The Gift: Chapter 5, Sunday Evening.

I.

Kim wanted to scream; or cry; or beat somebody up. Definitely beat the someone who had hurt her Ron, but that wouldn't help her current sitch. She had trekked up and down the stairs, over and over, to meet the curious and the concerned. She had the answers down pat, only the order changed.

"No, we don't know what happened."

"Yes, he will recover."

"No, he can't have visitors yet."

"Yes, he has spoken."

And on and on ad nauseam. The worst was the press conference, those vultures. More than one of the 'reporters' should thank his maker that her mother had insisted on street clothes. If she had been in costume, Kim didn't think she could have stopped herself from going mission mode. Especially that one idiot, Skinner, Kim would remember that woman.

"Miss Possible? Miss Possible? I've heard that you and your sidekick recently became romantically involved, true?"

"Ron is my partner, not my sidekick, and yes, we care very much for each other."

"Really? I've heard that your 'partner', Don Ropable, attempted to sexually assault you after your dance last night, and you put him in intensive care. Comment?"

Kim had been shocked speechless. The only thing that prevented her from giving the 'journalist' a good reason for being at the hospital was Dean Stoppable's arm around her waist.

"Would you care to repeat that slander?" Dean growled, "Some of you real reporters get video of this please. My lawyers would like to have live shots."

"And you are…?" Skinner questioned.

"Dean Stoppable."

"Oh, yes, the sidekick's father, you would naturally defend your son."

Now it was Kim trying to restrain Dean, when a hand tapped Skinner on the shoulder.

"For your information, my name is James Possible, Kim's father, and I believe it is time for you to leave." James leaned to whisper in her ear, "I was raised not to strike a lady, but since you obviously don't qualify, in five seconds, I'm going to forget that. Ever wonder where Kim learned to fight?"

Skinner turned red, then white, before storming out.

Glancing around, James ground out, "This 'press' conference is over."

How anyone, even that bitch, could think that of Ron, still boiled Kim's blood. Her mother had even asked if she needed a tranquilizer!

Almost as bad had been the real visitors. She was still wondering why an uncharacteristically subdued Bonnie had come. Bonnie had asked if Ron was going to be all right, left flowers, and quietly departed. Strange.

The other members of the cheer squad had trickled by in ones and twos, only Tara missing. Some of the girls were in tears, all were worried. Some even requested she tell Ron that his Mad Dog routine was missed.

Trudging back to Ron from another well wisher, she was startled to see a figure in the dim hall staring into the observation window of Ron's room.

"Bonnie?"

II.

"Anne, I'm almost as worried about Kim as I am Ron," Barbara began, "she's handling this better than most her age would, but…"

"I know, except there isn't a lot we can do. I don't want to medicate her, and we need her for Ron."

"I thought for a moment she was going to lose it at that press conference."

The two mothers sat in silence.

"Barb, how long have you known?" Anne began to smile.

"Known what?"

"Ron and Kim."

Barbara laughed, "Since my cousin's wedding. I'm not sure exactly what happened, good thing we have insurance though."

"I remember that. Kim wouldn't talk about that mission. I just remember her as very desperate to get to Ron. Then when they went to the second wedding, something changed. She always looked at him a little differently after that."

"Ron came home floating on air. He said Kim danced with him, hugged him so close, then he blushed and clammed up. I knew something happened."

Anne giggled, "I sometimes thought I was raising a brain dead daughter, she was so oblivious. She never wondered why she was so possessive, denied being jealous, they were just best friends."

"I know Ron wouldn't talk. He would just give me a blank look when I tried to hint him into doing something. I know how hurt he was when Kim would date someone else, and then that Eric."

"Eric. If Drew Lipsky ever needs my treatment, he had better be prepared for some very dull needles."

Barbara looked puzzled. "What does this...Lipsky, have to do with it."

"I forgot Ron never made it home after the Prom. Eric was a synthodrone Drew, AKA Dr. Drakken created to keep Kim off balance and out of his way."

"What?"

"Let me tell you what happened…"

III.

"I won't stay long Kim. I just had to see."

"Why, so you could gloat?"

Bonnie cringed, "I really have gone too far, if you can believe that."

"Why wouldn't I. All you've ever done is put Ron down, except when he had money you could get."

"How did it happen?"

"Why do you want to know, Bonnie, what plan have you got now?"

"Nothing I just…Look, Kim, I may have been mean, but I am not a liar. I promise I won't repeat it to anybody. I just need to know." She turned to look directly into Kim's eyes.

Kim could see that, for some unknown reason, Bonnie was desperate to know what happened. "What do you want to know?"

"Is he going to live?"

"Yes."

"Is he going to be crippled?"

"No, but Ron will be in for a long series of therapy and training."

"Why hasn't he woke up? Is he in a coma or have they got him drugged out."

"He's not in a coma, and they can't give him pain medication."

Bonnie's eyes opened wide. "He has to be in agony, and you're telling me they won't give him anything? That's insane. How does he…"

"Not won't, can't. The medication would…"

"Miss Possible, is that you out there?" Came over the intercom, "Please come in quickly, I think he's regaining consciousness."

Hearing the nurse's voice, Kim reached for the door. "I'll talk to you later, Bonnie."

Tears began to roll down Bonnie's cheeks as she watched the figure in the bed jerk, and heard over the open intercom a hoarse, ghastly moan of inhuman pain. A second cry was cut off as Kim rushed to the bed, to stroke the blond hair and bend to murmur something. She couldn't hear the low conversation through the speaker. In a moment, Ron's body collapsed back into limpness. Kim remained bent over him lightly smoothing his tousled locks. Half blinded by her tears, Bonnie turned to leave.

"What are you doing here, Bon-bon?"

"Monique, I just had this conversation with Kim. Don't worry, I'm leaving."

"Doesn't answer the question, girl."

"It doesn't matter anymore. I won't bother them again." She walked past the upset Monique, out the doors.

"Now, that was just strange." She muttered as she turned to stare into the room.

"Why would Bonnie be crying?"

She stood, watching her friends, until a soft voice spoke. "Monique, how did you get up here?"

"I just walked up the stairs, Dr. Possible, no one said not to."

"You'll be the last. I am going to have a few words with the people at the nursing station."

"No one was there when I went by."

"No excuse, but they are a little short handed. I still need to talk to them. You go down to the cafeteria, Ron'smotheris there. I'm sureshe would want to see you."

"Yes, ma'am, but is he going to be all right?"

"Yes. Why are you here so late?"

"I just got off work. When Kim didn't answer her phone, I figured she would be here."

"Good thinking, but you still need to leave. I'll tell Kim you're here. As soon as she can, I'll send her down."

"Thank you."

IV.

"James," Dean sipped his scotch, "you do know what the girls are doing, don't you?"

Dr. Possible grinned back, "Of course, they want us out of the way unless they need us. I just don't know if they really think they're fooling us."

"Barbara is a good Jewish mother. Whether she's conscious of it or not, she firmly believes men have no place in either a kitchen or a sickroom."

"Anne thinks I'll blow up if I watch the kids." James paused, "She may have a point. One more word out of that idiot this morning and you would be posting my bond, old buddy."

"Don't feel too bad, if Kim wasn't as strong as she is, I might have beaten you to it."

Fists clenched around glasses as each man thought of the press conference. "Almost makes you wish women weren't allowed to be reporters, doesn't it?" Dean finally said. "If a man had asked that question, he would have had to write his next question."

"Don't let Anne hear you say that. 'Women should be treated exactly like their male counterparts in their professions'; of course, she also thinks violence is never an answer."

Dean shook his head, "Barbara would like to believe that, but she knew her grandfather too well."

"Survivor?"

"Birchenau."

"That's a hard argument to refute."

"True. Jim, you never explained your call this morning. Have you thought about it?"

"Yes, but before I tell anyone, I want to do some checking. He just doesn't fit someone who would do this. He…now who would be coming by at this time of night?'

Opening the door, James found Chief Steffer.

"Dr. Possible, I hate to bother you this late, but we've got another one. Hello, Mr. Stoppable."

"Another what, Chief?'

"Another messenger and another message."

"What does it say?"

Chief Steffer handed over a slip of paper, "I decided to see if you wanted to be with your wife when she reads this."

"If Ronald Stoppable lives 48 hours after his capture, he will become more than any man before."