Disclaimer: I do not own Disney or anything, I borrowed from other media.

CHP 8: Figuring thing out

*Next day*

Sunday morning came as both Ron and Tara wake up feeling well-rested with their time together from yesterday fresh on their mind. The two blondes get out of bed and step in the showers, letting the warm water wash over their bodies.

"I still can't believe that my first date with Tara went well and that she said all those things to me and comfort me like that. It felt great having someone like her be there for me like that. Not to discredit Kim or anything, but it's just something about Tara that causes my heart to skip a beat and make me feel secure around her. Maybe I could open myself to her." As he closed his eyes, Ron daydreams about a scenario where he lets the dark side of him win and ends up hurting Tara in the process.

Taking deep breaths from the vision, Ron starts to retract his thoughts. "Then again, maybe I shouldn't let her get close to me, heck I still not even supposed to talk about my time in Japan so how am I expected to explain to Tara oh yeah I have this Mystical monkey power inside me that is wanting to come out all of a sudden? I don't know if I can risk it, it's bad enough the food chain will give Tara crap for even associating with me the last thing I want is to drag her down with my current problems."

After finishing his shower, Ron dries his self-off and grabs his phone to find Tara's number. "I better call and meet up with her in person about this. At least I can say I was a grown-up about it, and this way she can rebuild her friendship with Bonnie."

Tara sighs as the warm water rushes through her body. "I can't believe I finally went on a date with Ron and finding out about his depression on the same day. It's amazing how someone so laid back and carefree like him would mask his real emotions, let alone not talk to his best friend in forever about it. I hope I can get him to open up to me and show him that I am with him for the long run."

Once she finishes cleaning herself, Tara gets out of the shower and wraps a towel around her waist. Before she dries off completely, Tara hears her phone ring to see Ron calling her and quickly answers the phone. "Hey, Mad Dog."

"Hey Tara, how are you this morning?"

Tara smiles from hearing his voice again. "Feeling fresh since I just took a shower. What about you?"

"Funny I can say the same thing since I took one a few minutes ago."

"Really? Maybe we could have taken one together to save on our parent's water bill." Tara hears a gurgling sound from the other end of the phone that made her giggle. "Anyways what's up?"

"Well I know we are meeting up today, but I was hoping we could do it a lot more sooner."

"Everything okay?" She asks, noticing the change of tone from Ron went from average to somewhat grave and nervousness.

"I rather talk about it in person."

His response made her, even more, concern about him. "Could this be about what he told me yesterday? "Well, I can come over if you want me too."

"Um, I don't mind but will your mom be okay with it?"

"She most likely won't care since you two officially met, and I will just tell her it's important."

"No pressure or anything, if need me we meet somewhere that we won't have to be around a bunch of people."

Tara understood where he was coming from, on the one hand, she knows his parents wouldn't be home, and he wanted to respect her mom rules. While at the same time, the discussion sounds dangerous to the point they wouldn't want to be out in public or be somewhere that people could be around. In all honesty, Tara wants to be alone with Ron, and his house is a better option than coming over her place. "I understand but don't worry, I should be able to get over, so I will let you know."

"Okay, I will talk to you later."

"Look forward to it." She responds softly before hanging up so she could get ready to meet up with Ron.

Noontime finally came around, and Ron finds his self so lost in thought that he hasn't kept up with time since getting off the phone with Tara. Speaking of the beautiful blonde cheerleader, Tara is the source of the reason why Ron mind is so preoccupied concerning his decision to deal with Tara. What Ron fails to realize about his self is that when he allows negative thoughts to run through his head, it makes him think less of him personally, and it affects his choices and confidence.

In this case, the negative thoughts that Tara would not accept him due to his secret are causing Ron to think that she's better off without him. It doesn't help that he has never had a girlfriend before and while he and Zita bonded, they never officially put a title on things. Then his mystical monkey powers are a huge factor now that it is slowly rising after his fight with Fukushima in Japan and between dealing with missions as well as bullies at school it's hard for Ron to keep that dark part of him from raging. Adding the drama that Tara would deal with dating a loser like him at school makes Ron's case of not being with Tara legit.

The question now came how was he going to explain to Tara that things wouldn't work out without revealing his time during the exchange program since he could never tell anything about the school. It did suck that he has to do it considering how great of a girl Tara is and the fact that he would like to have a girlfriend, however, Ron feels that he just can't put Tara through all the drama.

"Well, buddy I need your help into convincing Tara that I'm no good for her," Ron said to Rufus while pacing back and forth.

"Hink why?"

"What you mean why? One, the rule from the food chain states that a popular girl like Tara shouldn't associate herself to a loser like me." Ron responds in a bitter tone.

"Hink Tara don't care about the chain. Likes you for you."

"Sure until she finds out about the freaky monkey powers that I have." Ron reminds him.

"Hink sure she would understand."

"Sometimes I wonder if the monkey powers enhanced your mind better than minds, hey that rhyme." Ron chuckles until he sees Rufus giving him his version of Ron's signature "the serious face" expression.

"Hey, I was close." Ron pouts before hearing the doorbell ring, surprising him a bit. Ron walks over to open the door only to be stunned by the sight he sees on the other end.

"Wow." Behind the front door is Tara with her hair a bit wavier than usual and her attire consists of a lovely light blue v neck sweater, white jeans, and white shoes and nice touch up on makeup.

"Sorry, come in." Ron stumbles, letting her inside, earning a playful laugh from Tara as she enters the house.

"Glad to see I still have that effect on you." She said in a flirty tone making bringing out that nervousness out of Ron.

"That you do. So you like anything to eat or drink? I wouldn't be much of a host if I didn't offer you anything." Ron rambles as they walk to the living room.

"No thank you had something before I came over, my mom told me to tell you hi and that she trusts that we won't do anything too crazy with your parents not home." Tara winks at him, causing a blush to form from Ron's cheeks.

"Nice to know she has confidence in me." He said in a low tone that Tara picks upon as the two take a seat on the couch.

"Ron, what's going on? You sounded sad on the phone." She reaches to place a hand on his shoulder, but Ron slowly pulls away from her.

"Well, here goes nothing." Ron gives her a stern look before saying the most famous words that couples would say in a relationship. "Tara, we need to talk."

Tara froze as a look of fear appear on her face. "Listen the past few days with you have been magical, or in my case a once in a lifetime moment. While I wish that we could move forward together, I think we should stop this."

"Oh no I did come off too strong." Tara assumes in her head. "Did I um, do something to make you not want me anymore? Was I too forward or..." Tara started asking while keeping herself from crying until Ron quickly stops her to let know that she is not at fault for his decision.

"No, no Tara believe me you did nothing wrong for I like everything about you. I know this quote might be overused but it's not you, it's me." If he could, Ron would think of slap his self for how bad that sounded. "Way to be original Ron."

"What could he had done to make his self-think that way." Though she relaxes a bit from understanding, she didn't do anything wrong; it still didn't add up to why Ron was attempting to end things. "What are you talking about? You are a great guy, and I knew that since you first rescue us from Gil. If you are worried about how people at school will react to us as a couple, I told you that I don't care for I'm over the food chain and you don't have to worry about Bonnie."

Ron lowers his head, remembering that Tara already had made that point clear. "I know you told me all of that, but I still can't help but feel that the pressure and hassle everyone will give you once they find out might be too much for you. Even if that wasn't the case that's not the main reason why I don't think you should date me."

"Then what is the main reason, because of you telling me about the depression you are dealing with?" Tara asks. "Because if it is, I already decided to be there for you, but you have to let me do so."

"Yes, but there's more to it, and I don't want to scare you away due to my secret or make you think I am a freak or something like that." Ron looks away, not feeling strong enough to face her.

Tara gently turns his face back towards her and softly says, "Last night I thought about what you told me yesterday, and I had decided that I want to try and make us work as well as fight with you with whatever you are dealing with. How can I when you do not even want to let me understand what's going on with you."

"Tara I..."

"Please Ron, give me a chance. I care about you, and whatever it is, I won't be afraid of you." At that moment, it was like a unique communication happen as the two blondes gaze at each other with eyes.

With the understanding that Tara is faithful to her words, Ron puts his hands in hers. "I need you to understand that what I am about to tell you is personal, and only Kim know certain things about it. I only ask you to respect that there is a significant part of this secret that I can't reveal due to a promise I made not to tell anyone about it."

Tara squeezes his hand gently, letting him know that he has her full attention. "Last year on one of the missions, I went up against, who is now my arch-foe, Monkey Fist. During the fight, I was exposed to this energy that came from four monkeys like statues granting me the Mystical Monkey Powers. Pretty much gifted with an intuitive knowledge of the martial arts of Tai Shing Pek Kwar, also known as monkey Kung Fu a fighting style that only me and Monkey Fist knows about. Kim knows about that part but what she doesn't know is the enhanced ability that comes out when it's activated. So far I only tapped into once and that's where I can't tell you how and why, however, I can inform you that since then I can feel it wanting to come out due whenever I get distraught or when I'm fighting during missions, which could make me dangerous if I can't control it."

Once Ron explains his issue, he notices that Tara stare at him like she couldn't move. "Was that too much for her to handle?" Ron rubs Tara's hand to shake her out of her trance. "Tara?"

She surprises him with a tired smile once she snaps out of her daze. "You do live up to your motto never be normal?"

Ron blinks in confusion by her reaction. "Huh?"

"He is so cute." Tara giggles at his speechless response. "Ron, you are aware that I know the type of bad guys you and Kim face with the main villains Drakken the blue scientist and Shego whose skin is green and shoots out fireballs. With that said you having a special ability doesn't scare me, if anything it just makes you unique that you fight on the side of good."

"She does have a point there. I wouldn't have thought she was that observant." Ron thinks to his self until Tara continues but gets serious on him. "I will say that I am concern about the possibility of you losing control and the thought of it is partly the reason why you are dealing with depression. You don't want to hurt those who hurt you, but you bottle all of that in you and not healthy for anyone because eventually you will explode and you could end hurting not just the bullies but the ones you care for."

Ron processes everything Tara said and concludes that he needs to find a way to avoid that from happening but isn't sure how to do so. "Then what am I supposed to do?" He asks in what almost sound like a defeated tone.

Tara moves over closer to him and brings his head on her lap and massages it. "You find someone willing to take on the pain with you and heal you from it, don't shut out on everyone and try to deal with this alone. I think I know the perfect candidate that is best suited for that role."

"Oh, really who?" Ron playfully asks knowing where Tara is going with this.

"A unique, easy, and outgoing blonde cheerleader who happens to like you since last year." She responds in a lovely tone.

"I believe I know someone like that. Her names Tara." Ron said, looking up at her with a soft smile.

"Tara huh, sounds like a special girl."

"She is. I want the best for her and don't want to bring her down with all I'm dealing with."

"Well if Tara wants you as her boyfriend, don't you think that's a sign that she is ready to face whatever challenges with you?"

"I don't know; I think I need some assurance to believe otherwise."

"I think Tara can make that happen." After their banter, Tara leans down and kiss Ron with him melting into the kiss, not wanting to lose this feeling.

Leaning up to break the kiss Tara asks him, "Does that help?"

"Boo-ya," Ron whispers smoothly earning another laugh from Tara. Enjoying the romantic silence moment between the two, Ron eventually breaks the silence. "So we are official now?"

Tara nods saying, "I believe so Mad Dog, and even though I am excited right now, there is one thing we do need to address."

"My obsession with Bueno Nacho?"

Tara couldn't help but roll her eyes in amusement that Ron would think that. "No silly, I believe that we need to tell Kim about your situation."

This causes Ron to jump up in a panic mode. "What, why!?"

"You and she have been best friends forever, and while I feel honor that I am the first to know about it, she still is an important person in your life, and the last thing I want to do is change that. Also, keep in mind you do go out on missions with her so what's to say that one time you snap and Kim doesn't understand what's going on?" Tara explains hoping to calm her new boyfriend down.

"I can see where you are coming from when you put it like that," Ron said, agreeing with her explanation.

"That's why she needs to know. Again you don't have to tell her everything, and while she might get offended that she is just now knowing about it, it's better to let her know now before it's too late." Tara was surprising Ron more and more by how smart and caring she is.

"Don't worry, you have me by your side to help ease the tension," Tara assures him and kisses his cheek, allowing him to relax some.

"Thank you so much, Tara, you don't know what all this means to me. I wish I weren't so blind in the past to realize how good you are."

"Honestly Ron if we had tried dating back then I don't know if it would work since I'm wasn't as mature as I was then. Timing is everything, and I think now is a better time than before." Tara hated to admit that, but it was right in her case that the girl she was then probably couldn't handle being with Ron after what she learned, but the Tara now believes in herself and is not planning on leaving Ron anytime soon.

While Ron is happy that they are together now, he couldn't help but think about the reaction Kim will have about what he's been dealing with considering she didn't like keeping secrets from each other. "Yeah, I just hope it will be the same with telling Kim about my mad monkey skills."

The new blonde couple agrees to meet up with Kim later that day to talk about Ron's situation, but until then they enjoy each other's company.

TBC

AU: I had massive writer's block on setting up the official being a couple of talk between Ron and Tara, but this is what I came up with. Regardless thank you all for the favs, follows, and reviews on the story. Next, we will see Kim's reaction to Ron's MMP, so what do you think her response will be or how would you want her to react?