Authors Note: May I express a heartfelt thanks to all those who, in spite of justified reservations, decided to give me a chance to live and finish this next chapter. As for the rest of the angry mob, I want you guys to know I appreciate your words too. After all, I wouldn't give a care for a KP community that didn't react that way to a story like this.

So now that I have your attention... enjoy!

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It all happened very fast; you could hardly be blamed for not noticing. Even had you been standing right there at the exact moment that it occurred, you could have easily overlooked it. Still, it had happened.

Ron Stoppable had died. The shock had killed him, cleaved his heart neatly in two.

"W-what?" Ron's voice was a raspy whisper.

"I can't get married!" Kim's hand seemed to recoil almost in horror from Ron's gentle grip as if the ring he held was some kind of vile insect. "Do you have any idea what this would mean?"

"We'd be together, for the rest of our lives." Ron's voice struggled for strength. "We'd be happy." He looked at her almost pleadingly.

"Happy! Ron, we're not even in college yet! We haven't even lived together for a day and already you want to get married? For god's sakes Ron, we haven't even spent a night together!"

"Well…we have the rest of our lives for that." Ron could feel a damn threaten to burst behind his eye lids, yet he fought with all his force of will to remain steadfast.

"Exactly! We have the rest of our lives, how can you want to get married now?" The incredulousness in Kim's voice grew louder and louder as she went on, picking up momentum with every passing second. "This is so like you, Ron. Don't you ever stop to think about this stuff before running off and buying a ring? Have you thought about what it would mean? Assuming your mother or my father didn't keel over at the announcement, where are we supposed to live after college? What are we supposed to do about money?"

"Well…" Ron had to admit he didn't have the answers, but he had assumed he wouldn't need them so immediately. "I mean, we can handle that when we come to it." He offered meekly.

"Which means I have to handle it, because that's what I do right?" Kim's anger grew with each passing moment. "Whenever something comes up, I take care of it, and then you look back and talk about how 'we' got through it 'together.'" Kim quoted with her fingers.

Ron could feel his gag reflex kick in. He was going to choke on his own bile, he knew it. He wanted to say something, anything to make this stop, but instead felt himself helpless, frozen before Kim's merciless onslaught.

Kim merely turned off to the side, still frustrated. "And what about kids? Do I get to be a freshman mother now on top of everything else? Are we going to be living off financial aide while you work at a Beuno Nacho, or did you have something else in mind?"

Tears burned their way down across Ron Stoppable's face. He wanted to disappear, to fade off the face of the Earth like he never existed. To simply melt into the ground beneath him and into the soil. Anything to escape this cruel punishment of which even the gods of myth could never have conceived of in their harshest hour.

"And do you have the slightest idea what marriage is supposed to be like? We're talking about us, together, for the rest of our lives! This isn't like playing house when we were little Ron, this would be the real thing. Till death do us part and everything! I mean, what, did you think this would just be some nice romantic gesture for our vacation? Something that would be sweet? This is serious! God Ron, when are you going to grow up?" Kim asked, not expecting an answer as she turned to walk away from him.

The look of shock never once left Ron's face. He felt himself try to call out to her, to call her back, but no words escaped his throat. Instead, he merely looked back down at the ring in his hand, and then back up at the back of Kim's hair as she walked away.

Ron felt the weight of his sagging heart drag him from his kneeling position to the ground as he slumped down. Tears poured from his eyes even as he sealed them shut desperate to hold them back. He tried to burry his pain in his own palms as he felt his stomach grow sick.

Throwing himself over, he tried to expel, but all that came out were dry heaves. He could feel his face burning as he continued to try in a vain effort to wipe his face dry.

Ron Stoppable would never know exactly how long he remained hunched over on the ground before finally dragging himself to the hotel whose directions he had copied down from Kim earlier, or, for that matter, how exactly he managed to drag himself there in the first place. When he entered, he barely noticed the fact that Kim was absent. Instead, he merely collapsed onto the bed and allowed sweet unconsciousness to rescue him for the cruel torments of reality.

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Kim continued to wander the streets of Athens in a well fueled fury, muttering to herself in anger. Anyone who saw her as she walked was wise enough to immediately move to the other side of the street at her approach.

"God, he can be so clueless some times. And so, so… childish."

Kim allowed herself to stop for a second to take in the sight of the full moon, hoping to calm herself down before she hurt someone. Looking up, she tried to lose her anger amidst the tranquility of the evening. As she did, as her mood slowly settled, she came to a startling and most unsettling realization.

She was shaking.

Late at night, the temperature was still in the mid seventies. Back within the city, the breeze was nowhere near as strong, which made things very comfortable. Yet she found herself with her arms wrapped tightly around her shoulders. Kim held out her left hand in front of her, only to watch it tremble uncontrollably.

Kim took her palm within the firm grasp of the other, and suddenly realized that her lip was quivering too. She felt a solitary tear form from behind her left eye and quickly run its course down her cheek

It took even the amazing Kim Possible a second to identify the feeling in her stomach that had suddenly overtaken her.

Fear.

Yes, that was it. In fact, as Kim continued to stand there, she found she wasn't just afraid, she was absolutely terrified.

Her surroundings were serene and calm, the night beautiful and inviting, made so by the glow of the moon. Despite the unfamiliar setting, she felt in no danger. Yet she found herself overwhelmed by the world around her for reasons that she couldn't explain. A sense of overpowering, unspecific terror had gripped her tightly, and would not yield its hold.

Feeling suddenly very small and very vulnerable unlike ever before in her life, Kim found herself crouching down against the side of a building, longing for the warm, protective embrace of a very specific set of arms.

"Oh god, Ron…" The very thought caused Kim to bend over sick, yet nothing came out, though certainly not from a lack of effort on the part of her stomach.

As Kim tried regaining control of her bowels, she found that her cheeks were soaked with tears, her eyes seemed to burn with them, her entire body shuttering uncontrollably.

"Ma'am, are you ok?"

Kim looked up to see a police officer standing over her, looking down on her with concern. Startled by how close he had been able to walk up to her without her noticing, Kim backed an inch or so away in fear.

"Ma'am, it's alright." He assured gently. "I can help you. Are you lost? Were you attacked?"

Kim felt her face burn red with embarrassment. The great Kim Possible being tended too like a lost little girl by a local police officer. On top of everything else that had happened to her, it was enough to make her laugh sickly, but only for a second.

"Ma'am, I think you should come with me." The police officer leaned down to help Kim to her feet.

"No, I'm ok, really." Kim wiped her nose as she brought herself upright without aide. "I just, I just need to get to my hotel." She insisted softly, trying to avoid eye contact by concealing her face behind her flowing red hair.

"Ma'am, are you sure you're alright?"

"I'm fine, really." She lied through her teeth as she sniffled. "I just need to get to my room." Kim found her hands reach of their own accord for the side of her arms as she held herself tight.

"I'd like to accompany you, if that's alright."

Kim could tell she wasn't going to talk her way out of this, and rather than get into anything else, she nodded in acceptance. Plus, she had to admit she wasn't quite sure which way it was anyway.

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The day started off well. The bright sun trickled into the room, and eventually settled warmly over Kim's body. She felt the soft feel of her pillow and blankets welcome her back into the waking world, and stretched her muscles comfortably.

Then she made the mistake of opening her eyes and looking next to her.

The sight of dried tears on the side of Ron's face brought back a storm of horrible memories and chased away from her mind any reason Kim might have for ever feeling good about herself for the rest of her life.

Yep, Kim's day had really gotten off on the right foot for the first two and a half seconds.

Kim felt the life fade away from her body. She was hungry, yet revolted by the thought of food, fatigued yet unable to sit still. She wanted to fall asleep again, to maybe even unconsciously slip into Ron's arms and bask in his embrace, though she knew she had no right to even dream of such a pleasure.

Instead, Kim cautiously eased herself off the bed, determined not to disturb his slumber. Let him sleep till dooms day if that's what he wants. At least then, he'd never have to speak to me again.

Kim wanted to at least find some coffee or maybe something to read. Instead, she found herself only able to carry herself as far as the table in the room. Sitting down, she felt frustrated as ever as still more tears began working their way down her face.

Beep-bee-beep beep.

With all the force one might expect from a cartoon character humorously trying to smash the alarm clock on their nightstand, Kim attempted to bring her fist down on top of the Kimmunicator. Sadly, her aim was an inch to far to the left, and she impacted against the side of the table.

Cursing with a tongue that would have made her mother faint, Kim brought her sore fist to her mouth even as she picked up Kimmunicator in frustration.

"Wade, go away." Kim couldn't recall ever speaking to Wade with such scorn. She chided herself for it silently even as he spoke; after all it wasn't his fault her world was going to hell.

"Kim, are you alright?" Wade asked guiltily.

"No." Kim hid her eyes behind her fingers in feigned fatigue, realizing how bloodshot her pupils must appear. "What's the sitch?" The gravel in Kim's voice could have paved a highway.

"Uhh, we got a problem." Wade paused, as if in effort to gauge Kim's reaction before continuing. "Drakken has struck. He's stolen some kind of top secret isotope. I haven't been given access to all the details, but I'm told this stuff is seriously hardcore. We're talking enough power to make Hiroshima look like a fourth of July sparkler."

Kim wanted to tell Wade to get someone else. Let the world save itself for just one day. She felt she had to be owed that much that she could get away with it if she had an important enough excuse, which she certainly did in her mind. However, before she could do so, she felt the Kimmunicator snatched up from her hand. Kim's eyes emerged from behind her hand to see Ron standing in front of, a solemn expression on his face, as he spoke.

"We need time to clean up Wade. Give us a half hour." He spoke evenly.

"Ron, are you ok? You look like…" Wade didn't get a chance to finish his observation.

"Thirty minutes. Bye." With that, Ron turned the Kimmunicator off and proceeded to toss it to Kim.

"Ron…" Kim's face was a bizarre mixture of incredulousness and guilt.

"I can still go on missions with you, can't I?" Ron asked dryly.

Kim didn't answer. She merely grimaced at the question as it cut right through her.

"I need a shower. Out in a few." Ron called as he grabbed up some clothes and headed straight for the bathroom, slamming the door behind him with enough force to collapse the entire room around him. As it did, the door merely echoed painfully throughout the room, devastating Kim in its wake.

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Kim kicked herself as she sat in the back of the cargo plane, alone, while off in the distance, as far removed from her as he could be without sitting on the floor, Ron sat silently, sulking, his back to her, facing only the corner of the cabin, silent as a grave.

What had Kim been thinking? Why did she have to answer the Kimmunicator in the first place? So what if Drakken blew up the world, her world was going to end anyway as far as she was concerned if she didn't make things right with Ron. So why had she agreed to jump across the globe on yet another world saving mission instead of spending the day working to save the best thing that had ever happened to her?

Because she couldn't. Not yet. Not until she had a chance to sort out what had happened.

What did happen last night?

Simple answer: Ron proposed. And it was everything that she could have ever wanted it to be. A romantic proposal at sunset on the steps of the Parthenon itself. It was the sort of thing that Kim and her friends on the cheer squad moaned at the very thought of as they talked their girl talk in the high school locker room.

And she had said no.

And then, after that, she had proceeded to take Ron proposal, chew it up, and spit it right back in his face.

Why?

It took Kim another few minutes before finally admitting the answer to that one.

She was scared.

Scared, she was absolutely horrified. Not at the thought of spending her life with Ron. After all, young Kimmie Possible had always assumed that she would go through life with best friend Ronnie at her side.

She was scared of the truth. And the truth was that accepting Ron's proposal, becoming engaged, getting married, meant a lot of changes. It meant growing up a whole lot faster in a whole new way that Kim had never expected, and wasn't prepared for.

She had always assumed, well planned really, that she and Ron would date through college, and discuss marriage later, after they had experienced more together as a couple.

Experienced more together? You've switched bodies, how much more can the two of you experience?

The sarcasm of Kim's inner voice went unappreciated, but did serve to swirl up a sickly feeling within her stomach.

But this went against the plan. She wasn't ready for this. Neither of them was. They were still too young. Too inexperienced at this sort of thing.

Never stopped you from fighting super villains and saving the globe. You never really do anything else conventional, why start now?

Once again, Kim found herself wishing that her sassy subconscious had physical form so that she could pummel it and get on with convincing herself that she had ultimately made the right decision. As it was, she was losing certainty of what was right with each passing second.

Kim's inner scrutiny only served to make one thing painfully clear; she needed time. Time to sort through her feelings, wrestle with her own emotions. She should have told Ron that, explained to him that she wasn't ready for that kind of decision, especially not on what was supposed to be a relaxing, care free vacation. Asked him to be understanding, to give her time to think. She knew he would have, however reluctantly, if she had but asked.

But she hadn't. Instead, in a moment of blind panic, she had trampled all over his feelings, wretched all over his emotions, and it just made her want to wretch yet again at the thought.

Kim wanted to kick herself all the more as she realized that this was something he had been trying to express to her throughout their entire trip. Their dance together in the ballroom of the royal palace of England, their private moment together atop the Eiffel tower overlooking the sparkling lit city of Paris, a romantic boat ride at sunset through the city of Venice. Each time, Ron had so carefully selected just the right moment. It must have been an agony to him each time that they had been interrupted.

In the light of hindsight, it had been so obvious to anyone who could have been looking from a distance. Yet Kim had been right there, and never once even considered it.

One thing was clear, she had to at least try to set things right, and the best time for that was now.

"Ron." Kim's voice was absolutely petrified as it struggled to reach across the cabin. It quivered with fear, yet Ron gave it no response.

"Ron, about last night…" Kim began again, the very thought of the evening prompting another tear to run down her just recently cleaned face.

"Don't." Ron's voice was cold and guttural. It froze Kim where she sat, and it took all her strength of will for her to speak up again.

"Ron, please. I'm so sorry…"

"Don't. You. Dare." Ron's voice seemed to grow even colder if that was possible, and certainly harsher.

Kim's tears returned again in force. After everything that had happened, she would have expected them to be drained dry by now.

"Ron, what I said to you last night… I… can't begin to defend myself."

Ron said nothing. He simply sat there, hunched over, unresponsive as Kim wept away behind her. If he was affected in any way by her pain, it didn't show.

"Ron please look at me." Kim pleaded.

Ron grimaced at the thought. He couldn't. Not again. Never again. After all, what was there to see?

Only everything that he had ever, could ever want in life. The so called 'Rules' which Ron had once held as the indisputable and infallible truths of his generation stated quite clearly that someone like Kim had no business speaking to Ron, much less even look in his direction, unless it was to take amusement at some misfortune of his. She was to spend her time with all the popular, smart, attractive kids like herself, and turn her nose up whenever someone like him walked by.

Instead, she had given him her friendship, and eventually, her love. She had been a true and loyal friend in spite of every social law that forbade it, and the most wonderful thing ever to happen to him as his girlfriend. She was the sole passion that ruled his heart and he had offered her his undying loyalty, his unfailing devotion, and his unending love for the rest of their lives.

And she had rejected it.

What else was there for them after that? How could they continue to just 'date' after something like that. How could they even go back to being just friends? No. He could never go back to being just friends. Not knowing how much more he was missing.

So he would do this one last thing with her. He would go on one last mission together. Team Possible would triumph just one last time, and then, one way or another, it would be over.

"Ron…" Kim's hand slowly reached out for his shoulder, but Ron seemed to jump up sharply, gently knocking her hand aside.

"Kim, let's just do this and get it over with."

"We're at the drop off point." The pilot announced.

Their target was a small island, just off the coast of Greece as it happened, which, under other circumstances, made Kim and Ron the ideal choice for quick and speedy recovery of whatever isotope Drakken had gotten his hands on. Since their departure, Wade had only been able to fill them in that whatever had been stolen was stolen from the same people responsible for the Pan-Dimensional Vortex Inducer. Clearly, their security hadn't improved much. This only reaffirmed the importance and potential danger of whatever had been stolen.

Ron attached his chute with ease, and without waiting for Kim's go, leapt from the plane. Kim tried to clear her mind before jumping after him.

To her surprise, Ron didn't pull right away. Instead, he allowed himself to free fall naturally. And fall. And fall. And fall.

As the seconds and feet flew by them, the ground became closer and closer. Kim continued to expect Ron to pull at any second, yet he didn't.

Concern grew to worry as the pair kept falling. All the time, Ron savored the rush, feeling the exhilaration of the fall, as if he could ride the winds without a chute and simply let the wind carry him away from his problems. For some reason, it made him feel larger, more powerful.

"Ron."

Kim's distant voice pulled him away from his imaginings. He turned to look at her with a glare he was certain that she probably couldn't make out at this distance.

"Ron, pull."

Ron took a small measure of satisfaction ignoring her cries as he continued to savor the experience.

"Ron, now."

With a grunt of frustration, Ron pulled fiercely on his cute, causing it to expand and catch the winds, lifting him up and slowing his descent.

Kim followed suit. Kim took lead as Ron followed her into the jungles of the island. There was an old abandoned castle up on a hill over looking the ocean that Kim and Ron could only assume now served as Drakken's newest lair.

Kim brought herself down through the forest canopy, and then removed her chute, turning, expecting to have to help Ron down from having gotten himself tangled up in a branch. Instead, Ron landed perfectly next to her, discarding his chute without incident.

"Kinda close, wasn't it?" Kim asked, her voice thick with implication.

"Boy I'll say." A familiar voice answered from the side. Kim's day went from worst in her life to even worse than that as she traced the voice back to a familiar green and black clad super villainess standing on a small hill looking down on the pair. "You almost pulled low enough to avoid our radar."

On cue, over two dozen henchmen with weapons leapt out from the jungle cover, surrounding Ron and Kim, their weapons trained on them both.

"Almost." Shego reminded.

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Author's Note: Two more chapters to go, hang on with me people.