The Gift: Monday Evening

I.

Two teenagers traded glares while a third looked on apprehensively. The small waiting room vibrated with barely suppressed hostility. "What are you doing here, Bonnie?" Monique snarled.

The blue eyed brunette smiled disdainfully, "The same thing you are, I imagine, following the security guard's directions."

Monique's fists clenched, "Don't get cute, Bon Bon, why are you here at the hospital?"

"Haven't we had this conversation already?" Bonnie patted a yawn.

"You…you…" Monique reached for the tanned brunette.

"Monique!" Tara stepped between them. "I'm her best friend and she hasn't told me either."

"Thanks a lot, friend." Bonnie glared.

Tara looked abashed for a moment, then began to giggle.

"I can't help it; you look like two cats with a single toy. Monique, if Bonnie hasn't talked to me do you really think she'll talk to you?"

"Well…"

"And Bonnie, if the situation was reversed, wouldn't you want to know what you were doing?"

"Say that again?"

"Uh…I…"

"Never mind, I understand, but I am still not ready to explain, so what do we do?"

"The nurse said she would tell Kim we were here, until then I guess we wait." Tara said.

With resigned sighs, the trio sat in the uncomfortable chairs.

II.

"Miss Possible?"

Kim turned ravaged eyes to the nurse. "Can I help you?"

"Some friends of Mr. Stoppable's stopped by. I asked them to wait in the small lounge on the third floor."

"Did they say who they were?"

The nurse had returned to her charts. "Hmm? Oh, one of the girls said her name was…Monique?"

Kim glanced at her father and the Stoppables, "I better go see what Monique wants."

Mrs. Stoppable placed her arm around Kim's shoulders, giving her an encouraging hug, "Go see your friends, dear; we'll be in the cafeteria."

Her father nodded, reaching to squeeze her hand. "We'll wait in the cafeteria, Kimmie-cub, there are things I need to tell all of you."

Kim hugged the three adults, "Thanks, I'll try and hurry." She turned to the man following her, "Mr. Barkin, are you staying?"

"If you don't mind, Miss Possible, Mr. Possible?"

James looked hesitant for a moment, then nodded. "No, come with us, you probably need to know this to."

III.

Bonnie was pacing the room, her two companion's eyes following her nervously. When the door opened she whirled, "How…K…what's happening."

Kim's eyes opened wide at the sight of her nemesis. "B-Bonnie? What are you…?"

"Never mind that now," the brunette interrupted, "how's Ron."

"Ron, he…he…" it was suddenly too much. Tears flooded her eyes before her two friends led her to a chair and sat her down.

"Is…is he …gone?" Monique finally murmured.

Tara's hand went to her mouth; Bonnie's hands clenched into tight fists.

"No…yes…I…Mom doesn't know." Kim eventually managed.

A collective "Huh?" responded.

Taking the tissue Bonnie handed her, Kim regained partial control. "Mom says she's never seen anything like it. He j-just lays there, he doesn't blink, he…he…" Kim broke down in tears again.

Monique hugged her friend's shoulders, while Tara patted her knee. Both murmured soothing comfort. Finally, Bonnie knelt in front of Kim, pulling Kim's' hands from her face. "That's enough. It's a simple question, Kim, is Ron dead?"

The three stared in shock at the bluntness of the question. Bonnie, frustrated, shook Kim's hands roughly. "Tell me."

"I don't know."

All three girls stared. Bonnie gave a small growl of frustration. "What do you mean, K', what happened?"

Kim drew a deep shuddering breath, "I went to the window…"

Kim stared in horror at the sight before her; her boyfriend, floating in a blue nimbus, motionless. "Mrs. Stopp…" she swallowed and tried again, "Mrs. Stoppable, what, what happened?"

Mrs. Stoppable's eyes never left her son. "I don't know, Kimberly, I just got here and no one will tell me anything."

Kim tore her eyes from Ron, two female nurses were backing away from Mrs. Stoppable, three men were groaning on the floor. Her father and Mr. Stoppable were walking towards her. "Who could?" she thought. Returning her gaze to the window, she wondered why no one was doing anything. Her mother and two nurses were backed against the wall, staring at Ron's body. Before Kim could rush into the room, here mother turned from the macabre scene and came out.

"What is going on out here?" Dr. Possible demanded. "I need flood lights and a video recorder right…James? Kim? She paused, startled, "Dean? Barbara? What are you doing?"

Barbara Stoppable's eyes never left her son. "Anne, what is going on? Why did those idiots try and stop me from seeing Ron? What is wrong with him?"

"Barbara, I…Barbara, I don't know." Four pairs of eyes speared her in disbelief, "I've never seen anything like it. I had just finished doing his examination, he was doing fine. Then this…this, whatever it is, happened. The monitors all went off, the lights went out, and I haven't been able to get close since."

Barbara broke the stunned silence. "I'm going to my son." She walked toward the door, only to be stopped by Anne.

"I understand what you need, Barbara, but you can't get close to him."

"And why not?"

"That blue field around him, it shocks anyone getting close."

"Fine, I get shocked." Barbara shoved past Anne into Ron's room. The others followed.

"Wait, wait," Anne tried to regain control. "If you're going to do this we'll do it right. Barbara, walk very slowly towards Ron, if you feel the energy, step back. It's already knocked me back."

James head snapped to his wife, "Honey? Are you all right?" He put a hand on her shoulder, the other turning her eyes to his, "Maybe you should see a…"

"Doctor?" Anne's hand came up to stroke his cheek in reassurance, "Dear, I am a doctor, remember? I'm fine." She turned to the others. "Are we ready? Go ahead Barbara."

Mrs. Stoppable approached her son slowly. At five feet she began to feel the energy, the fine hairs on her arms lifting, at fours feet short hair was a halo around her head. At three feet she began to feel resistance. At two feet, she began to feel herself pushed backward. "Anne, what's happening? Why can't I touch him?"

Anne stared in wonder, "I don't know. Come back over here."

As Barbara retreated, she felt the energy release her, her hair flattening, the pressure gone.

Anne frowned, "Dean, would you try?"

Ron's father immediately headed for his son. The sequence of events was the same, except Dean continued to force his way to within a foot of the bed, sweat pouring from his forehead, before being pushed back.

Anne's finger tapped her chin thoughtfully. "I wonder…" She started for Ron, only to be stopped by James.

"Me first, honey."

"But…"

"You've been shocked once..."

"Twice." The nurse interrupted.

James frowned at his wife, "Twice, if someone is going to get shocked, I'd rather it was me." He approached the bed, only to be forced back.

"My turn." Kim started forward, only to be stopped by two sets of strong male hands. "No!" chorused James and Dean.

Anne slipped around her husband, only to receive the same rejection. She turned to the others, "I think I have an idea what happened, but we need one more."

"Me." Kim began.

"No, Kimmie, I want to try something else first." She motioned the three men in the hall to her. "Gentlemen, I need one of you to approach the patient. I must warn you that you may receive a rather severe jolt."

All three stepped forward. "Tell us what you want, Dr. Possible."

"If it will help the boy."

"What's up, Doc?" a painful grin from the one who had confronted Barbara.

Anne Possible smiled gratefully at the three men, "Come with me."

IV.

Kim lowered her face into her hands, tears leaking between her fingers

The three girls stared, shocked at the sobbing hero.
"GF, you can't stop there!" Monique blurted.

"Kim, what happened?" Tara's soft voice chimed in.

"They…they were just so brave." Kim choked. "Those men knew what happened to my mother, but they still stepped up, one at a time."

"Fine, they were brave, what happened?" Bonnie demanded.

Trying to compose herself, Kim began again.

V.

"Just walk toward the bed, huh?" Barbara's victim asked.

"Slowly, please." Anne said.

The nurse gritted his teeth, walking slowly toward Ron. Five feet from the bed, he developed a nimbus, at four feet a blue flash flung him away. He managed to rise to his knees, shaking his head.

Anne hurried over, giving the nurse a quick examination. "Do you think you can get to Dr. Quincy's office? I'll call and have him check you out."

"Ok, Doc, I'm gone." The man staggered out the door.

Anne turned to one of the nurses standing there, "Mrs. Johnson, would you go with him please?"

"Yes, Ma'am."

"All right, I guess it's my turn." The shortest man gritted.

"Please," Anne encouraged him, "but I would like you to walk fast."

"All right, Doctor Possible."

At three feet the flash threw the nurse back. Unable to rise, he lay blinking dazed eyes.

"James, Dean, would you place him in this wheelchair, please, thank you." Anne ordered after she examined theshocked man. "Ms. Grant, please take him to Dr. Quincy."

"Yes Doctor." The nurse pushed him away.

Anne turned to the third volunteer. The man swallowed and gave her a sickly smile. "I guess I run at him, right Doc?"

"If you would." Anne's face was grim.

Drawing a deep breath, the nurse charged the bed. At slightly less than three feet, he was thrown across the room, impacting the wall heavily. He slumped to the floor, where a worried Anne quickly checked him over. "James, Dean, gurney please." They picked him up, laying the limp nurse on the gurney. Pushing the gurney into the hall, james released it to a pair of approaching nurses. "Emergency room, please." He rushed back into Ron's room.

Anne's pale face turned to Kim, "All right, Kimmie, your turn." She faced the three shocked adults, "I think I know what's happening. James, please don't interfere."

James Possible nodded grimly at his wife and stepped away from his daughter.

Kim faced the bed. "Slowly, Kim." Dr. Possible instructed her.

Carefullywalking towardRon, Kim felt the energy wrap around her. The closer she approached, the stronger it became. Finally, she stood with her hand on Ron's chest, her hair floating wildly around her.

"All right, come back slowly, Kim." Her mother instructed her.

"Mom…"

"It's important, Kim, come back, please."

Reluctantly, Kim retraced her path, stopping in front of her mother. "Mom, why did you make me leave him?"

Anne glanced at her husband and their friend's concerned faces. "Kim, I think you are the only one who cantouch Ron. Why, I'm not sure, unless he's still there enough to know you. Ron would never hurt you if he could help it. There are things we have to do, right now, if we're going to help him."

"All right, Mom, what do you want me to do?"

Anne retrieved an IV unit from the table. "First, we need to change his drip before it runs out, do you remember how?" Kim nodded. "Good, then I need you to tell me if he has a heart beat and if he's breathing. Check his vitals."

"Ok, mom." Kim went back to Ron, changing his Iv, and placing her hand on his chest. "Mom, I can feel his heart, but it's real slow. He's breathing but not very often."

"What about his temperature?"

"He feels hot, like he's running a fever."

Anne thought for a moment. "Fine, come back, Kim, I think that's all we can do for now."

As Kim rejoined her parents, two more nurses came in. Anne nodded to them, "I would like you to stay here and observe the patient, don't approach him. If anything happens page me immediately." Facing to the others she began, "I think we all need a cup of coffee after this. I'll tell you my theory in the cafeteria." The group filed out of the room,Anne noticed Steve Barkin still standing by the windowwhen she finally followed. She gave him a wan smile, "Mr. Barkin, would you come with us please, I think you may need to know this too."

"Certainly, Dr. Possible."

"Well, go on, what happened then?" Monique asked.

"Huh?" Kim brought her attention back to the present. "Oh, then the nurse intercepted me as we left and I came here."

The silence was broken by Bonnie, "Then I guess we just wait. Or can we come with you to your parents?"

"I wish you could," Kim began, "but I think my mother wants it to be private. I'll tell you what, Bonnie, I'll tell you as much as I can when I get back."

"Only if she tells us why she's concerned." Monique insisted forcefully.

Bonnie glared at the dark girl, Tara looked shocked, and Kim smiled wistfully. "No, Moni, only if she wants to. I'm just grateful you're all here." She stood, "I'm going to my folks, I'll be back when I can."

When Kim had left the room, Tara turned to her companions, "Well, either of you have a deck of cards?"

VI.

Anne stood to hug her daughter when Kim joined them. After sitting down Anne saw the questions in Kim's eyes. "I've explained to the others, Kimmie, short version, Ron is still alive. He has some control over what's occurring, and whatever the circumstances, Ron would never allow you to be hurt. That's why only you can approach him. Whatever is happening to him, he can control it enough to shield those he loves."

"But you were shocked, Mom, how…"

"I think what happened was that the nurse was too close the first time, and the second, Ron was still too out of it. I think he's aware in his mind and he's fighting it. That's why we could all approach him now."

Kim frowned, "If that's so, what is he fighting?"

"I don't know."

"But…?" Kim couldn't think what to ask.

"I think I may be able to shed some light on that." James Possible interrupted. "I have an idea, but proof will have to come from the sheriff."

"What proof, daddy?"

James looked down at the table, then at those sitting around him, finally resting his gaze on his daughter. "Kimmie, do you remember Dr. Fen?"