A quick A/N with more detailed notes at the end: If you have not already done so, please check out MrDrP's most excellent story, "Epic Sitch: The Spirit Dance Files". His story is probably one of the best I've read regarding "The Crush" and probably the closest to canon.

"I…I can't do this." Kim sobbed as Wade relayed the news that her crush, Josh Mankey, was headed towards her location.

I can't believe I'm doing this! Ron thought to himself as he shoved his best friend into the utility room and followed her inside. "KP!" the blond sidekick exclaimed, "You defeated Drakken. He's safe in jail now. And, on top of that, you saved Christmas! So…what's the big here?"

Taking a deep breath and exhaling, the redheaded teen moaned, "First off, Drakken was not trying to steal Christmas—he was trying to take over the world!"

"Potato—potahto." Ron sighed, "What difference does it make?"

Her moans growing louder, Kim cried out, "Drakken's easy compared to this!"

Gritting his teeth, Ron forced himself to continue his long-time role of best friend to the panic-stricken redhead standing in front of him. "Time to pause for a reality check here, KP. You beat an international superfreak. You can handle…" again speaking through clenched teeth, the blond sidekick made himself finish what he had started, "You can handle Josh Mankey."

"Target is passing the gym." Wade reported through the Kimmunicator.

Her heart racing, Kim gasped in fear, not hearing her best friend's muttered, "You're crossing a line here, KP."

"I can't do it." Kim shook her head, fear overcoming the girl whose motto had always been 'Anything's Possible for a Possible'. I can't do it."

"Target is on the move." Wade dutifully reported, "Closing in to your position. Four…three…two…one. He's on top of you!"

"I give up!" Kim sighed dejectedly, her head lowered in defeat. "I guess it just wasn't meant to be."

Why am I doing this! Ron's inner voice cried out. Just keep your mouth shut and Monkey boy's gone and we can go back to normal. "I can't do that." Ron muttered to himself, "I have to help her…she's my best friend."

"What was that Ron?" Kim sobbed.

Steeling himself for the difficult task ahead, Ron pushed his best friend out of the closet, giving her one last boost of encouragement, "You've got this, KP! Do it!"

Encouraged by her best friend's shot of confidence, Kim, let out a gasp as she looked up into the eyes of her crush.

"Hey." Josh smiled down at the pretty redhead facing him.

"Ummm…" the teen hero stammered, "Uhhhh…I'm sorry. About the banner I mean. The one I tore down."

Smiling, Josh quipped in an effort to put the obviously flustered girl standing before him at ease. "Hey…no big. It was weak anyway. The new one's a lot better."

A smile appearing on her face, Kim exclaimed, "That's great! Oh…you really like it…the new one I mean?"

"Definitely." Josh grinned, "Please…don't tear it down."

"I promise I won't." Kim smiled back, feeling a little more at ease now. "So…ummm…guess I'll see you at the dance? Maybe dance with me?"

Now it was Josh's turn to stammer, "Are you…are you…asking me out?"

"Uhhh…" Kim, her heart now going at a thousand rpms stuttered, "Yeah. I am. So…"

"Cool." Josh grinned, "So…I'll come by around seven?"

"Great!" Kim exclaimed, "I'll see you then."

Feelings of both elation and depression flooding through the blond sidekick who had been quietly standing to the side, listening in, not sure what outcome to root for, Ron, called out to his best friend, "I need a ride too! Could you swing by my place around 7:15? Mmmm…better make it 7:30 on account of the fact that my Mom has to iron my…"

Before he could finish his sentence, Kim, lost in her own little world and acting without thinking, kicked the utility room door shut, forgetting that Mr. Barkin had changed all the locks so that the door could not be opened from the inside. Her only thought being her upcoming date with her crush, the young redhead didn't even seem to hear the calls from her best friend, now trapped inside the tiny closet.

"But I'm a bondiggedty good dancer. Honest! Give me a chance. KP? Kim? Anyone? Please?"

Approximately 9 PM that evening—Ron

As the sound of music playing, accompanied by the laughter of the students at the dance drifted into the tiny closet, Ron, after several vain attempts to attract attention, slumped on to the floor with his naked mole rat companion. "Well, Rufus. Looks like we're stuck here until someone decides to open the door. Knowing our luck, it won't be until Monday morning." Looking around, the somber young man spotted a janitor's sink. "Well," his lips turned up in a sad smile, "at least we won't die of thirst before they let us out." Feeling his stomach rumbling, his smile turned into a sullen frown, "Hunger's another matter." Looking down at his pet, the teen sidekick sighed, "Sorry, old friend. I ate the last of our snackage a while ago."

"Awwwww…"

Kim—approximately 9PM at the dance

Wow! I'm dancing with Josh Mankey! Kim thought to herself as she swayed to the beat of the music, her eyes fixed on the handsome young man dancing with her. Her eyes drifting momentarily towards where her rival, Bonnie Rockwaller was dancing with her date, Brick Flagg, the redheaded teen gloated. Up yours, B! Who's the one dancing with Josh and who's the one…not.

Time stood still for Kim as she danced one song after another with her new hottie, but something kept nagging at the back of her mind. Something…someone…was out of place…was missing. Her eyes scanning the gym as she continued to sway to the music, awareness gradually dawned on the young redhead. "Ron."

"What, Kim?" Josh asked as the music paused. "What did you say?"

"Ron." Kim replied, her eyes still checking over the room. "I was sure he'd come."

"Maybe he went home?" Josh speculated.

"Maybe." Kim mused, "Maybe he felt down because he couldn't get a date and didn't want to come stag."

"That's a possibility." Josh agreed, "Are you worried about him? Whether he made it home safe or not?"

"Yeah, Josh." Kim nodded, "I know I shouldn't be…but I am."

"Then why don't you give him a call and make sure."

"Thanks, Josh." Kim answered with a smile as she took out her Kimmunicator and discovered that it had accidentally been shut off. "Crap." The young teen muttered under her breath. "How did that happen? I'd never turn it off intentionally." Turning it back on, she immediately contacted her genius tech support. "Wade?"

"What is it, Kim?" the pre-teen computer whiz looked up, surprised at the sudden call, "I thought you'd be at the dance."

"I am." Kim replied, "But Ron isn't. Could you do me a favor and see if he's at home? Please and thank you."

"Sure thing, Kim." Wade responded, shaking his head moments later, "He's not at home."

"Could he be at Bueno Nachos?"

"That's possible." Wade chuckled as he dialed the number for the fast food restaurant before again shaking his head, "Ned says he never showed."

Oh no. Kim shook her head. I couldn't. I couldn't have done that. I couldn't have been that stupid!

"Something wrong, Kim?" Josh asked with a concerned look on his face.

"I think I might have done something really dumb." Kim sighed as she turned her attention back to her tech support guru, "Wade? Do you remember when you used your GPS earlier today?"

Seeing Josh in the background on his screen, the young genius responded with a nod of his head, "Yeah. I remember. You want me to do the same for Ron?"

"Can you?

"Yeah." Wade answered back

"How?" Kim asked, "He doesn't have a cell phone or a Kimmunicator."

"Ummm…" Wade stammered, "Can we talk about that later, Kim. We need to track Ron down now."

"Right." Kim nodded, "Ron. Where is he?"

"Give me a minute." After a few moments of furious pounding on his keyboard, the tech genius looked up. "Found him."

"Where?"

"He's due west of your location."

"Thanks, Wade. Keep me posted if he moves."

Turning back to her date, Kim let out a breath of air.

"Go ahead, Kim." Josh smiled, "Find your friend. I'll be here when you get back."

"Thanks, Josh." Kim grinned, "You're the best."

Exiting the gym, Kim listened to Wades directions as she walked.

"Left…then right…twenty meters…ten meters…five meters. You should be on top of him. Where is he?"

"Where I was afraid he'd be." Kim, head lowered, answered with a mournful sigh. "The utility closet. I locked him in."

"Oh." Wade voiced, "I'm sure he knows that you didn't mean to."

"I hope so." Kim replied. "Thanks, Wade. I've got it from here."

"Let me know if you need anything." The young genius comforted.

Taking a deep breath, Kim called out, "Ron? Ron? Are you there?" Hearing nothing more than a soft murmur, Kim opened the door. Shit. The teen hero cursed silently as her eyes fell on her best friend, sitting on the floor, head lowered, his naked mole rat sitting next to him, the little pet giving her a hard stare. Approaching her friend, she knelt down next to him, gingerly touching his shoulder. "Ron? I'm so…so…sorry. I was so stupid. I wasn't thinking. Can you forgive me?"

After what seemed an eternity, Ron looked up. "BN tomorrow?"

Nervous laughter mixing with tears, Kim replied, "Only if I get to buy."

To Kim's relief, a smile appeared on her best friend's face, "Nacho plate with diablo sauce?"

"Extreme nacho plate with diablo sauce." Kim answered, laughter and tears both flowing freely. Standing up, she offered her hand. "I also figure that I owe you a dance."

His expression once more downcast, Ron shook his head, "You've already got a date."

Her smile still on her face as tear drops fell, the young redhead pleaded, "I don't think he'll mind me having a dance with my best friend. Come on best friend."

Certain episodes in Kim Possible canon qualify I think as pivotal episodes in that the way and manner they are resolved can provide a ready jumping off point for stories of varying degrees of canon from strictly canon to fully AU. The closet scene in Crush is one of those pivotal moments. How long Ron was stuck in the closet can play a major role in his relationship with Kim. That relationship can vary from fully canon leading to an inevitable Kim/Ron ship to a strained friendship for a varying period of time to total estrangement to the potential death of one or more major characters-depending on how dark the writer wants to take their story. That freedom of action is what makes this episode one of my favorite in the series. I've divided the parts into Etudes for major chapters and for sub chapters Movements.

Etude 1 represents what I think is probably the most canonical outcome and the one with I think the happiest ending as it assumes that Ron only spent a couple of hours locked up. Fair warning: they get darker from here on.