Blue Eyes, Shining - Intermezzo 4: Bunker: The Swimsuit Edition
Disclaimer/Author's Notes: Kim Possible and all the characters of the show are owned by the Disney Company. The original lyrics to the song referenced in this chapter and the music are the property of the respective author, artists and labels. All other characters can be blamed on the author (he, however, is not responsible for all of their actions at all times, being barely responsible for himself most of the time). This is a strictly not-for-profit, just-for-fun work.
Please refer to chapter 1 of Blue Eyes, Shining: Intermezzi if you have questions regarding this concept.
Enjoy! Please read and review.
- - - - - - -
Intermezzo 4: Bunker: The Swimsuit Edition
Story: occurs during Blue Eyes, Shining
Time stamp: this series of events occurred during chapter 9, on day 18, starting in the early morning…
When: at 3:59 AM MDT, one minute before the Team Possible website is migrated to its new host location.
- - - - - - -
"Everything's a go." Wade announced from his chair in the PosComm Bunker control center. He was working from his laptop, connecting to the network and monitoring the site traffic.
"Are you ready, Kim?"
"Ready, Wade," and Kim smiled. 'Wade's bounced back surprisingly well after yesterday's "party"' Kim thought. 'All of 'my men' are strong, so much stronger than I'd ever given them credit for.' She thought back to how she felt when Wade had forgiven her, and a tear snuck out of the corner of her right eye.
Ron saw it, and he took Kim's hand and squeezed to remind her that, just like Wade and Jocelyn, she was not alone. Kim snuck a smile back at Ron, and then focused on her task.
It was a simple task: she had to click the mouse in front of her, and that would "throw" a virtual switch that would move her web site – no, that's wrong, she thought; - the Team Possible web site from it's routing through and temporary hosting at the Regional Qestar Communications company to the bunker.
"We're a go in 15," Jocelyn called from the computer next to Wade, and Kim smiled, again.
Her cousin had grown so much: from having a young teen infatuation with 'All Things Kim Possible' to 'All Things Ron Stoppable' to 'All Things Dr. Load,' and then Jocelyn had met Wade for the first time.
Wade wasn't impressive to look at, by any means, but Kim had suspected that something was happening in Montana.
The clues were there…
"10 seconds, Kim, down by ones," Joss called out.
Wade always called her five or six times a day when he was in Middleton; from Montana, he's called, at best, twice a day.
"9."
He had been bubbly and excited the first day, but he was quieter the second day.
"8."
He never said anything about Joss after the third day.
"7."
He'd not asked about Ron once, or even Rufus
"6."
He'd been happy to hear that the Tweebs were not coming up here, and he normally liked being around them, for God only knows what reason.
"5."
He'd gotten testy with Kim once during the time that she was at Nana's, and he'd made more comments (ok, they were downright digs) at her cooking skills.
"4. Ready, Kim?"
"Ready."
"Wade?"
"Ready, 'Sweet Tea.'"
"3. Whips and Ropes, Wade."
"Promises, promises, oh, tea-so-sweet."
"2. Back at you, strawberry-holic."
"Get a room, you two!"
"1. Not until we're both 18, Kim."
"Hello, Kim."
'Not Now!' Kim thought as Bonnie stood at the top of the ramp in the bunker.
"0. Now, Kim!" and Kim clicked the mouse, and the move was anti-climatic in its occurrence.
"Team Possible website is now hosted by the PosComm Alpha Site, Kim," Wade announced, and everyone who had been there all night cheered.
Bonnie was not amused.
"What are you people doing?" She demanded, and Rebecca Jane looked up and laughed!
"Why are you laughing?" Bonnie asked angrily.
"I've seen full-bodied idiots before, but never a full-bodied – "
"Rebecca Jane!" Betty shouted and covered up Rebecca Jane's last word.
"You must be Bonnie Rockwaller," Rebecca Jane replied calmly, and stood and flexed her shapely body to show Bonnie that she was neither alone nor 'in charge.'
"Now, if you'll excuse us, we're in the middle of something that requires a brain, so you can go," Rebecca Jane finished, and sat back down and began talking into her headset-microphone.
Bonnie stood there, shocked, and turned to her queenly entourage.
"Let's go, girls," Bonnie growled. "We'll leave the old people to their work, and we'll hit the swimming hole later this morning.
"Where's the bellhop" Bonnie asked to the air, and Slim responded.
"There's not one, ma'am. But, I can hep'ya. I'm Slim Possible, and welcome to mah ranch," and Kim sucked in the laugh as Bonnie gawked at Slim and Marcella giggled at his response.
"If y'all will follow me, Ah'll show y'all where you're bunkin' so's you can put away your bags and get ready for breakfast. Ah'll open up the swimmin' hole 'round 10," and Slim herded the small pack of cheerleaders out of the bunker. Slim stuck his head back in to look at everyone, gave a very visible wink, and the door slammed behind him.
The laugher was almost deafening.
"Rebecca Jane!" Ron came over and gave her a high-five, and Arnold just sat and smiled, but the smile was not one of happiness.
Arnold's smile was one of desire, of passion, of Rebecca Jane and wanting to join the mile-high club with her.
'Yes, he's definitely hooked on her,' Wade thought and smiled inwardly.
Kim came over and hugged her, and the two ladies laughed, then were joined in the hug by Betty and Joss, and all four were hugging and laughing.
All three guys wished that they were in the middle of that hug, and they all had the same reasons, just different.
- - - - - - -
The bunker activation to full operational status was almost anti-climatic: there was no interruption of the countdown that Wade gave, and Joss threw the switch to bring the Bunker fully on-line.
Ron popped open the sparkling grape juice, and Joss drank most of it.
"I've turned her into a juice lush," Wade lamented, and Joss wadded up her cup and tossed it at him.
Betty volunteered to monitor the bunker and the site for the first two shifts of operations while, as she put it, "you young people go and keep an eye on Bonnie and her 'posse,'" and she heard no complaints as they all ran out of the bunker, heading back to their rooms to change.
Betty pulled out a book that she had stashed on an earlier visit: "Sacred Problems, Divine Solutions."
Maybe she could find some answers to her problems and feelings, and she propped her feet up on the desk and began to read. She was glad Slim wasn't here, as her skirt slid back down her legs.
- - - - - - -
Kim stood in front of the mirror again, and pouted, again.
'Rebecca Jane's gorgeous! I don't have enough to compete with her or Bonnie. Why would Ron want to be seen with me?' she lamented in her mind. A knock at the door broke her mental pity party.
"Who is it?"
"Kim, it's Rebecca Jane," and she pushed the door open, stepped in, looked at Kim, and slammed the door shut quickly.
"Kim, why didn't you tell me you weren't dressed?" Rebecca Jane scolded her, and Kim burst into tears.
Rebecca Jane grabbed Kim's robe off of the bed and draped it on Kim, and then led her back to the bed to sit.
"Kim, what's wrong?"
"You wouldn't understand! You're gorgeous, and I'm so…" and Kim started crying, again.
"Caca del torro, Kim. You're a beautiful young woman, and Ron wouldn't give me the time of day: trust me, I tried, but he would look and never try anything. I finally asked Wade, and he had four words:
"'Kim Possible.' And
"'Since Pre-K.'
"Kim, I'd kill for a BF like that, and that man has got it bad for your body.
"And, it doesn't hurt that he's a gorgeous hunk of manhood," and Kim burst out laughing.
"Ron? Gorgeous???"
"Kim, Kim, Kim…you can't look at him objectively, you're too close: that old 'forest for the trees' line. Trust me, he's gorgeous.
"He's been working shirtless up here most of the time, and GF, let me tell you:
"Give me 'Ronshine' any time you're ready to dump him. You can cook on that man's abs, he's so hot!" and Kim blushed at the thought of using Ron's abs as a Jenn-Air grill, then smiled wickedly at the thought.
"And, GF, I've seen the pictures of her: BonBon's got nothing on you!
"You really think so?" Kim asked honestly.
"Kim, I don't swing, but you're going to knock his socks off. He's told me about the swimsuit that you have and he hasn't seen, and let me tell you: Ron has a very vivid imagination!"
Kim laughed.
"Here it is," and Kim held up the top and the bottom.
"Where's the rest of it?" and Kim blushed, again.
"That's all of it. Too small?"
"Kim, it's perfect! I'm glad you know CPR: you're gonna have to restart Ron's heart multiple times!"
"I'm just hoping Dad never sees any pictures of this," Kim cringed at the thought of her Dad powering up two Space Probes, one for each of them.
"Kim, let me show you just some of my tricks that will 'rock Rockwaller' into the ground, and put Ron flat on his butt," and the two girls laughed, Kim nodded vigorously, and they started on 'Operation Thump-Thump.".
- - - - - - -
Wade came out to work on his tan.
He was glad he'd been losing weight, but he knew that none of these girls would pay attention to him.
That didn't matter: he only looked for one.
The cheerleaders were all in swimsuits of various shapes and sizes, but they all had one thing in common:
Much more girl than material.
The guys and some of the ladies working at the ranch had staked out strategic spots around the pool, and they weren't disappointed.
Neither were the cheerleaders.
No one had told them that there would be COLLEGE BOYS here!
And, then, Wade stopped, and silently chuckled:
BonBon came out in her suit.
Bonnie was going for visual effect with minimal material, Wade thought, and the look didn't work for her. It was a shame, Wade thought: the right suit, or a BonBon battlesuit fitting, and she'd be drop-dead gorgeous. He had a truly wicked thought, and shook his head to get it out. She really was a lovely young woman, Wade thought, but she did all the wrong things.
Her 'girls' needed more support than they were getting in the tape measure that she wore that masqueraded, unsuccessfully, as her suit top.
She, at least, had a nice suit bottom that framed her perfectly, and she wore a tiny cover-up across her lower portion; it didn't cover up.
Drakken had the right quote, just the wrong person:
'Bonnie Rockwaller! You might think you're all that, but you're not!'
She looked great in her all-over tan, but she didn't know how to take advantage of it.
'Like Rebecca Jane did,' Wade thought. as she stepped out into the sun, and stretched.
Wade was certain that there was a higher power: nothing random could have created her.
She saw Wade, waved, called his name, and came over to him. The cheerleaders all grew silent when she walked across the concrete in her suit, and 3-inch spike heels clicked on the poolside.
GULP! Was Wade's only thought; other than 'Please, let Joss come out in the suit she described to me the other night!'
"Hello, Wade," was the sultry greeting that came from Rebecca Jane, and Wade got light-headed.
She giggled, and that brought him back to reality.
'Reality isn't so bad, anyway," Wade thought.
"You like?" and she bent backwards to stretch her back. Her "girls," Wade thought, were divine, but she wasn't Jocelyn.
"Me like, Rebecca Jane. Sorry, though, I'm taken."
"I know, Wade, but a girl can dream, can't she?" and Rebecca Jane branded him on his right cheek.
The cheerleaders all giggled, but all sound from them vanished in an instant.
Ron Stoppable and Arnold Carlos had arrived, but they only had eyes for 'the loser no more.'
Tara had a tear in her eye.
"I could've had that," she thought, "and I let him get away!"
Both Arnold and Ron each had a six-pack, but Ron's confidence overshadowed Arnold's boyish looks.
Jessica looked at Arnold and mentally drooled and contemplated having a banana split on his abs.
Liz was thinking: 'a Ron-ab stir-fry: no protein necessary: the beef is the pan.'
Hope thought: 'The Loser has left the planet, and look at what remains: YUMMY!'
Rebecca Jane said something, and Wade noticed that she was wearing one of the wireless tiny earpieces.
"Calling for backup?" Wade asked, dryly, and Rebecca Jane chuckled.
"Calling in the 'A-Team,' Wade; hang onto your shorts," she replied as Ron and Arnold stopped in front of Rebecca Jane.
"Were you hurt?" Arnold asked Rebecca Jane.
"No; why?" she answered and asked.
"When you fell from heaven, for you are surely my angel," Arnold responded honestly, and Rebecca Jane giggled.
'He shoots: He Scores! Nothing but Net!' was the same thought that came into the minds of Ron and Wade.
"Flatterer," she replied demurely, and Arnold shook his head.
"Rebecca Jane, I never realized how truly beautiful you are, until now. May I escort you to your lounge chair?" and he offered his arm.
"In just a moment, Arnold," and the door from the dressing room opened, and Kim and Jocelyn stepped out at the same time, dressed alike, and Ron and Wade grabbed both at their chests.
'It's the big one,' was the thought that struck their minds simultaneously.
- - - - - - -
Both Kim and Jocelyn were wearing white swimsuits, Wade noticed when he regained his sanity, but they weren't the same.
Kim's was the bikini of Ron's dreams and James Possible's nightmares: the swimsuit-equivalent of the LBD. The top perfectly framed Kim's "girls," Wade thought, almost as well as his battlesuit had. The white top had multi-colored piping around its edges. The bikini bottom was covered by a perfectly-fitted white sarong tied strategically to conceal and reveal; it, too, had the multi-colored piping.
What made Kim stand out was the pair of complimentary matching 2-inch white spike-heeled open-toed sandals.
Jocelyn was not wearing what she had described the other night to Wade: that was the good news.
Jocelyn was wearing something different: that was the bad news.
Jocelyn had the perfect white tankini with a matching white sarong that covered the gap between tankini bottom and swimsuit bottom as well as the swimsuit bottom, much both to Wade's delight and disappointment. The makers of their suits must have been the same: hers had the same multi-colored piping around the edges that Wade could see.
What matched Joss with Kim was the pair of complimentary 1-inch white spike-heeled open-toed sandals, and both ladies clicked their way to the guys.
The ladies walked up to the guys, but Kim took Wade's arm, and Joss took Ron's arm, and they both led their prey back to a more secluded lounge area in the general direction of the back of the bunker without saying a word.
Rebecca had watched all of it, but she was also watching Bonnie.
Bonnie looked devastated, and she ran back into the building.
Rebecca Jane ran after her and called out:
"Bonnie! Wait!"
Bonnie stopped, and turned to reveal her tear-streaked face.
"What do you want?" she snarled.
"To do for you what I did for Kim and Joss," Rebecca Jane replied simply.
"Why?" Bonnie asked, and Rebecca Jane wiped tears from Bonnie's eyes.
"Three reasons:
"Because I can,
"Because you deserve it and I'm doing a friend a favor, and
Because, most importantly, I've been where you are, that's why," and Rebecca Jane led her away to explain it to her.
- - - - - - -
Joss and Kim stopped the guys when they got of earshot, and motioned for them to be quiet as they went into the bunker rear entrance.
When they closed the door, Kim let Wade go and grabbed Ron.
"Happy, now, big boy?" Kim purred as she gave Ron a healthy dose of "Kimshine." Ron had no objections; quite to the contrary, he enjoyed his dosage.
"Well?" Wade turned and faced Joss as she spoke. "You like?" and she stretched and held her arms above her head and arched her back.
Wade's only response was to pull her to him and kiss her tenderly, then hug her tightly..
'"Wadeshine," rated G, but quite pleasing,' Joss thought, then abandoned her thoughts and enjoyed her kiss and hug.
- - - - - - -
When both couples broke, they all four burst into laughter.
"I wish you could have seen your faces," Kim said.
"Wade, you looked like you'd seen a ghost," added Joss.
"No ghost, Jocelyn: a pair of angels, walking towards me, and I was ready to go," Wade replied.
"Amen, Brother Wade," added Ron.
"You likee, Ron?" and Kim removed the sarong and posed for Ron, then turned a full 360.
"Oh, yes, indeed," Ron was breathless, but then he took a deep breath and smiled wickedly.
"What's up with you, Ron?" Kim had seen that look before.
"Zorpex has the perfect lunch for that swimsuit," Ron replied, and Kim blushed a beet red, and both Joss and Wade giggled, and Ron re-processed the sentence-
"NO! NO! NO! Our lunch, Kim! Come, your steed awaits! Lettuce Bee off!" and Kim groaned as Ron punned and pulled her out of the bunker.
"Later, 'Princess!'" Wade called out to the departing Kim , and Joss giggled.
"Wade, am I pretty?" Joss asked.
"Is this a trick question, or are you fishing for compliments? If you're fishing, you definitely brought the right bait," and Wade grinned.
"Seriously, Wade! Am I pretty? I've seen those other girls out there, and I can't hold a candle to them."
"You are so wrong, Jocelyn. You are the most beautiful woman here; I would not want to marry any of them, not even Kim or Rebecca Jane," Wade replied with as much sincerity as he could muster.
"So, 'stud', who branded you?" Joss purred as she touched his cheek. "It's not my color," she added.
"Joss, I, uh, well," and she cut him off with a kiss.
"You're safe, hero," she continued. "I told Rebecca Jane to do that," and she giggled, again.
Wade liked her giggles.
"I wanted those other girls to see what she could have had and what I definitely had, so let's go back, and you can rub some suntan lotion on my back," Joss added, "but watch those wandering hands, mister: remember, I've still got that whip."
"Promises, promises," was Wade's response as he took her arm and escorted her back to the swimming hole.
"Besides, you need to put some lotion on me, as well," Wade added matter-of-factly, "I need to work some more on my tan," and Joss guffawed as they turned the corner to the lounge area.
- - - - - - -
Kim and Ron had found Tornado waiting for them behind the Bunker (after all, what good is a robot horse without a timer?). Ron asked Kim to don the blindfold after she had hopped on Tornado's back behind Ron, and she did with only minor misgivings.
"Tornado: Ron-1, if you please," Ron said to his steed.
"Very good, Master Ron." and they took off.
"Are you ok back there, KP?" Ron called over his shoulder after they had ridden for awhile.
"Mmmmm-hmmmmm," Kim was thinking about her grip on Ron's stomach.
'His abs are scrumptious!' she thought. 'When did that happen?'
'Maybe, I just haven't been paying as much attention to Ron as I should have,' she thought. 'I knew he's been working out, but I never imagined that he'd gotten this far this fast!'
"It's the MMP, Kim: it allows me to focus during my workouts, and I get maximum results from the time I spend," Ron replied.
"Were you reading my mind, Ron?"
"No, but you've been practicing your Braille-reading, and you were reading my abs," and Kim was glad that he couldn't see her blush this time.
They were silent for a few more minutes, and then Kim felt Tornado slow down and gradually come to a stop.
Ron hopped off, and helped Kim dismount, reminding her to keep the blindfold on.
He led her across some soft ground to a spot where he guided her to her seat, then went around to the other side, grabbed what he needed, and sat down.
"You can take it off now, KP," and she pulled the blindfold off and gasped.
They were at the spot that Wade and Joss had found, complete with the table that Ron had constructed. This time, they were seated with their backs to the trail so that they could look out over the canyon.
"Ron, this is beautiful," and she turned and saw –
Ron was holding a dozen white roses, and he pointed down. Kim looked down to see the ground literally covered in white and red rose petals as far as she could see.
The stone table was covered with red, white, and yellow rose petals, and there were two burning candlesticks on the table.
"Ron, when did you do all of this? How? Why?" and tears came down like rain on Kim's face.
"Kim, you deserve it. You've put up with my Bueno Nacho trips, and I just thought that you could use a decent meal for a lunch, for once."
"Ron, this is beautiful. Thank you." and she leaned over and kissed his cheek.
"Wrong, KP: this is wonderful, the roses are lovely, the scenery is pretty. You are beautiful, the most beautiful woman that I've ever known. These roses pale next to you. That's why they are so happy to be on the ground that you walk on, Kim. 'Just like me, they long to be: close to you,'" he finished, and he reached over the side and pulled up the huge picnic basket and placed it on the edge of the table.
"Ron," she sat, still stunned at what he'd done for her and what he had said, and then it clicked:
"Channeling the Carpenters, Ron?" and she grinned as he removed the containers of food from the basket.
"You caught me, KP: but, for how I feel about you, it's perfect," he replied.
"'Like Queen Bonnie is perrrfect?'" and she started laughing.
"What was with Rebecca Jane calling Bonnie's name?"
"Long story, KP: Wade's idea," and with the mention of Wade's name, Kim suddenly teared up, and Ron immediately noticed.
"What's wrong?"
"Wade," and she burst into tears, a full, hard cry, and Ron held her as she released and waited for her to speak.
"How could he forgive me so easily for what I've done to him?" she finally asked softly after a few minutes.
"KP, you underestimate him so much.
"Don't you realize that he's known that you were using him for awhile? Super-genius, remember?
"And, besides, don't you know how much he loves you?" and Kim's head snapped up and stared into Ron's eyes, and the deep brown understanding eyes looked back at her with love and concern.
"Why else would he put up with some of your 'attitudes,' Kim? And before you growl at me, think back: how many times have you glared at Wade or yelled at him or asked him for things that he's thought were crazy, but he did it anyway?
"Wade loves you, and he told you that yesterday; not like I love you. Kim, but he does.
"Why else would you have that battlesuit?
"And, think for a moment, Kim, about how well that suit fits. I know what my reaction was when I saw you in it for the first time: 'YOWSA! I have seen Heaven, and she's wearing an outfit to DIE FOR!' and Kim laughed at Ron's admission.
"Have you ever thought about how he got that suit to fit that well, KP?" and Ron stopped for a moment to let her think.
Kim thought for a bit, her face scrunched up and still wet, and she reached up to wipe a tear from her eye to realize that Ron was already wiping her face with his handkerchief, and then she put it all together, and she glared and screamed:
"WADE!" and she turned beet-red.
"Only for your protection, KP, would he have risked your wrath and anger and loss of your friendship, did he do that," Ron calmly removed the grill from the bottom of the basket, hooked it up, and fired it up on the table.
Kim thought about Ron's statement.
"OhmyGod, Ron, he does love me!" and she broke into tears again. "He's done all of this for me, and I never realized how he felt!"
"KP, don't worry: you've paid him back in an immeasurable way," Ron grinned as he held her, and she looked up and asked,
"How?"
"Joss," was his simple reply, and Kim's sobs gradually turned into small chuckles, and then full-blown laughter.
"Who knew?" she asked herself out loud.
"She's the best thing that's happened to him, and he's the best thing that's happened to her, in a very long time, KP. Have you looked at him since you've been here? He's lost 2 or 3 sizes, slimmed down, and he's out of his room!
"I'll bet you didn't know how bad his agoraphobia was, Kim. I didn't expect him to last 3 days up here before he went back, screaming, to Middleton.
"Love conquers agoraphobia: who knew?" and Ron pulled away, held his hand above the grill, and commented to himself, "it's ready," and them reached for one of the containers.
"What's for lunch, Ron?"
"Ze specialty of ze Ranch, my Kimberly Anne: marinated Colorado buffalo strip steak, with ze special Dean Stoppable marinade and seasonings, ze baked potatoes, and, for the lovely lady, fresh made Caesar Salad with Dean's croutons," and he pulled one of the steaks out of the container and dropped it onto the grill, and the sizzle was beautiful.
- - - - - - -
"Kim, I have to ask you something," and Ron reached over to touch her hand, and she took his into hers.
"Yes?" she purred.
"The swimsuit…." And Ron' a tinge of red accented his freckles.
Ron is so cute when he's embarrassed, she thought.
"You can thank Rebecca Jane, Ron."
"Huh?"
"She showed me what to do so I would look like this," and she cupped. "You like?" she smirked, and Ron nodded vigorously.
"Good," she kissed his cheek.
"I like her. She's like an older sister that I never had that worships me," she commented, and Ron laughed and turned the steaks.
"She had gone shopping with Joss and found her suit that matched mine, and she showed Joss how to wear it properly," she added.
"Well, Wade won't complain about that," he laughed. "Did you see his eyes when she came out of that door?"
"Kinda like yours, Ronald Dean Stoppable," and she reached over and kissed him fully.
Ron had no response; he was busy.
He almost overcooked the steaks, but he broke away just in time.
- - - - - - -
"So, did lunch pass muster, my 'Princess'?" and Kim grimaced at that word.
"Let's put that on the list of endearments that we won't be using, 'Potential Boy,'" and Ron nodded.
"Right next to that one, I assume," Ron added, and Kim nodded in agreement.
"It's better than 'Sweet Tea," Ron remarked, and Kim looked at him, perplexed.
"That's Slim's nickname for Joss," he explained, and Kim grinned, "and Wade's adopted it, much to Joss' dislike; she really likes it, though, when Wade uses it, but she won't tell Wade that," Ron added.
"How would you know?"
"She and I have had a couple of long talks since I've been here, and she's explained how I'm not her 'hero' anymore," and Ron breathed a sigh of relief. "She understands what a true hero is, KP, and that's who she's hanging onto."
"Lunch was amazing, Ron. Thank you.
"We are not done, KP: you forgot dessert," and Ron reached into the basket and pulled out a final container.
"Close your eyes," and she closed them and, in a moment, heard the container pop open and then felt something touch her lips.
"Open," he requested, and she complied.
The sensation was wonderful on her lips: creamy, smooth…
"Now, bite," he requested.
She took a bite and was rewarded with the wonderful combination of a perfectly-ripened strawberry and the best chocolate that she'd ever tasted.
She opened her eyes, and Ron's smile was priceless.
"That's the reaction that I wanted, KP: Thank you."
"Reaction?" and he fed her the rest of the piece of dipped fruit.
"I wanted to see that smile, again. You've been on a roller-coaster since you've been here, and I wanted my KP back," and he flashed the goofy Ron smile.
"Oh, Ron," and she threw her arms around him and hugged him tightly.
'wow,' was his mental whisper to himself.
- - - - - - -
"Are you happy, KP?" He asked after he finished feeding her the last of the dipped strawberries.
"Mmmm-hmmm," she purred, and he grinned.
"Good, because there's more to come," and he stood, and she got a good look at his abs.
'I have been dating a GOD!'
"It's time for madam's massage," he replied, and Tornado trotted over to the table.
"From Him?" Kim stared in shock.
"No, Mistress Kimberly," Tornado replied with a bit of a chuckle, and Ron reached for the saddlebag.
"Thank you, Tornado."
"You are quite welcome, Master Ronald. I'll leave you two alone until you call for me," and he trotted back to his spot and stood facing away from them.
"wow," Kim whispered.
"Tornado's the man…well, he's the horse!" Ron replied, and he opened up the saddlebag and pulled out a blanket which he then spread on the ground and motioned for Kim to lay down. He then reached into the other side of the saddlebag and pulled out the tanning lotion.
Kim lay on her front, her chin propped up with her hands, and smiled.
'What have I done to deserve him?' she asked herself as he began to expertly apply the tanning lotion to her back: all of it.
After 30 or so minutes, she offered to return the favor.
Ron accepted the offer.
- - - - - - -
"Ron?"
"Mmmm-hmmm?"
"I have to ask you something, and I'm embarrassed to ask," Kim was rubbing the lotion into his back and massaging him, as well.
"What is it, KP?"
"Well…
"Remember the time we switched bodies?"
"Mmmm-hmmm?" and Ron was glad that he was laying face down and that she couldn't see his face.
"How do guys, you know…walk, and deal with what you see, and not trip over yourselves all the time?" Kim blurted it out, and Ron chuckled.
"Intense concentration, and lots of practice," he replied, and Kim sprayed cold lotion on his back.
"'Little Ronnie,' indeed," she rubbed the lotion into his back.
"You obviously had to deal with that," Ron replied with an unseen grin.
'What a wedding present I'm going to get!' and she decided to add to his discomfort.
"That's why you asked about the suit, isn't it, Ron?"
"Huh?"
"You checked out the "girls" while you were me, didn't you, RON?"
"Well, I had to sleep, and I had to shower…" he trailed off, and Kim laughed.
"What's so funny?"
"Ron, I love you so much," she slapped his back.
"Strange way of showing it," he replied.
"Turn on your side, Ab-Man: I want me some serious cuddling," and Kim stood from straddling him and let him turn over, and she smiled.
"Somebody liked that massage," she commented, and Ron reached up and pulled her down onto the blanket.
"Someone else did, too," he commented as he looked at her chest.
"Mmmm-hmmm," she replied as she kissed him again.
They lay together and enjoyed a longed-for period of time where there were no super-villians, no Tweebs, no garden gnomes, no parents, and no worries…just the two of them, together…as it should be, pure alone time, just cuddling.
It was glorious.
The birds flew over and looked at the couple, lying together on the ground, and continued flying.
- - - - - - -
"KP?
"Mmmm?"
"It's getting late. Wanna go to the hot tub and test out the suit?"
"RON!" and she knew why he wanted to go; she had her own reasons to go, as well….
"Ok," and she raised up and realized that, sometime during the day, he had cleaned the table and packed everything away except for the two candlesticks, now holding new candles.
"Oh, RON!" and she pulled him to his feet and kissed him fully, again.
When he finally escaped, he asked.
"What was that for?"
"You were using that mad MMP to sneak away from me and clean up so I wouldn't have to!"
"Hey!" he looked faux-hurt. "My mess, my cleanup.
"And, by the way, are you channeling Mary?" Ron grinned.
"Mary?" Kim looked at him in confusion.
"'Oh, Rob,'" he gushed, and she grinned and blushed.
"She is my hero," she replied.
"I was quite fond of her when I was younger, but I grew up and found someone so much better," Ron grazed her cheek with his lips. "Let's go and see what we've missed 'back at the Ranch,' and he laughed at his own joke as Tornado came over for their return trip home.
- - - - - - -
Kim and Ron walked back to the swimming hole to see who was still around, and they ran into a brick wall as they turned the corner….
"Wow," Kim let out a quiet exclamation.
"BonBon!" Ron called out. "Looking good, BonBon!"
Bonnie looked up from her book and smiled.
'Must be a synthrodrone,' was Kim's thought.
Ron didn't care who or what it was: she was H-O-T HOT!
Bonnie had a one-piece suit on to replace the disaster that she was wearing earlier, and to say it was flattering would be as much of an understatement as to say that Bonnie could be unpleasant on the rare occasion.
The suit was strikingly white, contrasting perfectly with her tanned body, and the suit were framed in black edging. It was a halter, of which Ron approved whole-heartedly, and it was cut to accent her legs.
Bonnie put her book down, stood, and walked over to them.
"Kim, that suit is PERFECT on you," and Bonnie hugged her.
'Yep: synthrodrone,' was Kim's thought.
"BonBon, you are smokin'!" Ron appraised the suit and the body, and he laughed as he walked around her.
"Whose hand?" he smirked at the handprint on the suit positioned perfectly on her rear.
"Not yours, Ron: You're spoken for," she grinned as she backed away from Kim. "But, thank you for the compliment, Ron."
"Checking for moodulator chips, Kim," came from Ron as he moved Bonnie's hair away from her neck.
"I'm fine, Kim, I've just had a wonderful day with Rebecca Jane," Bonnie volunteered.
"What?"
"Rebecca Jane. She ran after me, and we had a long talk about her, what she used to be like, and me and what I wanted to be.
"I can't change everything overnight, especially my family," and Bonnie had a quick flinch that only Ron noticed, and he made a mental note to talk to RJ in the coming days, "but I can thank you and your family for inviting us here, and I wanted to apologize for my behavior when I arrived," she added.
"There's something in the water here," Kim said softly to herself.
"No Big, Bonnie. I've just never seen you this happy before; well not unless I was not able to cheer."
"I'm going to try, Kim; I'd appreciate it if you'd just be patient with me when I backslide occasionally," she grinned.
"We're heading to the hot tub," Kim explained.
"I'm going back to my book," Bonnie replied. "Later, Kim," and she turned and walked back to the lounge chair, and Kim stifled her laugh at Bonnie's handprint.
Bonnie stopped and turned back to Kim.
"O, Kim?"
"Yes, Bonnie?"
"Tell Wade "Thank you," for me, will you? From what I hear, I'm not the only one who owes him big time."
"O…K…Bonnie."
"And, Kim?" Bonne started a smirk, then changed it back to a smile.
"Yes, Bonnie?"
"I'm still so gonna kick your ass in cheer practice this year," she smiled sweetly, but with none of the BonBon attitude.
"Bring it on, Bonnie," Kim replied with a smile, and she and Ron headed for the hot tub and Bonnie sat back in her lounge. Ron tried to sneak a final look, but Kim caught him and slapped the back of his head.
- - - - - - -
"Well, that was strange," Kim commented as she slipped into the hot tub, followed by Ron on the other side.
"Indeed, but don't worry about it, KP: let's enjoy the rest of the afternoon," and Ron moved over next to her and kissed her cheek.
"Less talkee, more snuggle-ee," was the motto of the remainder of the afternoon.
- - - - - - -
Wade was walking towards the bunker when he saw Kim kiss Ron, wave to him, and walk into the wing where her room was.
"Ron!" and Ron turned and saw Wade.
"Wade! Compadre!" and Ron walked over to him, glazed grin on his face.
"Ron? Are you OK?"
"Perfect, Wade. Kim, the suit, lunch…I could get lost in red hair for days…" then he looked at Wade and grinned.
"How was your day?" he smirked.
"I love tankinis, red hair, tanning lotion…" was his only reply as they headed to their rooms.
"We are two very lucky guys, Ron."
"That, we are, Wade; that, we are." Ron concurred.
- - - - - - -
Intermezzo 4 fin.