The Distraction: Chapter 3

I.

"Morning, Mrs. Dr. P., is Kim ready?" A visibly nervous Ron Stoppable asked.

"I'm sorry, Ron, she left over twenty minutes ago. There's still some breakfast left, if you'd like." Her sympathetic blue eyes weakened his determination not to ask.

"Mrs. P. did she… I mean, well, did Kim say anything to you?"

"I'm sorry, Ron, I couldn't get her to open up anymore. I'm not sure if its good news, but she did finally stop crying."

"Yeah, that's good, KP shouldn't ever cry."

"Ron, there's still some breakfast left?"

"No, thanks, not too hungry this morning. I guess I'll talk, I mean, see Kim at school. See you later, Mrs. Dr. P." With a half hearted wave, Ron turned and walked off toward school

Her eyes moistening, Anne Possible watched her virtual third son slouch away. Her saddened thought, "Kimberly Anne, when are you going to see what's right beside you?"

II.

Sitting in his first class, Ron vacillated between irritation and concern. If Kim did come through the door in the next few seconds, she would be tardy. If this was her third strike, that martinet of Middleton, Steve Barkin, would have no hesitation about sentencing her to a reunion with Big Mike, Vinny, and the other occupants of detention. Ron groaned, knowing that if that happened, it would somehow be his fault. He had his orders, even though they matched his own desires, one more strike against him would not make reconciliation with KP easier. As the bell rang, Kim slid in the door, avoiding Ron's gaze, sitting in a desk as far from him as she could as the last tones of the bell rang.

He almost slammed his head into his desk in frustration. 'I love her, but couldn't she make things easy for once? Just one time, is that too much to ask?' After year of companionship, Ron had a good idea of his loves' predicament, and what she would do to get out of it. Kim had decided that she had messed up. By what process or logic, or what she had decided her mistake was, he had no clue. But, he had been down this road before; so many times it was beginning to show ruts. Kim would avoid him today, possibly tomorrow if she was really nervous, and then ambush him with some sort of accusation. Maybe asking why he had been avoiding her.

Ruefully shaking his head, Ron thought to himself that his life's love was sometimes too predictable. Kim was generous, kind, and loving, but she had never known how to apologize or acknowledge a fault. He loved her, foibles and all, but sometimes…

When class ended, Ron knew what would happen. Kim would be a red headed blur. Before he could rise or speak, she would be gone. Sooo, the thing to do was to ambush her where she least expected it. An evil grin began to form on Ron's face.

III.

After a day of dodging Ron, barely making it to her classes, catching fragments of gossip, Kim was exhausted. But, she had finally managed to arrive in her refuge. She was safe from questions she had no idea how to answer. Safe from prying parents, safe from the guilt of wounds she had inflicted, safe from the questioning, amused, or accusing eyes of her fellow students, trying to find out what had happened after the prom. She knew all kinds of rumors were floating around. She had overheard the gamut, form shell shock from the L'il Diablo mission, to the worst, that loser Ron, seeing his opportunity, had attempted a home run on their way home.

The last shocked her so much she had almost struck the person spreading that vicious slander. That Ron's sincere, loving, baring of his heart could be turned so ugly, used to attack him, made the tears she hoped she had finally exhausted, leap out once more. Rushing to her haven, she had collapsed on the couch, choking back the moisture threatening to escape her puffy eyes down her flushed cheeks.

"And it's all my fault," she moaned self-accusingly, "all my fault. Why, why did I do it, why did I lose it like that? It was so wonderful until I…I…I'm so stupid."

"You're not stupid, KP, but we need to talk. Rather, I think you need to talk."

She raised shocked emerald eyes to stare into soft, chocolate ones. "Ron…what are you…you can't…RON, this is the cheerleaders locker room! You can't come…"

"KP," he stopped her stammering with an upraised hand, "if you'll look around, you are the only cheerleader in here. If you stepped outside, you would find a sign saying cheerleading practice has been cancelled."

"You can't do that."

"Done, KP. We need to talk about it. I know I won't be able to catch you at home, and…" he grinned, "you're too fast for me to chase you, so this seemed perfect. Kim, I don't want to be big headed, but I really hope that you and I are more important to you than one practice. If I'm wrong, tell me, I promise the sign will come down and I'll convince the other girls somebody pulled a practical joke."

Staring into Ron's suddenly serious gaze with half shameful, half resentful eyes, Kim realized this was a Ron she had never seen before. He had always let her set the pace, control their relationship, waiting for her to decide when they had argued or fought long enough. 'I believed him when he said he loved me, but for Ron to get this assertive, he cares even more than I believed.' Kim marveled. Understanding did not bring forgiveness for his cornering her, however, and besides, what if she wasn't ready to talk? She folded her arms across her chest, her bottom lip beginning to pout and quiver.

"Not this time, KP," Ron laughed, "this is too important for me to let you play me."

"Fine." Kim growled. 'When did he discover how to resist the puppy dog put?' Kim wondered, 'Better tell mom her infallible tactic doesn't always work.'

"Kim, you are the most important person in the world to me, so we can sit here until school starts again tomorrow, if we have to. I know I'm forcing you, but we have to get this out before it gets worse. I love you. If that hurts you that much, or if you don't feel anything but best friendship for me, I'll try to stop, or at least not mention it again "

"Could you?"

"Coud I what?"

"Stop loving me." A tearful whisper.

"I don't think so, but I'll try if you want."

"What if you can't?"

"Let's not go there yet, please. I don't even know what this is all about. But, KP, this is the Ron-man, both shoulders and anything else is all yours, all you have to do is ask"

Looking into his tender, loving eyes, Kim broke, throwing herself against his chest, face buried in her favorite shoulder. "How can you…after I…I don't… I didn't…I'm so sorry…don't leave me!"

Totally confused, Ron's arms automatically went around her, holding her close. He wrapped one big hand around her back, soothing her muffled tears with circular massage, while the other gently stroked her hair. "Shhh, shhh my lovely lady, don't cry. I don't ever want to cause tears in your beautiful eyes. "Shhh, shhh."

Ron's tender embrace only caused Kim's tears to double. "Hush...hush...I won't leave you," her sobs tore at him, "never, Kimmie, never. Forget Friday ever happened, I'm not going anywhere."

"You would, wouldn't you?" Moist emerald orbs rose in wonder, "You would do that for me?"

"Whatever you need, Kim."

Kim's forehead sank back into his shoulder, "Then please, don't forget Friday, or stop loving me. Just give me some time, 'cause I'm scared. I have never been so scared."

Ron continued to sooth her soft hair, "What are you frightened of? You're not afraid of me?"

"Terrified."

Ron placed his hands on her jaw and eased her face up where he could see her eyes, automatically drying her tears with his thumbs. He had thought he was prepared for anything, but the very real fear in those green orbs boggled his mind.

"KP, this is Ron, I would never hurt you, I could never hurt you."

"Yes, you could," Kim paused, "sit down, and we'll…talk."

Sitting side by side, holding each others hands, Kim glued her gaze on the floor, refusing to look at him. Minutes passed, each longer than the last.

"You," Kim began abruptly, "you could hurt me worse than I have ever been hurt. No, now that I've started, let me finish." Ron subsided. "I think that's part of what scared me so bad Friday night, and to be truthful, still scares me. I had an epiphany. School word, Ron."

He grinned and nodded, "I remember that one, a sudden insight."

"Close enough. Anyway, in the warehouse, I realized you were a man, a man I loved and needed. It felt so right, and I felt like so the idiot for not realizing it sooner. Then we went to the dance. That was wonderful, but I could still be comfortable. Then when we left, and you said you loved me, I panicked. Ronnie, I had always pushed you into a nice, comfortable, neutral pocket. The warehouse and the dance weakened it, but when you said you loved me, you blew the pocket completely apart. I have never felt anything so strongly in my life as I did then. Love, fear, and vulnerability, all whirling around together, and the fear won. I panicked. I didn't know why I was panicking, I just knew I was. I have spent all weekend regretting it, and trying to understand. I still don't fully understand, but I have realized a few things."

Ron squeezed her hand encouragingly.

Deep breath, "Ron, I love you. I am scared to death that one of these days I'll treat you as I have in the past and this time you won't forgive, and you won't forget. I saw all the things I've done to you in the past, like someone had drawn a shade and let in the light. Ignoring you, putting you down, forgetting you were there until I needed you, always believing you'd come whenever I called. I haven't been a good friend, much less a best friend, and I am afraid, so afraid, that I'll be as bad or worse as a girl friend."

"Kim…"

"Please, let me finish, I would have been hurt if my best friend had left, but to have my love leave me, that frightens me. Physical pain I know how to handle, but I have zilch experience with emotional pain. I have never lost someone I loved. My Nana is the only grandparent I have ever known, my others died when I was a child, and I can't face her mortality. Do you know how much worse it is to think about losing you?"

Kim was pulled into a tight hug as her tears began to flow once more.

"Kim, you're talking like you could make me hate you, sorry, can't see it. The only way I could even imagine it is if you stopped loving me and deliberately drove me away. And, if you stopped loving me, my departure couldn't hurt you, right?"

Kim responded in a watery chuckle, "This isn't about logic, darn it. I may know that, but I don't feel that."

"Tell you what, Kimerella, we will stay as close as glue this week, and every time your feelings begin to attack…" he leaned down to kiss her lips gently, lovingly, "I'll try to bring the smile back, OK?"

A wide surprised smile began to form on Kim's lips. "You intend to do that every time I feel low?"

"Yep, every time, so feel free to feel a little down, I think I can learn to enjoy cheering you up."

"Oh, really?" Kim giggled.

"Really," he nuzzled her nose, "so as far as I can see, you have no worries. Now, I'm starving, this emotional openness thing is hard, works up an appetite."

Kim wiped her eyes on his jersey and began to laugh, "Naco boy, tell me two times in the last year when you weren't hungry. Never mind, let's go feed the beast."

The two best friends/young lovers stood and embraced. "KP," Ron whispered in her ear, "anytime you feel nervous, or scared, don't hide from me again, let me help, all right? And oh, by the way," his goofy grin appeared, "you really shouldn't call yourself a beast."

Kim stared, then giggled, "Come on, let's go before you ruin all the points you racked up today."

IV.

The young man who entered the Stoppable residence on Monday evening was a far cry from the one who had stormed in Friday night. Without pausing to say hello, Ron snatched his mother from her chair and danced her around the living room.

"She loves me, she loves me, she was just scared, isn't that great?" he crowed.

"That she was scared or that she loves you?" Barbara laughed at him.

Ron looked non-plussed for a moment, then grinned even wider, "That she loves me, of course."

Dean laughed along with them, "I'm glad you've cleared things up, Ronald, and I really hope it's Kimberly who says she loves you?"

"Dad, c'mon, this is the Ron man here, what other girls' feel anything like that for me?"

"Well, there's Tara, Yori, Miriam and Eleanor from Temple, and how about…"

"Come on, Dad," Ron interrupted, "none of them felt anything for me."

Barbara looked at her husband and shook her head resignedly, "Ronald, sometimes…well, that's no matter. You and Kim are back on track then?"

"Better than ever."

Dean came over to grasp his son's hand and shoulder. "Congratulations, Ronald, I'm glad to hear that. Now you have a little time before you have to tell Kimberly your summer plans."

"Summer plans? Don't tell me…"

"Afraid so, Yamanuchi."