Where You Hang Your Hat Chapter 21: Part XXI, a kim possible fanfic

Where You Hang Your Hat: Part XXI

°۠°°°۠°°°۠°°°۠°°°۠°°°۠°°°۠°°°۠°°°۠°°°۠°°°۠°°°۠°°°۠°°°۠°°°۠°°°۠°°°۠°°°۠°°°۠°°°۠°°°۠°°°۠°°°۠°°°۠°°°۠°°

The morning sun kept rising in the sky, occasionally blotted out by the huge plume of smoke pouring from what had once been an older, slightly up-scale hotel. The shingled mansard roof was all but obliterated as it fell into the flames, consumed as if into the maw of some great beast hiding there amidst the conflagration.

Even from where Kim stood the heat was oppressive. She had ripped the oxygen mask of and ran away before the EMT could stop her again, but by that point the police were there, blocking any further access to the scene.

A nearby wall collapsed toward them, sending a cloud of smoke, dust and embers their way. The crowd surged back, but Kim just kept pressing through them. She almost got through when a thick arm clad in tan blocked her path. The police officer shot her a grim look but otherwise kept his mouth shut.

Skirting the edge of the police line, Kim tried looking for a way in. Part of the framework was still up, if she could just get it with her grappler…

…her hand went to her hip. The pouch was empty. For wall she knew, the grappler was still attached to that window, now buried under the burning rubble of the collapsed wall.

She tried seeing into the ruined structure, but all she could see was billowing smoke and orange flames. The heat washed over her in waves, hotter than she could have imagined being almost a hundred feet away from it. Not even the fire department was trying to go inside to fight the fire. They were making do with pouring as much water on it as fast as they could. Their only hope at that point was to protect the neighboring buildings.

If tears were coming from her eyes, they were dried instantly by the heat. She stared into the flames, hoping that Ron and Joss somehow got out of there before the building started collapsing. Even if the firemen knew they were inside, there was almost nothing that could be done by that point. Anything living in there would have been incinerated.

Something caught her eye, just at the edge of the rubble. Pushing past another officer, she scooped it up before retreating back behind the lines. The Durango Sheriff's department deputy eyed her warily for a moment, but since she was not rushing toward the building he turned his attention elsewhere. He had to much on his mind to worry about somebody grabbing a ripped piece of cloth.

Kim held it in her hands. It was scorched in several places, and ripped lengthwise, but she would know those pants anywhere. Ron kept wearing them, even when he started growing. They were so baggy on him when he was younger it really didn't matter. She turned ruined pair of tan cargo pants around in her hands, finding the place on the knee where she had drawn little hearts on it in ballpoint during a quiet moment back in high school. Most of the ink washed right out since she hadn't been bearing down, but the faint impression, with RS plus KP drawn in the middle.

The pants had been sewn back together uncounted times. Kim's Mom had even added extra belt loops and had taken in the waist just a tad, trying to keep them from falling down. Keeping them on tighter had only made the old, thinning fabric more prone to rip. At first she tried getting him to go to Smarty Mart, or better, to Club Banana and get a new pair, but about the time she started drawing her little love notes on them she realized they were as much a part of Ron as his skin.

There would be no repairing them this time. Part of the legs had burned away, and the whole had ripped lengthwise. For a moment she panicked anew, reaching into the two cargo pockets sewn lower down on the legs. Her fingers hit something mushy and her panic grew, until she realized it was only part of an old banana peel.

Even though her heart was wrenching a little laugh escaped her lips. She wiped her enraged eyes, wondering how she could laugh and cry at the same time. It was just so funny that a guy could be so deeply afraid of monkeys, yet ate almost as many bananas as they did.

There was a melted fragment of grappler line snagged through the belt loop. The moments when she first entered the burning hotel came back to her in a rush. She heard another grappler go off, and had assumed it was either one of them following. In hindsight, it would have to be Ron's, since Joss' was the newer, slimmer model that didn't go 'bang' every time it fired. A little glimmer of hope surged, realizing that perhaps the rest of Ron didn't go flying into the building, and Rufus, knowing better, would have been perched on his shoulder rather than end up flying through the air with his pants.

Another thing came to her. Ron hadn't put on his belt that morning. They had taken a quick shower and slipped into their clothes in the bathroom, and he had left the belt in the tight pair of jeans he had bought the day before, and they were sitting rolled up on a chair out in their room. Obviously he had been too lazy to put it on, or the pants wouldn't have ripped like that.

Balling the remains of his trousers up under her arm, she worked her way back through the people surrounding the emergency site. As quickly as the fire department was on the scene, maybe the two of them were pulled back before they could get into trouble like she almost was.

Scanning the crowd anew, she looked for a patch of corn-yellow hair. It didn't help that he really wasn't that especially tall, even though he had grown some six inches since that night at the prom. He had gone from kinda short to average, though he was half a head taller than she was. Then, off to one side she spotted a news truck. A reporter, with expertly highlighted and gelled hair was speaking into a camera. It was amazing how they could appear, perfectly coiffed like that at a moment's notice, especially considering it was a Middleton station doing the reporting. Either the crew was already nearby, or they had a local satellite newsroom.

Her heart leapt when she realized the reporter was trying to shove his microphone in a young woman's face. It looked like a scene she had seen many times on TV before, though always after the fact.

Joss was having just about as tough a time as she usually did getting away from the newsman during the middle of a sitch. She was frantically trying to see over the crowd, not having much luck considering she was only five foot four.

Then she picked up a certain voice over the din.

"I don't care. She's in there! We've got to do something." Ron's voice pleaded frantically from the other side of the pressing crowd.

Even though her lungs were still burning slightly from all the smoke she had inhaled, Kim cupped her hands over her mouth, the pants dropping to the ground. "RON!"

Joss heard her first, her face lighting up as she ran up to her, wrapping her arms around her.

"We thought you were a goner, Kim!"

"Whoa, can't…breath." She pried her cousin's arms from around her chest, taking big gulps of air that was still thick with smoke.

Ron finally pushed through the tangle of rubberneckers. "KP!" He rushed up, heedless of the fact that only his boxers were peeking out from underneath his old red jersey. He crushed her anew in his arms, kissing her soot smudged face over and over.

"I thought I lost you back there." They said in unison.

"I got out with a little girl before anything could collapse. Next thing I knew I was over by the ambulance." She glanced back at the building. It was no longer four stories high, the walls not quite two by then. The flames were no longer visible but just as much smoke was pouring from the ruins as before. The fire department kept up their aquatic assault, not giving it a chance to flare up again. It was only then she realized she had left the building on the far side, and neither of them had been able to see her escape.

"I'm sorry I couldn't be much help back there, KP, but I didn't have another hook in my pack and by that point the firemen were here."

"Don't let him tell ya he didn't do nothin, Kim. When he saw he couldn't help, he grabbed me and sent me into the other hotel over there to make sure everyone was getting out, jus' in case the fire spread."

Kim put her hand on Ron's cheek. "You still did good there, baby." She wrapped her arms around him and squeezed back. "Oh God I'd hate to lose you, especially on your birthday."

Ron held onto her, but loosened his grip just a bit so she could catch her breath. "It's gonna take a lot more than that for you to lose me, KP. Oh, before I forget…Jinx, you owe me a soda."

"I owe you so much more." She put her head against his shoulder, squeezing him anew.

The reporter was hovering nearby. He was looking at Joss, then at Kim, obviously confused, looking as if he didn't know who to try to interview first. It had to be a strange tableau. Two young women who looked like Kim Possible, with a guy standing there in his underwear. Finally he made up his mind, holding his microphone in Kim's face even though she was still holding onto Ron.

"Miss Possible, were you staying in the Cobblestone?"

"Uh, no, we're just up here on a short trip."

"What about the reports that you rescued a girl from the blaze?"

"Look, buddy, not now." Ron said, holding up his hand.

Not dissuaded in the least, the newsman went on, pushing the mike at Ron. "Was Team Possible called in to help with the rescue? How did you get here so quickly?"

"Look, we're not here a mission. We just happened to be in the right place at the right time." Kim said, breaking free from Ron and pulling his hand to get away from the prying reporter.

"Witnesses say they saw you fly into the building. How did you do that?"

"It's no big. That's the reason I carry my grappler with me. Now if you would excuse me, I'm on vacation with my fiancé." She added special emphasis on the last as she turned away from the newsman, taking Ron and Joss along with her as they filtered back through the crowd.

Once past the tangle of onlookers, Kim put her arm around Ron's shoulders. He put his own arm around her waist, supporting her, though she really didn't need it. People were still streaming in from just about everywhere to watch the inferno, so they were pretty much walking away from the crowd. Once they turned the corner back to where their car was parked, they were pretty much alone once more, with only the billowing clouds of smoke and steam left in their wake.

"Heard that everyone else got out alright." Joss said, following them a couple steps behind.

"Yeah. The paramedic said the same thing. That's so good news."

"Oh no." Ron said, brushing his hand over her hair.

"What?" She stopped and looked at him. He reached over her shoulder and pulled a lock of her hair up for her to see.

"It's singed."

She smiled at him. "It's okay. I needed a haircut anyway. Guess it'll take me that much longer till I have hair as long as Shego's"

"Ick. Why would you wanna look like her." Joss stuck her tongue out.

Kim chuckled slightly as they resumed their trek to the Cruiser. "Oh, not so much to look like Sherry. Ron thought I would look 'badical' with longer hair." She stopped at a storefront and looked in the reflection. "It needed shaping up anyway. No big." She tried to smile. She hadn't had it cut except some trimming since the day of their Junior Prom. In that time it had reached pretty much her backside, though it wasn't quite as full and bouncy as her former foe's. Instead it tapered to a thin point.

Letting her hair back down, she started walking once more. "It was full of split ends anyway and it takes too long to dry. Might even get it cut like Mom's"

"Yeah, 'cept that many more people will keep thinkin' I'm you, 'specially if you look just like Aunt Anne."

"You're right. Besides, Ronnie here would probably say something like 'sick and wrong' kissing somebody who looks like Mom."

"Hey, there's nothing wrong with Mom P. She's a beautiful woman. If I hadn't known her almost my whole life, I'd think she was your sister."

Kim punched him gently in the stomach. "That kind of comment cuts both ways, there, Ron. Mom's forty-six and I'm twenty-one. Are you saying I look 'old' enough to be her sister?"

"You know better than that, KP. You're the most beautilicious woman in the whole world."

"That's better." She opened the hatch of the car and pulled out his rolled up jeans. Unfurling them, she handed them to him.

Slipping his sneakers off, Ron stepped into them. "Sorry, Rufus old buddy, looks like you're out of a ride since we're all wearing jeans now."

The little guy shrugged, clinging to Ron's shoulder with his back claws. There were plenty of places for him to curl up and go to sleep in the Cruiser anyway.

"Hey, my wallet!" Ron pulled the old batter piece of leather from the back pocket of the jeans. It had seen better days, with the stitching coming loose in several places and most of the black finish worn off the outside. His Grandpa Rokowski had given it to him only months before he passed away and he would carry it until it completely fell apart. Kim had even given him a new one for his twentieth birthday and it was still sitting in his nightstand (at their apartment) unused.

"Guess you were too lazy to take it out last night when we got ready for bed, huh?" Joss snickered, looking for another chance to lay into the two for getting frisky earlier that morning.

"No, that was his plan." Kim said, smirking.

"My plan? Oh, right, my plan. Yeah, always keep it in a safe place, just in case we get into a sitch where I could lose it."

"Yup." Joss said flatly, not buying a word of it.

Kim leaned on the roof of the car. "So, birthday boy. Still up for a train ride? We can always call home and tell them a sitch came up, which would be the truth."

Ron wrinkled his nose. "Nah, I think I've had enough smoke and steam to last a while." He pulled the edge of his shirt up. "Besides, we all smell like a campfire and it looks like you've been rolling around in an ash pan."

Kim looked at her reflection again. The old blouse had seen better days, but now it was slightly torn and it was covered in black soot. One of the loose laces at the collar was partially melted and there were more than a couple tiny burns where coals had landed on it. Her jeans were in just about as bad shape. The glass had not cut her skin, but it had scored the outer layers of the fabric in several places and they were just as dirty as her top. "Looks like both of us are coming away without some of our favorite clothes, baby."

"Aw man, my pants! I forgot to go look for them!"

Kim shook her head. "Sorry, they're DOA."

"But KP, they're my best pair!"

Chuckling softly as she unlocked the passenger door, Kim chided, "The only thing good about those old rags were when you were in them."

"Or out a them." Joss added, getting in the back.

Kim growled softly. If they had to put up with her about the whole ride back home…

That thought was cut off as a man in his mid-thirties came running up to them. He stopped, leaning on his knees for a moment before speaking. "Are…you…Kim Possible?" he finally gasped out.

"Yes sir."

She found herself in yet another crushing hug "Oh, Thank-you-thank-you-thank-you! I don't know how I can ever repay you!"

"Um, that's okay. Need to breath."

"I'm going to tell everyone when I get home. I've already talked to that reporter back there about how you saved Dawn. If there's anything, anything I can do."

It suddenly occurred to her that it must have been his daughter she saved from the burning building. "Really, it's no big. Helping people is what we do. Anyone would have done something if they could."

"My daughter is going to be so happy! She got to be saved by Teen Hero Kim Possible. She's one of your biggest fans already!"

"We're just glad she's okay."

"Oh, by the way." Ron interrupted. "Kim's not exactly a teen any more. We're both twenty one now."

"Wow. It seems like just yesterday when all that mess with the robots happened. Guess I've always just thought of you as being in high school. You certainly don't look twenty-one."

Kim beamed. It was the first time in quite a while anyone, including Ron, had paid her that kind of compliment. It was funny how she spent her teen years wanting to be grown up and treated like an adult, only to turn a complete one-eighty once she reached that point.

The man reached into his pocket, producing a card. "Here, I mean it. If there's anything you need, I'll do whatever's in my power to get it for you. I live in Middleton myself, so please, just name it."

"Really, sir, knowing little Dawn is safe is thanks enough. It's not like we take payment…"

"KP." Ron tapped her on her shoulder.

"Just a minute Ron. We'll head on out in a little bit."

"But KP."

"Don't be rude, Ron."

"Kim, look." He took the business card from her hands and held it closer to her face.

She read the card. It was a very simple white card with the business name, as well as the gentleman's name with an address and phone numbers. Then she realized what had caught Ron's eye. "You work for an apartment complex?" Kim asked.

"Well, it's more like I own them, some, well, quite a few. We're one of the largest housing companies in the Tri-City area."

Ron leaned over Kim's shoulder, grinning. "You wouldn't happen to have a nice place available near the college, would you?"