…particles of hope…. a Kim Possible story
Disclaimer/Author's Notes: Kim Possible and all the characters of the show are owned by the Disney Corporation. The original lyrics to the songs referenced in this story and the music are the property of the respective authors, artists and labels. All original characters are the property of the author. This is a not-for-profit work.
Enjoy! Please read and review.
A/N Forward:
It's Christmas Eve, the final one before Wade and Joss are to be married…and several gifts are given, including one that truly is the 'gift of a lifetime'.
This is my entry to Zaratan's 2008 Christmas contest.
…particles of hope….
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Epilogue: …looked in her eyes…
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Time reference:
Biological world: 1:30 AM
AI world: Day 90
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Wade and Mandy were almost finished with their analysis of what had happened with Gillian. Joss, tired of just watching, went to the kitchen right after they began their review of the first sets of data and found Ryan Load, raiding the 'fridge. She surprised him when she snapped on the light and whistled, with him bent over and his head in the fridge. He came out, grinning, and she surprised him even more and hugged him.
"Thank you, DTB," she whispered, and Ryan grinned. He loved his daughter-in-law-to-be, and he was beginning to translate her Mon-speak: DTB meant Daddy-to-be.
"What's on the raid list?" she asked, and he pulled out a platter of sliced cold cuts and cheeses that would have made Rufus scream with glee.
"Sandwich, 'li'l darlin'?" Ryan asked, imitating Slim, and Joss giggled and nodded.
They ate in the kitchen, laughed, and talked, and a father/daughter bond was created early that Christmas morning.
She made another sandwich ("for Wade," she explained: "he's got to keep up his strength," she added and grinned, and Ryan laughed), added some carrot sticks to the plate, and pulled out a chilled bottle of d water from the fridge.
"Get some sleep, Daddy," she said to Ryan as she kissed his cheek and headed out of the kitchen for Wade's room.
Joss didn't see Ryan Load staring up to the ceiling, tears pouring from his face, and whispering "Thank you, Father God, for the gift you just gave me for your Son's birthday: a wonderful daughter-in-law-to-be."
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"Aggie?" she called seductively; Mandy's head lifted from the screen she was reviewing and laughed.
"Wade, luv, I think your better half has returned," she grinned, and Wade looked up and smiled.
"An angel, bringing sustenance," he smiled as he stood, pulled a chair up next to his desk, took the proffered tray from her, kissed her cheek, and offered her the chair, placing the tray on the desk. He lifted the cover and grinned.
"It's a 'loaded' sandwich, Wade," Joss grinned, and Mandy snorted. "Beef salami, peppered roast pork, and sliced grilled chicken for meats; Havarti, Muenster, and aged Cheddar cheeses; garnished with thinly sliced Roma tomatoes and baby spinach, with a touch of EVOO, balsamic vinegar, and English mustard, all on your Mom's homemade whole wheat bread, with carrot sticks on the side."
"Wade," Mandy begged, "please tell me you have the specs to Dementor's Transportulator somewhere," she laughed, and she blew him a raspberry when he took a big bite of the sandwich and smiled at her.
They all looked up in surprise when the darkened monitor snapped on and they heard:
"Gillian, let go of my rear!"
"But, I like your bum, Woodrow...."
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Kim and Ron were having fun at the Bueno Nacho that early Christmas morning. Incoming customers were surprised to see them behind the counter, let along dressed as Santa and Mrs. Claus. They were surprised to find a food place open, and they were even more surprised when they were handed back their money with their food and told, by Santa himself, "Merry Christmas: HO, HO, HO!"
Ron was in the back room, checking the CO2 connection, when the door opened. Kim looked up and saw the dark-haired and pretty, yet scruffy and haggard-looking young girl enter the restaurant, looking tired, cold, scared, and hungry…'and, most definitely, two months pregnant, if she's a day,' Kim realized. The girl never looked up, staring at the floor the entire time she had entered.
"Merry Christmas, and Welcome to Bueno Nacho," Kim called out with a smile in her voice, and the girl looked up, shocked. "Come on up, and let's see what looks good on the menu," Kim added, and the girl walked carefully forward.
"I saw the light, and I was cold," the girl spoke finally. "May I just sit in here for a bit? I'll clean the tables for you if I can just sit in here, in the warmth," the girl asked, and Kim could barely hold her heart inside from breaking at the sound of her voice. She had obviously been abused, Kim could tell from the healed bruises on her face and the cowering posture that she took as she spoke to Kim.
"Nonsense! You're welcome in here, and you don't have to work for it, either," Kim said, leaning forward at the counter. "Now, tell me what looks good on the menu, and we'll get it for you."
"HO, HO, HO! I'd try the Naco, if I were you," Ron came out in full costume, and the young girl gasped.
"Santa?" she whispered, and then she broke down in heaving sobs.
Ron hopped the counter in an instant and was holding the young girl, rubbing her back as she sobbed.
"Santa, I thought I'd never see you again," she said. "I was bad, Santa, very bad," she pushed back and rubbed her stomach, "and now, I have this to deal with. My parents threw me out of the house five days ago because of this, and I've been trying to get here to Middleton where my sister and her husband live, hitchhiking and begging for food, but the last truck driver wanted more than I was willing to pay, and he threw me out down the street and drove away."
"Child, where is your coat?" Ron asked, and Kim could tell that Ron's heat was breaking, as well.
"He kept my suitcase and what little money I had," she started to cry once again. "I begged him to at least let me have my coat, and he laughed at me. I asked him to at least give me my Brittina doll." She stopped for a moment and looked into Ron's eyes, "and he opened up my suitcase, pulled it out, and," she stared at Santa, "and he broke Brittina in half!" She fell into Ron, sobbing even harder, and Ron held her.
"Santa, I tried to keep going, but it was sooo cold, and I didn't have my sister's address anymore: it was in my suitcase, and I saw the light on here, and I just wanted a place to get warm until morning…" her voice trailed off to sniffles, interspersed with occasional sobs.
Kim could see the blue start to form in Ron's eyes when he looked at her, and she shook her head 'no'. She pulled down a platter and made four Nacos, then pulled down two cups and filled one with lemonade and the other with diet cola. Kim nodded toward their old booth, and Ron guided the young girl to the bench and sat down next to her. Kim came over with the tray, filled with food and drinks, and placed it on the table. She took two of the Nacos off the tray and placed them in front of the girl, and she put the other two in front of Ron. She left the drink on the tray.
Ron looked up and smiled, and the girl sniffed and lifted her face with a huge smile.
"Is that…a Naco?" she was drooling, and Ron nodded.
"It's yours, child; as many as you want," and the girl grabbed the closest Naco to her and began to devour it.
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Wade and Mandy laughed, and Joss grinned knowingly as the monitor snapped on to reveal a smiling Woodrow, sitting in his study once again, wearing his smoking jacket and holding a snifter, once again.
"Hey, Boss, Mandy. Jocelyn, love: looking as beautiful as ever," Woodrow smiled, and Joss blushed.
"Woodrow, what have you and Gillian been up to?" Wade asked.
"Oh, not much," he held up his hand and waved a wedding band at the camera. "Do you know how hard it is to find a virtual minister or Justice of the Peace on Christmas Eve night, your time?" he complained, and Mandy laughed.
"We went to Vegas, and we found Jilly, from Jersey," Woodrow smiled. "It seems that he'd started a church out there, worshipping hoagies of all things, and he married us in the 'Holy Chapel of Hoagies'" Woodrow laughed.
"I made sure he was licensed before we agreed to use him," Gillian added, and Wade chuckled.
"And, Mandy, I believe this is yours," Woodrow laughed and pulled an ice-blue garter from his jacket pocket, tossing it toward the camera. "Your actual one will be delivered to you in 3…2…1…," and Mandy's doorbell rang.
"So, you beat me to the alter, Woodrow?" Wade laughed.
"Hey, Boss, I had to win once," Woodrow laughed. "And, I believe I also won on the wedding night, as well," Woodrow grinned, and a loud "ROWR!" came from off-camera.
"I wanted to kiss the bride," Wade pouted and laughed at the same time.
Joss snorted. "In your dreams, Aggie: I wanted to kiss the groom," and Woodrow fanned himself as sweat began to pour from his entire head.
"No kissie my husband, Jocelyn," Gillian said as the door opened and she entered the study. Mandy and Wade gasped as she came in, and Joss giggled.
"It seems that 'somebody' enjoyed their wedding night a bit much, huh, Gillian?" she laughed, and Gillian rubbed her swollen stomach.
"Jocelyn, you are SOOO gonna LOVE your wedding night!" Gillian was beaming, Woodrow and Mandy were laughing, and Wade was blushing.
"Hey, we didn't even get wedding pics!" Joss pouted.
"You haven't looked at your email, have you, luv?" Gillian laughed.
"Oops," Wade grinned. "I turned off the email notice," he explained to Joss. She swatted the back of his head, and Mandy laughed.
--
"Child," Ron looked into her eyes as he spoke, and the young girl looked up and smiled. "Would you be so kind and help an old man out by reminding me of your name?"
The girl laughed, and Kim wanted to cry at the beauty in her laugh. "Of course, Santa; I'm Mary Henrietta Freesteel," she said. "I wouldn't expect you to remember my name; after all," she lowered her head, "Momma told me you took my name off your list, years ago, because I was bad."
"Nonsense, Mary," Ron smiled, "No child is ever that bad."
"I was," she cried, shocking Ron at the volume of her outburst. "Momma told me I was bad because I didn't do everything she wanted me to do. I couldn't move that big bag of trash; it was bigger than me, and it ripped open when I pulled it. I picked up all the trash," she continued to cry, "but Momma told me I was bad, and I wouldn't get any more presents, ever again. You never came back after that happened," she looked up sadly, and Ron's heart broke again, "even though I was never, ever, bad again. Then, they found out I was like this," she touched her stomach, "and they packed my clothes, threw the suitcase out into the snow, and told me to go out with it and never come back in."
"Mrs. Claus, would you sit with Mary for a moment?" Ron asked Kim. "I need to get her gifts from my bag," he added, and Mary's look of pure joy reminded Kim of another Mary she had known, and lost, years ago.
"Certainly, my dear, darling husband," Kim smiled, and Mary giggled. "Mary, would you like another Naco, or more to drink?"
"Please, and thank you," Mary smiled, and Ron almost tripped when he heard the phrase as he walked into the back room, closed the door and started changing his shoes.
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Kim was bringing Mary's food and drink back to the table when Ron opened the door from the back room.
"Well, it looks like I have a 'Mary bag,' after all," Ron called from the doorway and stepped out, and Kim stared in shock at the size of the bag over Ron's shoulder.
Mary clapped her hands like a girl of three rather than a mother-to-be of 16.
"Mary…such a pretty name for a beautiful young woman," Ron started as he walked up to her and placed his bag in the floor.
Mary blushed a deep red, and Kim couldn't help but giggle
"You know, there was another young woman named Mary who wasn't married when she found out she was 'with child,'" Ron continued, and Mary laughed at Ron's use of 'air quotes.' "She wasn't pregnant by her fiancée, but no one would have believed her if she had told the truth to them. She told him what happened, and he believed her. He stuck by her, and she had a baby boy, and he did pretty well for himself in the world," Ron grinned, and Kim smiled as he winked at her.
"Well, let's see what's in here…Oh, look, there are lots of wrapped presents," Ron said as he opened the bag to reveal all wrapped gifts. "And, if I'm not mistaken, the tags all say 'To Mary, from Santa,'" and Ron was assaulted by Mary, sobbing and laughing.
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"So?" Joss asked, and Gillian grinned.
"Seven weeks, and we don't know," Gillian admitted. "We're waiting for the event to find out," she explained.
"And, let me guess: you can't get Woodrow to do anything but strut around the house like he did all the work" Joss laughed, and Gillian nodded, much to Woodrow's and Wade's dismay and Mandy's delight.
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The store floor was now littered with wrapping paper, covered in new clothes and books, two new suitcases, a backpack, and one very happy young girl.
"There seem to be two things left in the bag," Ron smiled as he pulled out the box and handed it to Mary.
"Thank you, Santa," Mary giggled and attached the wrapping paper, revealing-
"BRITTINA!" Mary's squeal rattled the windows of the restaurant, and Kim and Ron both smiled.
"Santa, thank you," Mary got up and threw her arms around Ron's neck, kissing his face over and over again.
"Mary, you don't have to thank me," Ron was able to say when she finally released him. "Thank you, for continuing to believe in me, even when you couldn't see me.
"And, there is one last present, Mary," he pulled out a note. "I have two friends who live here and help me on occasions," Ron smiled, and Mary looked surprised. "Kim and Ron Stoppable; you may know her as Kim Possible," Ron explained, and Mary's face lit up in recognition.
"Kim and Ron? Wow, Santa, that's so cool!" she exclaimed, and Kim laughed inside.
"They will be here in a few minutes to take you wherever you need to go; I just need to tell them your sister's name."
"Her last name is Chen," Mary replied, and Kim had a funny feeling in her stomach, "and her name is Margaret Theresa; her husband is Powell," she added.
"And, their new son's name is Wade Joshua," Kim spoke with confidence, and Mary's eyes grew huge.
"That's right! I had a niece-" Mary began.
"-named Patricia, but she died before Wade was born," Kim added. "Wade Joshua was named after the young man who saved Powell and Peggy," Kim concluded, and Ron suddenly remembered the story that Wade had told him.
"Wow, Mrs. Claus, you do know everything," Mary smiled, and Kim winked at Ron when Mary bent over to pick up a piece of wrapping paper.
"Well, Mary, we have to be going, but Ron and Kim will be here in a minute or two," Ron said as he stood up, and Mary jumped to her feet and wrapped her arms around him.
"Thank you, Santa. Thank you for believing in me," Mary whispered, and it was all Ron could do not to cry.
"Remember, Mary: Santa loves you and your son; a baby does change everything, but the changes can be good," Ron whispered to Mary.
"Thank you, Santa: I'll finish school and raise my son. I won't forget you, ever!" she squeezed him so tight that Ron wondered if he could ever get away.
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"Woodrow came in one day, and I pointed at my stomach and yelled at him:
"WOODROW! Look at what you did to me!" Gillian laughed, and Wade, Joss, and Mandy al joined her as they watched Woodrow laughing.
"I told her, 'I was not alone,'" Woodrow explained, and Gillian swatted him.
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After a hug, Ron and Kim left Mary in the booth and walked into the back room.
"Ron, how are we going to-" Kim started, and Ron was now in civilian clothes.
Pointing down, he grinned. "Your turn," he laughed as he kicked the shoes off. In les than a minute, Kim was in her 'civilian clothes,' as well.
She laughed when she heard the recording Ron started of Santa's sleigh departing the rear roof of the restaurant, bells jingling, and they heard Mary yell out, "Goodbye, Santa, and thank you!" They went out the rear door of the restaurant, around the side to the front of the building, and came in the front door, trying to look surprised at the pile of paper and the young woman in the room.
"Hello," Kim said, and Mary looked up and smiled.
"Kim Possible!" she jumped up and hugged her. "I've been a big fan of yours for, like, forever," she released Kim and smiled at Ron. "And, Ron Stoppable, every young girl's dream date," she grinned and stuck out her hand. Ron smiled and opened his arms, and she accepted the invitation for the hug.
"I understand you need a bit of help," Kim grinned. "Santa told us your sister is a friend of my other best friend, Dr. Wade Load, and you're looking for her house. I've got her address, and we can go, whenever you're ready."
"KP, I'll help you load the car; I'd better stay and man the restaurant, just in case we get some more visitors," Ron reached down and picked up an empty box. "We need this?"
"No, silly," Mary laughed. "I packed everything here," and she pointed at the two suitcases and backpack. Kim picked up the suitcases and headed for the car.
After Kim left the building, Mary smiled. "Santa," Mary called to Ron quietly, but he ignored her and kept walking.
"I'd know you anywhere, 'Santa Ron,'" Mary smiled, and Ron stopped and turned back to face the young woman.
"Thank you, Ron; I always knew that Kim was a lucky woman, and now I know for sure it's true. May He bless you with the bounties of earth and the heavens," she reached out and touched hi shoulder, then turned and walked outside carrying her backpack.
Ron would have sworn he felt a tingle where she touched him...but, he chalked it up to the shoes and picked up the trash from the table and floor.
--
Mary was quiet on the way to her sister's house, and so was Kim.
Kim was thinking about the Mary she'd trained in high school, the young woman who had lost her battle with cancer. She realized that she hadn't thought about her in awhile, and she made a mental note for her and Ron to visit Mary's gravesite in the next two weeks,
Mary finally spoke when they pulled up in front of the house.
"Mrs. Claus?" Mary smiled, and Kim blushed.
"Kim, thank you," she said, leaning over and pecking Kim's cheek. "I already thanked 'Santa Ron,'" Mary giggled, "but I wanted to thank you, too, and tell you how wonderful you and Ron were to me."
"A baby changes everything, Mary, but don't let it change your faith in people," Kim smiled, and the porch light went on and the front door opened. "You'd be surprised at who you don't know who will touch your life. I didn't know Wade or Ron, and the first is my wonderful friend and the second is my husband."
"I'll follow your lead, Kim," she said as she opened the door, and Kim had a flashback at someone who once said that same phrase to her: someone she had lost, but now had found once again, as a friend she'd missed. Now, her friend had a husband of her own, she remembered with a smile.
Kim watched Peggy Chen and Mary hug each other, and Powell came to the car smiling.
"So, he's finally going to get married to her?" Powell grinned, and he and Kim hugged.
"Took awhile, but yeah," Kim replied after they separated and went to the rear of the Sloth to get the suitcases. "In late June, in fact, almost to a day on their original scnedule," she added with a chuckle.
"I never expected to get a call from 'Santa Claus,'" Powell winked, and Kim smiled, "telling me my sister-in-law was in town. Thank you for doing this, Kim, and thank Ron, too."
"You're welcome, Mr. Chen, and it's 'no big,' seriously: just doing the help thing," Kim replied.
"And, at Christmas, too' he smiled, taking the bags from her, "we saw what you and Ron did in Eastern Europe, Kim; and, may I say," he grinned, "You make a wonderful Mrs. Claus…rowr," he laughed, and Kim laughed and blushed as they walked towards the sisters.
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"I was worried about you, Gillian," Mandy finally spoke, and it was so soft that both Joss and Wade had to look up to make certain that she had, indeed, spoken. The tears she was shedding were real. "I didn't want to lose you, Gillian, and I was sure you were gone."
"Mandy, thank you for everything," Gillian smiled, and then laughed. "Well," she patted her stomach, "maybe not everything," she grinned
"Thank you for trusting me, for allowing me to grow, for being my friend," Gillian added, "and for knowing when to let me go."
"Did you get the package, Mandy?" Woodrow asked.
Mandy replied by sitting at her desk, putting her feet up again, and pulling up the hem of her right leg, showing off the ice-blue garter sent to her by Woodrow..
"I like this one better," Woodrow said, and he pointed at Gillian's leg and lifted the hem a bit to show the original on her leg.
Gillian blushed.
Joss laughed.
"Merry Christmas, everyone," Joss said, and she popped the cork on a bottle of sparkling grape juice she'd pulled from the refrigerator in Wade's room, pouring some into a pair of glasses. "I'd like to propose a toast to the happy couple," she said, lifting her glass. Woodrow produced a bottle of sparkling grape juice, generating a chuckle from Mandy, and Mandy lifted her glass of wine as the five glasses were lifted.
"An old friend once told me: 'Joss, life is short, and the years are long, but not as long as you have each other.' To Gillian and Woodrow: may you always have each other," Joss smiled and saluted.
"Gillian and Woodrow," came from two continents.
Gillian leaned over and kissed her husband.
"Luv," she whispered.
"Love you," he whispered back.
"Oh my gosh, girlfriend!" Joss had drained her glass and opened her email when she exclaimed, "that wedding dress is to die for!"
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Kim opened the restaurant door and smiled: Ron had cleaned up the dining area, and he was standing behind the counter in full Santa costume.
"Mary ok?" he asked, and Kim nodded.
"Good; I wanted to go out and find that driver, but I decided not to," Ron hopped the counter and stepped up to his wife. "Merry Christmas, KP," Ron whispered, and he took her in his arms and kissed her.
"Merry Christmas, Ron," she smiled, and she felt cooler for a moment. She looked down, and she was now dressed in her 'Mrs. Claus' costume.
She grinned. "Bad Ron," she laughed, and Ron smiled.
"Like you: I'm full of surprises, my darling wife," he grinned, and Ron pointed to the clock over the drive-through window:
3:10 AM.
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Story complete
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Author's afterward:
Thomas Linquist, Kwebs, CajunBear73, Sentinel103, Slyrr, whitem (and, thank you, sir, for even mentioning Dr. Asimov's name in a review of one of my stories). Captain IT, Silvermist, Lady Rhetorica (if Woodrow and Gillian seem normal, it's because they are…and, they aren't, at the same time…and, they know it; additionally, Star_Eva01 and I spent long hours discussing the 'presentation' of Gillian to Woodrow, and a good section of chapter 2 is a response to that question: Gillian and Amanda discussed this opportunity, and Gillian made the decision on her own) all have provided reviews to this tale and discussed interesting concepts.
Thank yous I owe for this tale:
For Amanda Cherry Tartenware and Gillian: Absentialuci. I hope I captured the 'essence' accurately, dear lady.
For concepts: Neo the Saiyan Angel, Silvermist, Anabri, kt, ja, Star_Eva01, and kwebs.
For beta assistance and support in my quest to produce the best 'possible' work: ja, kt, and Star_Eva01.
For the 'Mary' that Kim lost, long ago: kt, in her wonderful story "Mom, Me, and Mary." kt, I told you that I would bring Mary back in the JadeKimVerse, and this won't be the only reference to this wonderful young woman, gone fat too early.
For the basic concept of this story: Star_Eva01. It happened during the discussion of one of his early chapters of his tale "Joss' Ride". This tale takes place before the opening and closing chapters of his story but after the remainder of it.
Should we accept AIs in our world as we expect them to accept us in theirs? We had better be ready and able to….
Thanks for reading, and please review.
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