Disclaimer and A/N: The Walt Disney Company owns all that is Kim Possible on TV and in the stores. I own about two dozen 1966 and '67 Hot Wheels® cars. I write these stories and don't get paid for them or the Hot Wheels. Ron, Bonnie, Tara, Felix, Rufus and Wade are aliens here to save our world from ourselves and observe the population. A twist on the KP Universe that messes around with the story line and StD neverhappened
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Chapter 9 HALO and New Bonnie
It was a typical Monday morning at Middleton High School and Bonnie Rockwaller pulled into her usual parking spot. Various Juniors and Seniors were milling about their vehicles, talking before they would head into the school. Bonnie checked her freshly dyed blond hair and minimal make up in the rear view mirror one last time before getting out and smoothing the wrinkles out of the purple pants suit she was wearing.
Yes, she was dressed like she had been when she visited the Pentagon, except without the lavender blouse and briefcase. Normally she would never wear the same outfit in the same month, let alone within a weeks time frame, but this was a new Bonnie. She had changed. She didn't have to be snarky Queen Bonnie anymore. The Controller moved up her schedule when Kim and Ron threw a monkey wrench in the works, jumped two stages and got married. Now her assignment was to see how Kim would react to a new, friendlier Bonnie. After all the years of rivalry, all the competition, all the, well, drama, would Kim simply accept Bonnie into her life and become fast friends? Her breakdown on Friday after practice went fairly well, she thought, before heading for the front of the school.
Bonnie spotted Kim standing about thirty yards out from the school's main entrance. Kim was holding her little blue Kimmunicator in one hand and shading her eyes with the other. Bonnie walked over and cheerfully said, "Hi Kim, how are you today?"
"A tad concerned," Kim moaned as she continued to scan the skies. "How was your weekend? Did Tara come over and help you?"
"Yeah she helped me, with six gallons of ice cream. I think I did most of the damage though."
"SIX GALLONS! In one weekend?" Kim finally looked at Bonnie and immediately went into shock. "What do you do to your hair? Are you using less make up?" Kim grabbed the woman and spun her around to get a good complete look at her.
Bonnie ticked off the answers. "Yes, six gallons were devoured, dyed it and Tara helped, and yes I decided to go with the old adage, less is more. I'm a whole new Bonnie." She started to scan the heavens. "What are you concerned about?"
Kim spun around and searched the cloudless sky again. "Ron's on his way back from Tokyo and jumped about four minutes ago. I'm waiting to see his parachute."
Bonnie shaded her eyes as she looked to the heavens. "Four minutes huh? We should see his chute by now."
"Not yet," Kim said and held the Kimmunicator up to her mouth. "RON, WHERE ARE YOU?"
Static came from the small but powerful speaker for a few seconds. Ron's voice finally came through, "I'm at sixty thousand."
"Sixty Thousand!" Bonnie marveled. "Where did her jump from, the Space Station!?"
"Close," Kim giggled. "The only way Ron could get to school on time today was to hitch a ride on a Global Justice Near Earth Orbit jet. NEO for short. I think he said he was suppose to bail at one hundred ten or a hundred twenty thousand feet. It's what they call a HALO jump. High Altitude Low Open." Kim pointed to a dot in the sky. "There he is! By the way, nice outfit."
"I like it too," the deep male voice came from behind the two woman. "It makes you look very studious and professional. Is this permanent or are you just showing off the latest fashion fad before it comes out?"
Bonnie spun around and saw the Vice Principal standing there. "Thank you Mr. Barkin. No, next week I'm thinking about going Goth! I guess I might fit in with that group. Rich kids rebelling against their parents riches."
"You shouldn't dye your hair too often Bonnie," Kim warned as she watched the dot grow bigger in the sky, "and you have no reason to rebel against your parents. They're both really nice."
"Advice about hair from someone who knows nothing about dye jobs?" Bonnie sniped, then regretted it. "OH! Sorry Kim."
"That's okay," Kim shrugged and conceded, "you said you might have an occasionally relapse."
"Is that him?" Mr. B asked, pointing at the dot Kim had been following.
"Yep, that's my Ron. He should be opening his chute in less than a minute." The three watched for a full minute before Kim said almost to herself, "Come on, Ron." After the fourth minute she yelped loudly, "Ron! Open your chute!"
As if he heard her, the silk immediately deployed.
Mr. Barkin watched for a moment then handed three slips of paper to Bonnie. "Miss Rockwaller. Here are your hall passes, I'm placing you in charge. Get the three of you to class as soon as Stoppable's down and ready." He turned and walked back to the front entrance.
"Sure thing," Bonnie said and looked back up at Ron's growing profile. "That seems to be an awfully big parachute," she marveled at Kim.
"It has to be," Kim shrugged, put the Kimmunicator in her pocket and turned to Bonnie. "He's carrying as much weight in equipment as he weighs. If you jump from thirty thousand you need to carry and use oxygen. Over sixty thousand you need a special pressure suit like an astronaut. That's four different layers of jump suits with other equipment attached to each."
"And you've done that?" Bonnie wondered aloud, "jumped from that altitude?"
"No, but I wanted to." Kim peered back up at the descending figure. "G.J. doesn't have pressure suits in my size. The highest I've jumped is twenty five thousand."
"Twenty five!?!" Bonnie screeched. "When I used to sky dive, the highest they'd allow is sixteen."
Kim giggled. "Yeah, but you've never ejected out of a jet fighter. Ron and I travel... well, we used to travel in different circles than the regular recreational sky diver." Kim looked a little disheartened.
Bonnie frowned slightly when she noted Kim's slightly dejected look. "Are you going to miss all the thrills and excitement of the missions?"
"Yes and no," Kim answered with a sigh. "I won't miss the missions, that's for sure. They were way too stressful. I will miss the scuba diving, snowmobiling and all the different skiing on land and water. But I'll especially miss the parachuting, I love to sky dive." Kim looked up and guesstimated Ron was still a half minute from landing. "What about you? Do you still jump?"
Bonnie shook her head. "No, I got serious a few years back with my ballet and had to give it up. Now that I'm not into dance anymore since I lost the talent show, I might start again."
"Well, if you ever need a jump buddy, Ron and I will go... WHOA!" Kim screamed and jumped back. It appeared Ron was going to overshoot his landing zone until he majorly flaired his chute and landed with only a five step run. He looked up briefly before starting to jump around like he had ants in his pants.
The two girls raced over to him and Kim finally calmed him enough to remove his helmet. "Did you see that!" he screamed. "That was soooo cool!" He picked Kim up, spun her around a few times and kissed her passionately. Ron settled down with the kiss and cooed, "Hi Sweetheart, I'm back." Suddenly his lull in exuberance ended as he pumped his fist in the air and began leaping about. "I love that! Did you see my landing? WOW! MAN!!" He picked Bonnie up and gave her a few twirls before he planted a kiss on her lips and started jumping again.
"Yes Ron!" Kim said in a loud stern voice. "WE saw it and you just kissed Bonnie Rockwaller on the lips!"
Ron crashed to the ground on his butt and looked at the two women in front of him. "Kim? BONNIE!" He almost scrambled to his feet as he crawled to Bonnie. "I am so sorry!" he pleaded, "please, please don't get mad!" He twisted on his knees and scampered on all fours to Kim. "Kim, please forgive me! I got a little excited and didn't know what I was doing!" He groveled at her feet and clung to her white sneakers.
Kim scowled for all of two and a half seconds before she beamed and laughed. "Yes Ron, I forgive you in your excitement. I'm not sure if Bonnie will though."
"I don't think I want to forgive that loser" she emphasized the last word and paused, "unless he kisses me again. He's a great kisser!" she tittered.
"Bonnie!?" Kim said warily.
"Just joking," Bonnie laughed and held her hands up defensively, "but only a little about the second kiss. He is a winner in the kissing department. Kim don't let him get too far from you or I might make a run at him."
Ron was struggling with a zipper and apparently not listening to the exchange. Kim went over to Bonnie and place her hand on the newly blond forehead. "Do you feel well or are you an alien that's taken over Bonnie Rockwaller's body?"
Bonnie giggled. "Yes on both counts Kim. I'm feeling fine and you found me out. I am an alien. So is Tara, and for all you know Ron too." She pushed Kim's hand away. "Now we'd better help alien Ron out of that jumpsuit or he'll be stuck wearing it until he has to return to Mars."
Mr Barkin came striding up to the them. "Alright you three, Stoppable is down and you have classes to attend. Global Justice just called and informed me to leave the parachute and jumpsuits where they are. They have a crew on the way to pick them up and will arrive in a few minutes. So, GET HIM OUT OF THE JUMP SUIT AND GET TO CLASS!" The three teens voiced their concurrence with the Vice Principal as he turned to leave. "Oh, and Stoppable," he turned back, leaned in close to Ron and smiled, "nice landing. But next time don't let me see you getting too excited with your wife and enemy afterwards." He winked at the tow-headed boy and flashed a cheesy smile. In one swift motion, Mr. Barkin stood at attention, did an about face and marched toward the school.
Ron finally shed the pressure suits and started looking around. "Oh Man!" he whined.
"Come on guys," Bonnie ordered, "I got to get us to class."
Kim stood there with her hands on her hips. She nonchalantly asked, "Ron, where's your backpack?"
Bonnie started bouncing on her heels. "Barkin put me in charge and I want to be more responsible. So we need to get in the school now."
"One moments Bonnie," Kim said, holding up one finger. "Ron, where did you have your bag last?"
"I was checking my homework on the plane and..." he slapped his forehead. "OH MAN!! I LEFT IT ON THE PLANE!"
"It's probably somewhere over Los Angeles by now," Bonnie sighed, "so let's just get to class."
"She right Ron," Kim said and grabbed his arm. "Let's get to class. You'll just have to suffer the consequences. G.J. will probably have it back here by this afternoon."
Bonnie grabbed his other arm and the two girls dragged the dejected boy into the school. As they walked in the front doors, a small parachute landed outside. The attached tan backpack was filled to the brim with textbooks, notes, pens and assignments.
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Tara and Bonnie cautiously approached the lunchroom table where Kim and Monique were seated. "You mind if Bonnie and I sit with you?" Tara begged.
"Only if Bonnie's not an android out to kill us all," Monique sarcastically snarked and took a bite of her salad.
"Oh," Bonnie whined, "You heard that rumor. That's why I'm not over there." She motioned over to another table where her former posse huddled in animated vacuous conservation.
"Sure Bonnie, Tara. Take a seat." Kim motioned for the two to sit down. "As long as Queen Bonnie didn't come to school today."
"Are you worried that might happen?" Bonnie asked warily before she sat down.
"Worried? Not much," Kim said. "I'm pretty sure Queen Bonnie is gone."
"Why would you say that?" Tara queried.
"As a certain insightful person told me the other day, Bonnie has a strong personality," Kim started. "If she puts her mind to a task, it'll get done. If she wants Queen Bonnie to disappear, the persona is gone. Someone who's lived with her two sisters as long as Bonnie has, has got to be a strong person."
Tara turned to Monique. "So, what other rumors are floating around school about the changes in Bonnie?"
"Well," Monique put her fork down and took a deep breath, "there are quite a few. She's either a zombie, an android, a cyborg or a pod person bent on lulling us into security; Then eating, frying or generally destroying our brains. She's possibly an alien here on Earth to observe us, and specifically you Kim. My favorite is," Monique smiled broadly and pointed an accusatory finger Bonnie's way, "you got back together with Brick. And you, being as competitive with Kim as you are, spent twenty four hours in the sack and he screwed your brains out."
Bonnie's lower lip started to quiver as tears came to her eyes. Tara leaned over and put a hand on Bonnie's shoulder. "Are you alright?" the platinum blond asked her close friend.
Bonnie leaned back in her seat and roared with laughter. Everyone in the cafeteria peered quizzically at her until she stopped. They continued to throw glances her way for a few minutes more.
"Oh, that's another one," Monique grinned from ear to ear. "You've gone completely stark raving mad."
"Ladies!" Ron sunnily sang as he walked up to the table, set his tray down and hugged Kim, "Hi Sweetheart." He sat down between his wives.
The four females greeted him before Bonnie asked, "So what were you doing in Tokyo?"
"I stopped by the Yamanouhi school to visit with some friends on my way back from Sri Lanka," Ron smiled and turned to air kiss Kim. "By the way, Sensei and Yori said to say Hi and they'll research our question."
"He went to Sri Lanka," Kim informed everyone, "to get his second cousin out of the war zone and back to Norway."
"A war zone, that's so brave of you," Tara marveled. "Is your cousin alright?"
"He was injured," Ron said nonchalantly, "but not too bad. His hand was damaged though."
"And Ron set a record," Bonnie added before spooning some orange Jello into her mouth.
Everybody looked at her. "A record? What record?" Ron asked.
Bonnie swallowed her soft food and said, "If you jumped out of the jet at over one hundred thousand feet, it's a record for free fall. What was the altitude when you jumped?"
Ron scratched the back of his head. "I think the pilot said we were at one twelve," Ron said warily. "Is that really a record?" Bonnie nodded. Ron shrugged and dug into his food. "No big I guess. It was fun though. Especially the first forty five or fifty thousand feet."
"Why's that?" Monique questioned.
"If you don't want to rip your arms or legs off," Ron stated, pointing his flat hand almost straight down, "you have to literally dive at a one hundred seventy degree angle. I was looking straight down at the ground for about four or five minutes before I could get into the regular spread eagle position. That's real sky diving."
"Wow!" Tara exhaled. "But don't you want the record?"
"Nah!" Ron waved it off. "It wouldn't be official anyway. One, I have no real idea how high I was when I jumped, two, there were no official observers, and three, I don't want the title." He looked around the room, leaned in and said secretively, "There is one more reason. Global Justice probably wouldn't acknowledge the flight to begin with. It was a top secret mission and I guess since I told you all... I'm going to have to kill you." He leaned back as a wickedly evil smile briefly flitted across his face before he took a bite of lunch.
Monique, Tara and Bonnie swallowed hard. "You're kidding, right?" Monique squeaked shakily.
"I think it was suppose to be top secret too," Kim chimed in as she played with the food on her plate. "At least that's what Wade told me before he swore me to secrecy. Just don't mention it to anyone and you should be okay." Kim flashed a quick brilliant smile then frowned and whispered something to Ron. They both laughed and giggled and started whispering to each other.
"I still can't believe those two got married so quickly," Bonnie said in wonderment.
Monique aimed her fork in Bonnie's direction and snarked, "That coming from a blond someone who, just three days ago, was a brunette and wouldn't be caught dead sitting at the same table with them?"
"Touché!" Bonnie conceded.
Tara leaned over to the newly wedded couple. "So what are you two so secretive about. Planning how to kill us if we blab about the jet?"
"No." Ron practically beamed, "We're discussing what games and stuff we'll have at our housewarming party."
"I have a suggestion," Bonnie said warily, "but I don't know if you two will listen with the way I've treated you in the past."
"We've always listened to you Bonnie," Kim said.
"But we wouldn't take all of it to heart," Ron continued.
"After a while," Kim continued.
"It went in one ear," Ron.
"And out the other," Kim concluded.
Bonnie stared at Kim and Ron in shock and awe. "Have you two always done that?"
"Done what?" the couple said in unison and looked at each other.
"You just completed an entire sentence between the two of you, bouncing back and forth like a tennis match," Bonnie marveled.
"You've never noticed them doing that before?" Tara asked. "I've seen em doing it a dozen times."
"Yeah, those two have been doing that alternative talk thingie for years," Monique added.
"I've never noticed it before," Bonnie puzzled and shuttered. "It's just... freaky!"
Ron and Kim visibly winced at the last word. Kim quickly got the Kimmunicator out of her cargo pants pocket and keyed it on. "Wade, I got a favor to ask," Kim hesitantly said with a nervous laugh.
"Sure Kim," Wade said and took a slurp of soda, "anything. What do you need?"
"Well," Kim scratched the back of her head, (I think Kim's been hanging around Ron way too much if they "tennis talk" in sentences and she's picked up his scratching the back of the head thing!) "Could you check and see if all our regular villains are locked away? Please and Thank You."
Ron leaned his head onto Kim's shoulder and chimed, "Especially Adrena Lynn." Kim nodded to her techno-geek friend in agreement.
Wade swiped his mouse around once, click on something and glared at the screen. "All safe and securely locked away, Kim." He typed for a second and the Kimmunicator screen went to a multiple split screen. In each little box was one of Kim and Ron's foes. "Let me show you." Wade's voice came over the speaker as the multi-image changed to an individual, full screen of Dr. Drakken sitting on the cell floor playing Jacks. It switched to Shego laying on her cot, filing her nails while reading a magazine. The images kept changing showing a different incarcerated villain. "I have a special program that taps into the state and federal prison cameras. I can see all the cells like this," the screen went back to the multi image, "or watch each individual cell." The screen showed an empty cell.
"Wade!" Ron quickly said in shock, "Who's cell is that and why is it empty?"
"Oh, that's Adrena Lynn's cell. She's..." Wade started but was cut off.
"AHA!!!" Ron said triumphantly.
"As I was about to say, she's in with her therapist right now," Wade flatly said as the screen show the regular image of him at his computers. "She has to wear a tracking bracelet on her ankle and it shows her in the doctor's office." Wade held up a hand. "And before you ask, there are no camera feed from the room. Doctor patient confidentiality you know."
Kim sighed in relief. "Thanks Wade. Things got a little freaky here for a minute, if you get my drift."
Wade took a big swallow of his ever present soda. "No problem Kim. If you want to check on them yourself, you can do it at any time. Just power up the Kimmunicator and dial in 999. You can then scroll through the images."
"I don't like that channel Wade," Ron said excitedly. "It might be near other communication broadcasts and..."
Kim cut him off. "I doubt that!"
"Well then," Ron changed tacks, "If you look at it upside down it's 666. The number of the Beast!"
"That, I can live without," Kim said. "Could you change it, Please and Thanks?"
"Can do," Wade chimed as he started typing on a side keyboard. "How about... channel... 555. Will that be okay guys?"
"Sounds good," Kim and Ron sang as they smiled at each other and nodded.
"Kim, as long as we're talking to Wade," Ron said tentatively, "I thought we might discuss something before shutting down the website. What if we were to do a Farewell Tour with any and all of the baddies if they escape. Wouldn't you like to get one more whack at each of them? Maybe just to take them down one last time and say good bye."
The whole table, and even some of the surrounding tables that were eavesdropping, waited a minutes and three quarters for Kim's answer as she sat and pondered. Finally she shook her head slowly. No... no, no. No I don't think I will." She returned her attention to see Wade typing away. "Wade old friend, could you design a final web page saying our farewells and the reasons we're out of business? I would really appreciate it."
"You mean something like this?" Wade changed the screen to a good bye web page.
Kim looked over the graphics and smiled. "That's just what I had in mind. Ron will send a wedding photo you can add. He remembered to bring along a camera." Kim blushed slightly. "I was a bit flustered and forgot mine. Also, could you make a list of all the people who have given us rides on a regular basis? You know, Bernice, G.J. and the like. I want to send them a personal Thank You note and tell them the reason we've retired. Maybe we should invite some of them to the housewarming."
"I'll have the page up as soon as Ron gets me the picture and I'll get the list to you by this evening. Oh yeah, my Mom and I are RSVP'ing now. We'll see you at the party whenever you set the date. I'm definitely leaving my room to see your new house."
"See you then," Kim said and turned off the Kimmunicator. She turned to Bonnie. "You were about to suggest something for the housewarming party. What did you have in mind?"
"Well, you have name tags on all the rooms, like Guest Room # 1, Upstairs Bathroom, Living Room, etc. You let everybody wander freely around the house," Bonnie said with a smirk. "Then, towards the end of the festivities, you have a pop quiz. You ask questions like, what color is the upstairs bathroom or, what knick knack is sitting on the top shelf of the cabinet in the dinning room. The person who scores the highest gets to be the first official visitor to sleep over."
"That's brilliant!" Kim beamed. "Would you like to help us set it up?"
"You mean set up the quiz or help with the party?" Bonnie queried.
"We wouldn't want to impinge on your time," Kim blushed as she laced fingers with Ron, "so if you could help with the game, we would really appreciate it."
"Impinge away," Bonnie practically screamed. "I told you earlier I've given up ballet and you know I don't have my posse anymore. All I have left is shopping with Tara and we can only do that for four or five hours a day before we get bored. I have too much time on my hands now-a-days."
"So... you'd like to help us?" Ron queried.
Bonnie jumped from her seat and race over to hug Kim and Ron. "Please Please PLEASE! Let me help with the party!"
"Me too!" Tara squealed.
Kim looked at Ron. Ron nodded. Kim said, "Okay, you two can help."
Bonnie hugged Kim and race back over to Tara. The two blonds huddled and started talking at the same time.
Monique glared at the pair. "Yep. Bonnie has definitely gone over to the bubble-headed blond side."
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Moonlight shimmered off the Monroe pool, illuminating the five unclad teenagers and naked mole rat sitting around the bar in the cabana in the dead of night. The tow-headed blond boy raised his glass and wondered. "How did our scientist ever discover we Energy Beings could only remain fused with these cloned bodies by drinking white wine?"
The teens looked at each other and shrugged. Rufus walked to the center of the bar and whistled to get their attention. "Remember orientation?" he asked and shrugged. He went into a four minute array of chatters, pops, grunts, whistles, bangs, groans, moans, barks, echoes, cries, clicks, growls and buzzes, with the occasional English word or two while he gestured wildly.
"Oh yeah!" the five said in unison.
"That also explains why these bodies would die if we had to wear clothing for any length of time," Tara giggled.
"Yeah," Bonnie said. "And now that Kim and Ron will have a pool at their house, we're set. All we have to do is convince Kimmie to declare the area a Clothing Free Zone, like the rest of our pools."
"That might not be so easy," Ron said, scratching the back of his head. "She's very conservative with the views and morals she got from her parents."
"Come on Ron," Tara enthused, "you can tell her it's not a quantum leap from baring her midriff and not wearing or owning a bra, to taking her top off. And her Capri pants could progress to shorts or bikini bottoms, then to wearing nothing out there."
"You can also point out," Bonnie stated with a wicked grin, "that she can jump your bones a lot quicker if you two are always naked."
"The fences are high enough," Ron pondered, "so we wouldn't have to worry about the neighbors. The only problem with Bonnie's suggestion is, Kim's a screamer."
"A screamer. That's not really a problem," Wade laughed as his big smile shone bright. "I have a device I'm taking along on our next mission that will help. But, I bet you two will be taking au naturel hikes in your huge back yard as soon as you move in."
Ron coughed and laughed tentatively while scratching the back of his head. "Yeah, well, when we got back from Washington, we landed by parachute out there. We watched the sunset and made love in the moonlight."
"I thought I heard a lot of wolves howling Saturday night," Felix laughed.
"Great," Tara chimed to Ron. "That means she's not adverse to being outside in the buff with you. Now all we have to do is get Kim accustomed to the rest of us in the raw."
Bonnie tittered and pointed to Ron. "I feel a pool party coming on at my house for you, Tara and Kim." She smiled wickedly and nodded. "Yes, it has to be at my house. My Earth parents are out of town for the week and you three can come over to plan the housewarming party. Kim doesn't really know my habits, but I know she's noticed I never have tan lines. She's commented to me about it a couple of times before. Of course I'll take the lead and strip first. After all, it's the rule of the pool at my place, even with my folks and sisters." Bonnie turned to the platinum blond. "Tara, you can be the first guest to get naked. You've been to my place before and know the pool rules. Ron, you just have to hem and haw a little before giving in and getting naked."
"Yeah," Tara beamed. "With us two girls naked, and Ron caving in, Kim will have to join up and strip down."
"Eventually, during the discussion about the party we'll be having," Ron caught on, "Kim will get used to the idea of being naked around the three of us and become comfortable. Then, when Kim and I move in to our own house, I can suggest we have the same rules there."
"And, sometime after school next week," Tara said to Ron, "you, Kim and Bonnie can come over here to my place. My parents have declare our pool area a CFZ too." She turned to Bonnie. "Just remind me to buy a big load of sunscreen next time we go shopping. You know how quickly I burn," she giggled.
"Remind you!" Bonnie snorted and laughed. "That's at the top of your list whenever we go shopping. But I bet Kimmie's the same way with that red hair of hers. I'd wager she gets as red as a lobster without sunblock."
"Oh Yeah!" Ron said in a haze. "I've always loved applying sunscreen to her..." A sliver of drool formed and slid from the corner of his mouth.
Bonnie slapped Ron gently on the face a few time to bring him out of his revelry. "Ron! RON!" She finally got his attention. "You're serious about this one aren't you?"
Ron swirled his wine and intently watched it rim the glass. "Yes. Yes I am. She's not like any of the other women I've married throughout my two hundred fifty year tour of duty. She's... well... I'm honestly thinking of quitting I.J. and living out the rest of her life here on Earth."
Everyone started to talk and argue at once. Rufus finally whistled loud and long to get all their attention. "Hey guys!" he yelled. He turned to Ron and paced slowly in front of his big buddy for a few seconds then stopped. "You Love Kim?" he questioned Ron.
Ron looked at his five coworkers, one by one. "Yes! Yes I do love her. But it's deeper than anything I've ever experienced before. Deeper than our love Tara," he took his wife's hand and gave it a squeeze. He reached out and took Bonnie's hand with his other and turned to her. "And when we were married a century ago, it... well, it didn't hold a candle to the way I feel about Kim." He smiled at the too women sitting next to him. "And you two know how much I love you."
"But to quit Ron?" Tara squeaked. Tears were rolling down her face. "You're the heart and soul of our team."
"You're our leader." Felix stood and looked out at the pool. "I don't know how we'd function if you were to quit."
Ron let go of the women's hand, stood and paced back and forth while scratching his head. "I know, I know. So the dynamics of the group would change a bit but I hate keeping us secret from her. Kim and I retired from saving the World and I think I should go all the way and quit saving the World with you guys. You'd still have Wade who's the brains of the outfit. And Bonnie, you could always take the lead." He stopped next to Bonnie and put his hand on her shoulder. "I've held you back a bit. You should be the leader of the group, not me."
Bonnie chuckled and shrugged. "Hey, I like the way you lead."
"I know why," Tara pensively spoke into the wine glass at her lips. Everyone looked at the platinum blond as she took a sip and put the glass down. "I know why Ron's feelings are so strong for Kim. When he merged with the clone body and downloaded a copy of the real Ron's memories, the deep love for Kim was already there." She stood and wrapped her arms around her husband, burying her head in his chest. "It's only intensified with all the missions. You've grown in admiration of her strength and beauty and loyalty to you while you've practically lived together and fought the bad guys all these years." She looked up into his chocolate brown eyes and sighed. "I understand." She stood on her tip toes, kissed his lips then whispered in his ear, "And I know why you haven't been as affectionate with me since you and Kim got together. It's time for me to step aside." She kissed him passionately and quickly ran in the house.
Bonnie looked at the scene in front of her. "This is something we're all gonna have to think long and hard about before we bring it before the Controller and the Counsel."