examining Ronald. He is resting comfortably and I see nothing in his chart to make me believe there is anything to be concerned over. He just needs to rest. I see from his admission form he was recently diagnosed with a relapse from an earlier bout of Leukemia."
His parents just nodded, looking grim.
"He was asking for a Kim Possible, do you know her?"
They pointed at Kim sitting between them.
"I'm Kim Possible."
He nodded, looking back to the parents. "Would you like to see him now?"
"No, I think Kimberly should go see him, he asked for her, she should go." Daniel urged.
"But I couldn't. You are his parents, I'm just…"
"Nonsense dear, he loves you, he asked for you, now go to him."
Kim stood looking to her parents for guidance. Both just motioned for her to go.
Kim followed the doctor down the corridor and through a set of double doors. She followed him to the end of the hall; he opened the door at the end and pointed her to the patient inside. Kim entered a darkened room, only the sound of a monitor, and slow even breathing were heard.
"Please try not to over exert him. I will be back in a while. I have to go back and discuss treatment options with his parents."
Kim pulled a chair over next to the bed and sat down. Carefully she reached out and took his hand in hers holding it tenderly. She brought his hand up to her cheek and rubbed it cautiously, letting it brush her lips. Closing her eyes she let her mind think only the most wonderful thoughts for Ron. As her lips lingered across his hand she felt warmth and then a soft light seemed to work its way into her closed eyes.
"KP?" His voice seemed tired. "I thought it was you, even before I opened my eyes."
Slowly she opened her eyes looking into his deep brown eyes. A light blue glow surrounded them; a wide smile crossed his face. She gripped his hand tighter, "Oh Ron, you had me so worried. How are you feeling?"
"A little tired, but I will be fine. Look even the glow is getting brighter just by you holding my hand."
Kim blushed brightly at his observation. Ron took her hand and pulled her up into the bed next to him. She sat on the edge just staring into his eyes, a single tear started to rundown her cheek, Ron spotted it and moved his free hand to wipe it away.
"Come on now, I'm going to be fine. So why the water works?"
"I thought I lost you, not once, but twice in the same day. I swore to stand by you through all things, good, bad, what ever may come." Her tears were coming faster. "I love you Ron, where I would be without you, I can't and don't want to even imagine. I will be by your side till the bitter end, I swear to you."
Ron pulled her still weeping into his shoulder, trying to console her. "Kim, I won't be around too much longer, I know that as fact. Just having you beside me fills me with so much love and pride I can't really find any comparison. Dying doesn't scare me like it did before, not with you beside me. My only fear is what will happen to you when I am gone. I fear what will happen if I'm not there with you, watching out for you, there to protect you. It really scares me."
"Don't worry about me, worry about getting better. If there is anyone who can prove a sure thing wrong it's you."
Ron pulled her into a tight embrace. He looked into her deep green eyes as they closed demurely, their lips coming ever closer. As they met passionately neither heard the door open slightly. As the couple parted slightly the glow dimmed faintly. Ron glanced over past Kim at the door ajar, a familiar head of blonde hair peered in.
"Tara… how did you get in here?" Ron asked quietly.
"I was just going to deliver these flowers and leave. The doctor said as long as we didn't wake you it would be alright."
"What do you mean we, Tara?" Kim asked
Tara pushed the door open further to reveal a mixed group of friends, and some who had until recently been thought of as royal pains. Tara walked in followed by Monique, Felix, Brick, and Bonnie. Bonnie looked to be the most uncomfortable being there, especially with Kim snuggled up close to Ron on his bedside. Tara brought a small vase with flowers, Monique a 'Get Well' balloon. Brick and Felix brought cards, but Bonnie, she carried a crystal vase with a single yellow rose.
Kim looked over the offerings, "How did you find out about Ron being here?"
Brick spoke up, "I was in the school office getting finished with a football meeting when I heard a call from an ambulance transporting Ron to the hospital. So I called Tara and Bonnie, and then they called Monique and Felix. We couldn't let Stoppable wake up and not have at least one floral arrangement in his room."
Everyone found a place for their gifts.
"We will be back during visiting hours tomorrow Ron." Monique said as she closed the door behind her.
Kim thought it was time that Ron get some rest, she kissed him lightly good-bye and left with the rest of the visitors. Bonnie stayed behind for a moment.
"What's wrong Bonnie?" Ron asked yawning. "I really should get some sleep."
Bonnie walked over next to his bed looking nervous. "I… I wanted to say thanks again… for trusting in me like you did. Why did you do it? I mean give me your sword. Wouldn't it have been better to leave it with Kim?"
"Bonnie, I gave it to you because I can feel the good within you. You may not like for people to see it, but it's there none the less. Secondly, Kim was still unconscious when I gave it to you." Ron reached over and gently took her hand, "Bonnie I think it's time for you to allow everyone else to see that side of you that you keep hidden. "
Bonnie blushed furiously when Ron leaned over and kissed her hand. Settling back into his pillow, he just waved her out of the room as his eyes closed. She watched as his glow returned briefly, and his breathing evened out as he fell into a deep sleep.
Bonnie almost made it to the elevator when she felt a firm hand clasp her shoulder.