Here's something else I have been thinking of, and after seeing "Monster House", decided to go ahead and write it. Now I guess I'll have three stories going on at once. Oh well.

Disclaimer: This story is NOT based on the movie "Monster House". Also… I don't own the principle characters involved, though there may be a few extras I make up.

What's Inside

"Daddy! Daddy!" The young girl cried out, waking from a terrible nightmare. Her screams woke her twin brother.

It was still early in the evening about 8:30, so Ron was still up, and he immediately ran to the children's room.

"V?" He called out, gently knocking on the door before slowly pushing it open. He couldn't call her Veronica, as his daughter didn't like her full name, and it still didn't sound right when he called her Ronnie. So he shortened it the only way he knew how.

Opening the door slowly, Ron saw that both of his children were awake. V was sitting up in her bed, clutching her covers, and Jonathan was lying in bed, just watching. He was always so calm. It hadn't taken long for their parents to figure out who got what traits from their parents. Jonathan received Kim's bravery and great intellect, when V received all of her dad's frailties, and insecurities.

She just had another nightmare, and she was shaking as Ron stepped in to the room. Immediately V jumped up on the bed, and pulled her Dad into a crushing hug.

"It's OK V, it's OK. It was just a dream."

"But it was so REAL Daddy! There were monkeys everywhere! I… couldn't get away!" She shuddered at the fading memory of the nightmare while her brother just shook his head side to side.

"It's OK now. I'm here." Ron said as he lay her small body back down on the bed. "You really do need to control your fears, V."

"But… but how can I… do that?" She asked, tears drying on her cheeks.

Ron took a breath and sat on the edge of the twin bed. "You know, it's a good thing your mother had to work late tonight."

"Why is that Daddy?" His daughter asked.

"Because if she knew of the story I was about to tell you, she'd have my hide."

"A… story? What kind of story?" V was intrigued.

"Yeah, Dad. What kind of story?" Jonathan finally spoke. After all, he always just watched a situation, and only spoke when he really wanted to.

"It's the story of how I finally learned to face my own fears." Ron said as he brushed strawberry blonde locks out of his daughter's eyes. He looked at both of his children and felt so proud. They had grown up so quick, as their next birthday would herald them into the teen years.

"You get… scared, Daddy?" V asked, wide eyed at her father's statement.

"All the time. It's just now I get scared when I look at you two." He looked at both of his children again.

"Huh…?" They both said in unison.

"I'm scared for your futures. I'm scared that you will grow up. I'm scared that you will…" He shifted slightly on the bed. "Forget about your… 'Old Man'."

"That would never happen, Daddy." V said and hugged his neck again.

"What about the story, Dad?" Jonathan asked.

"Ah, yes. My story." He tucked his daughter in, and then stepped over to the other twin bed and did the same for his son. "It's kind of scary. Are you sure you want to hear it?"

"Yes!" Both 12-year-olds chorused, and Ron pulled up chair between the beds, and began to tell his story.

…x x x x…

Young Ron Stoppable was riding his bike down the side of the street, heading home. He had just seen an afternoon matinee with his good friend Kim.

"That's Mommy, right?"

"Yes. Shush now and let Daddy tell his story." Ron said.

Well, it just so happened that his path was to lead him passed the old Cratchet House. It was an old wooden two-story house that looked like it was almost 100 years old. All the paint was gone, leaving the ugly gray wood exposed. The dry and cracking shingles were curled up, and many of the windows had been broken out.

Standing in front of the house were three older boys that Ron never really liked. He went to the other side of the street, hoping they wouldn't notice him, as they were all looking at the old house, with rocks in their hands. They had been trying to break out the small attic window that was high up in one of the gables.

Suddenly he heard his name called. "Stoppable!"

"Huh…?" Turning to see who had called his name, Ron missed seeing the curb and his front wheel hit, sending him tumbling into the grass.

As he stood up, trying to right the bike, he saw three shadows approach. Turning around, he saw the three boys that were in front of the Cratchet house earlier. It was Vinnie and his thug friends, Bruno and Slink.

"Hey Stoppable." Vinnie said again.

"Leave me alone, Vinnie." Ron said, starting to get back on his bike. He went to start pedaling away when a hand clamped onto the handlebars, stopping him.

"We just heard something very interesting today." Vinnie said, leering at him. "Wanna know what it was?"

"Not… not really. Please, let me go home."

"Aww… you don't have your redheaded girlfriend to protect you now, do you?" Bruno said with a lisp.

"She's not my girlfriend." Ron said heatedly.

"I don't care!" Vinnie roared, and stepped closer to Ron, who cringed at the boy's bad breath. "We heard that you're supposed to be a Man now."

"Uhh… yeah. So?" It was common knowledge that he had had his Barmitzvah 6 months ago since his parents had thrown a big party.

"Well… we wanted to have you PROVE to us that you're a Man." Vinnie looked at his friends, laughing.

"What… what do mean, Vinnie…" Ron was starting to get nervous.

"You know the old Cratchet house?"

"Yeah…" Ron said a bit nervous.

"If you can spend a night inside that house… we won't bother you ever again. The only condition… you have to be inside from sundown, to sun-up." He cackled a mischievous laugh.

Ron stood there holding his bike, head down, thinking.

If I do this, then maybe I'll get the respect I want. I really don't like these guys, but if it will keep them off my back…

"I'll do it." Raising his head, he replied with conviction. "When?"

"Well… since this is Saturday… TONIGHT! Be at this spot, 10 minutes before sundown."

"Oh… OK. Tonight then". Ron peddled off as he heard the boy's laughter behind him.

As soon as he got home, Ron dialed his friend.

"Mommy?" V said, interrupting again.

"Now what did I tell you about interrupting? I won't finish the story."

"Sorry Daddy. Go ahead. I'll be quiet. I promise"

Ron then continued his story.

"Kim! You're not going to believe what just happened to me!" Ron quickly said as soon as she picked up the phone.

"Calm down, Ron. What's going on?"

He recounted what had happened earlier, and what Vinnie had asked him to do.

"Ron…" Kim said. "You know you shouldn't have to prove anything to anybody. Besides… that house… it does give me the creeps. But just a little."

"But think of it Kim! If I do this, then I won't ever be picked on again!"

"You've heard the story of that house… Haven't you, Ron?" Kim asked, a little worried for her friend.

"Yeah Kim… I know. The kid that disappeared all those years ago, the parents moving out at night, and no one being able to stay in there for more than a day ever since. I've heard all the stories. But they're just… stories. Right?"

Kim was silent for a bit, then spoke. "I'm going with you."

"What? No Kim. I can't have you do that. I don't think Vinnie and the guys…"

"Did he say you had to do it alone?" She asked.

"Well… no."

"Then it's settled. I'm going with you. Besides, you need to tell your parents where your going to be, right?"

"Yeah…" He finally said after just nodding.

"Just tell them you will be at my house, and I'll tell my parents I'm at yours. Everything will be covered. Now what time did you have to be there?"

…x x x x…

Riding his bike, Ron arrived at the spot about 5 minutes earlier than what Vinnie said. He stood there across the street from the old house, staring at the windows. The sun was going down behind the house, and he thought he saw movement behind one of the remaining panes of glass.

"Huh…?" He stood there, transfixed by the window, waiting to see if the movement repeated itself.

"Hey Ron." A voice said behind him, making him jump and say a word that his parents would never hear him use.

"Don't do that Kim! You scared me half to death!"

"Sorry I'm a little late. And I'll forget what I just heard you say."

Just then, Vinnie and his cronies peddled up on their own bikes. "Didn't think you would show up, Stoppable."

"Yeah… and it looks like you brought your girlfriend." Bruno said. Slink just stayed quiet, as always, but smiling.

Ron growled a bit at the 'girlfriend' jab.

"It's OK Ron." Kim said with a hand on his shoulder. "Let's get this over with."

"Hey…" Ron said again. "You never said I had to do this alone."

"You're right, I didn't." He thought for a little bit. "Oh well. Neither of you will be able to stay all night. Then BOTH of you will either be popular… or dead."

Ron swallowed hard. "It'll be OK Ron." He heard his friend say.

"Well, it's sundown." Vinnie said. "You two better get there."

Kim and Ron shrugged a shoulder, readjusting the strap on their backpack, walked across the street, and up the rickety steps of the old house. They turned around to look at the three who had gotten them into the situation, and heard all three laughing.

"Who knows?" They heard Vinnie say. "Maybe the two will have a little 'Fun' in there, if you know what I mean!"

Kim huffed at the boy's comment and turned around, facing the door with her friend. Both stood there looking at the large, imposing door. Ron reached out, turned the knob, and pushed.

The door swung open with a creak, and they heard it thunk against something, stopping a little more than halfway open. The two looked at each other, and stepped in together.

After a few steps in, the door suddenly slammed shut, leaving them in partial darkness. Ron grabbed onto Kim, who hissed at him for grabbing her arm too hard.

"Sorry Kim."

"Is the door locked?" She asked, and Ron turned to open the door. He reached out to where the doorknob should have been, but it wasn't there! He looked around frantically, and saw it on the floor! He knelt down, picked it up, and turned towards his friend.

"Umm… Kim?" He said, holding it up in the rapidly fading light.

To be continued…

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I was going to do this as a long one shot, but now I've decided to make this a multi-chapter story. Hope y'all like!