Disclaimer: I don't own Kim Possible, or the characters that it contains. If I did, oh if I did… BwahahahahahahahahaWOOF!

-

As Ronald and Tara maneuvered the hallways of Middleton Junior High towards her first period class, Tara's appearance altered from shy blushing to slight flirting. Ronald kept flashing a somewhat roguish smile as they approached a bank of lockers.

"If it is okay with you, milady, I have need to stop by my locker to pick up a personal project so that my compatriot can check my figures," Ronald said as he directed her to a detour to the lockers.

"Not a problem, Ronald." Tara paused as he quickly dialed his combination. "You know it is different to here someone use their full name instead of shortening it. I mean Ronnie Brewster and Ron Bauschman I know are also Ronalds, but they can't stand to be called by that."

Ron pulled out a stack of printer paper from his locker and placed it under his arm. "The reason for that is that Ronald is a name for an adult and in their minds they are still children. I look at myself, while not legally an adult, to be one in training and conduct myself as such." He holds out his arm to signal he is ready and the direction they are to take and he is slightly surprised when Tara lightly places her hand on his arm. "You do my great honor Miss Starling."

"You deserve it. No one else has treated me like this. You make me feel so… well, tingly. Plus, my grandmother taught me how to behave when I am with a 'gentleman suitor', as she put it, and please, call me Tara."

Ronald smiled warmly at her, "You do me an even greater honor. Remind me to thank her as soon as possible, if my memory happens to slip."

"I will, Ronald. By the way, what lunch do you have?"

"I have B lunch."

"Oh, I have A," Tara said dejectedly.

"That is too bad," consoled Ron, even though he knew the girl's schedule already. "Perhaps we may meet after school, and I could have the pleasure of walking you home?"

Tara pouted, "I have cheerleading practice after school today, how about tomorrow?"

A sorrowful look crossed Ron's face, "I am sorry, but I am tutoring two students after school on Tuesdays and Thursdays."

"And I have cheer practice on Mondays and Wednesdays. I wish there was a way that we could get to know each other better."

"Perhaps Saturday… I could change my schedule up some. Rearrange it just for you."

"That would be wonderful!" Tara squealed, but suddenly dropped back into a mope. "I can't, I already said that I would go to the Mall with Kim and Bonnie."

"If you don't mind being seen with me by them, then I don't see where it would be a problematic situation."

"Well, I don't, but Bonnie is making it into a group date with Bobby Stanton and his friends."

"Is Bonnie the only one that can invite people to this?" Ronald asked, making a mental note to research this Bobby Stanton.

"Well, I guess not. It is a group date, so I guess other people could ask someone… Like I could ask you," Tara reasoned out loud.

"Is that an invitation?"

Tara nodded, "Yes, would you like to go the Mall with me and my friends?"

"I would be most enchanted to, my lovely belle. Though might I ask one thing?"

"Sure, what is it?"

"That my friend Justine also be invited. It would provide a balance to the male to female ratio of the group dynamic, and though I have gotten her to be a bit more social, I am afraid that coming to this larger school has caused her to want to shrink back to her introverted shell."

"Oh, I don't think that will be a problem," said Tara looking up into his deep brown eyes.

"Tara?"

"Yes?" she answered almost breathlessly.

"We are at your class, and unfortunately, I must away to make my class."

Tara broke away from his warm eyes and looked around. "Oh, okay. I guess this is good bye then."

"No, not good bye, never good bye, but till next we meet," Ronald bowed to her before he turned to walk away. He traveled a few steps, just enough time for Tara to sigh and turn to enter the room, and then he turned around. "Tara, would you mind if I walked you to class tomorrow?"

Tara grinned widely, "No, not at all."

Ronald nodded his head and turned and merged into the mass of students in the hall.

-

Ronald entered into his first period class to fine a waiting Justine. He made his way to his desk, which was beside hers and handed her the printer paper. She took the paper and began looking over the numbers contained within its accordion folds. "I was wondering if you were going to have the piece of fluff check it out for you."

"Never, one this is far above her abilities and two, you are my partner, and she is an experimental subject."

"If she is an experimental subject, what is the goal?"

"Not what, my Athena, but who is the proper pronoun."

Justine moved further into her seat. "Do not worry my friend, I know full well how you feel about interpersonal coupling and I will not besmirch your feelings in pursuing you. From an observers view point, I do understand how you formulated your opinions on such."

Justine relaxed a little, eyes returning to the paper, brow furrowed in concentration until the bell rang to begin class.

-

The rest of the day passed as any other day, but with Justine jotting notes in pencil on Ronald's print out. After the last bell finished its toll, she handed the paper back to him. "I didn't find anything innately wrong in the calculations as you presented them, but I did make notes about areas that seemed convoluted. This was a preliminary conjecture wasn't it?"

"Quite so, Justine, the idea came to me, in of all places, the bathtub."

"Did you jump up and shout, 'Eureka!'?" she asked with a smirk.

"No, I did not stand upon that much precedence. An idle thought catching in the brain during resting repose does not demand dramatics in the modern day."

"So, you got the idea not only in the bathtub, but while you were dozing off?" she questioned, the smirk becoming a smile.

"Yes, yes, the idea was given to me by Oneiros himself perhaps, but it is a valid idea," Ronald relented, his ire rising.

Seeing his countenance shift, Justine just nodded, "The math seems to be sound, but you are probably the only person that will be able to implement it in a device. Somehow what you create seems to work, even if it seems to be far fetched."

Ronald sighed, "I know. That is the bane of my scientific ability. With this and a few other things that I am working on, I mayhap will be able to quantify my abilities. To think some of the wondrous things that would easily lead humanity into a golden age of golden ages if but a few of my products could be mass produced."

"Ronald, it is okay," Justine said and she touched him lightly on his now slightly drooped shoulders. "Even on a small scale your work helps. Your family uses no energy created from fossil fuels, my brother and I don't either. While that may not be a lot, every little bit helps. One day you will be able to step up the processes and do more, but for now, hone the abilities that you do have."

Ronald looked up at her confused, "Justine, thank you." There was a pause as he looked at the sincerity on his friends face. "You do know that you are touching me?"

A stiff nod came from the other genius. "I know Ronald. I trust you. I know that you would do nothing to harm me, or break my trust. You need a friend, and I am that friend, and this is something that friends do. I know at times that you have wanted more, but I am afraid that I may never be ready for that, but if I ever am, I would be honored if you thought of me that way, because I know I would think of you that way."

Ron nodded slightly and patted her hand before gently removing it from his shoulder and lightly kissing the tips, "Dear, sweet Justine, if at such time as you are ready, I would be more than honored and pleased to step up for you. In the mean time, though I shall pursue other interests as you have implored me to do."

Regaining his stride the two made their way to the waiting station wagon that Justine's brother drove, and entered, not noticing the twin green orbs that observed them before moving with their owner into the gym.

-

Author's Afterward: Justine's brother? Think of her last name... I couldn't resist.