Chapter XVI: Craziness

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Ron Stoppable knew that he should tell Kim about it. But how do you tell your loved one that something terrible happened to him when he was… lost? He knew that he shouldn't keep secrets from her but he couldn't stand to see her sad. And it will sadden her when she knew.

Knew that he wasn't whole.

Thinking about him made him more afraid. Afraid that she would only pity him. Nicholas said time and again that love would surpass all odds. Just give it a chance. Sometimes it worked in putting some sense into him. And sometimes Nicholas would just whack him with a rolled news paper and say that he was being paranoid.

If he would tell Kim he needed to tell her mom. Mrs. Possible might know the best way to care for it. And the tweebs. They might know a way to upgrade it.

As he opened the kitchen door leading to the Possible's dining area, he stopped as he saw his friend on the breakfast area, sipping a hot mug of coffee. And he looked like a little worst for wear.

Nicholas was not wearing his coat and guns. He almost looked like he belonged in a common household in this planet getting ready for work. And he looked a bit comfortable in his surroundings as well.

"Rough night?" Ronald asked as he entered the kitchen.

"Magical," there was a hint of a smile on his lips as he sipped his coffee. Intrigued, Ron joined him after he poured himself a cup.

"I thought that it's customary to do that on the third date or something," Ron said while happy for his friend, he was a bit concerned that he was going too fast.

"I do not kiss and tell, Outlaw," Nicholas grinned as he straightened up and his back popped. "And it was not what you think."

"And here I was wondering how you survived," Ron sighed as he took off his coat and reseated himself across his friend.

"Ron the Stampede. Are you implying that by making love to a goddess it would end up in my demise?" Nicholas queried at the spiky haired blond.

"Yes," Ron simply said with a smile making Nicholas sigh.

"I miss your clumsy bashfulness at times," he groaned as he leaned back and stretched.

"With what we've been through I wondered how my sense of humor survived," Ron chuckled as he remembered the times they have gotten into trouble.

"Ah yes, and your affinity of being a human shield didn't help at times," Nicholas smirked as he shuddered at the memories. "You, my friend, are a full fledged hero."

"I've learned at my time in Gunsmoke that everyone needs a hand," Ron sighed. He knew that lesson too well. He was one of those people who needed help when he arrived there in the first place.

"Answer me this: How many bullet holes do you have on your back?" Nicholas reminded Ron who was silent. Ron did help but some people he helped betrayed him the first moment they had.

"I think it's about half the number of yours," Ron suddenly said making the preacher smile.

"I give up," Nicholas laughed as he raised his hands in surrender. "We have scars that are deeper than any that are on our body. Just remember that you are not alone."

"You're just saying that because got laid," Ron smirked as he sipped his coffee.

"We spent the most magical evening together and it didn't involve sex, for your information," Nicholas almost growled. "We were talking on the couch for most of the night. Getting to know each other."

"I'm impressed to the amount of control you have," Ron nodded. He was sure that they would at least sleep together with the sexual tension they had.

"It's more of the amount of fatigue we had," Nicholas groaned. "Running a few blocks then attacking a dozen lizard like robots could take the fight from you."

"And you're not tempted in any way…" Ron asked. He knew his friend. He also knew that since he saw Shego's picture in the Kimmunicator he had fallen for the green skinned goddess.

"Stoppable, tempt is too tame a word. But we agreed that we should be in top form before doing it to avoid any… disappointments," Nicholas said in a matter of fact manner.

"I see," Ron said but didn't comment anymore. Seeing his silence, Nicholas frowned and crossed his arms.

"Ronald, she's a very lovely, very sexy and very beautiful woman. I like her because she is her own person. And despite my gentlemanly attitude I'm still a man. We spent a lovely evening together, I admit with a lot of groping and nuzzling and kissing but we spent it without making love," Ron just blinked at that explanation and resigned himself to the fact that he had lost the argument.

"Fine. But will you tell her?" Ron asked seriously.

"Ron, she didn't flinch when I told her I killed my former lover with a micro missile. And she's much too open minded to let my… condition bother her," Nicholas sighed tiredly. "Though, she may not believe me."

"We could let Mrs. Dr. P examine us," Ron suggested making the Preacher frown.

"Spikes, you know how I feel about doctors," Nicholas said, glaring at the man.

"I think of her as my mom," Ron defended. "She won't strap you down and vivisect you."

"Nothing you say will make me be examined by a doctor no matter how much I trust her," Nicholas said defiantly but Ron did get the last word.

"I'll talk Shego into being a temporary nurse to Mrs. Dr. P, complete with the old fashioned nurse's uniform."

"You do not play fair," Nicholas sighed as he slumped on the breakfast table, resigned to his friend's maneuvering.

All Ron could do was smile in triumph.

88888888

Ron knocked at Kim's door. If Nicholas had the courage to tell Shego all, then he too had to tell Kim about the secret he had been keeping from her.

Kim's smile brightened as she saw Ron. It made him feel worse thinking that he might cause her to cry.

"What up, Ron?" Kim asked as she kissed him on the cheek.

"Hiya, KP, can we talk?"

"Sure, come in," Kim let her Bf inside feeling the seriousness of this talk.

"Good Morning, Ron-san," Yori bowed as she saw him enter. Ron paused as he saw Yori. She was wearing a light blue pajama with shurikens for its design. It was rather cute on her.

"Good morning, Yori," Ron blushed as he turned to look away. He just noticed that the pretty ninja-girl didn't wear any underwear to sleep. But it didn't help. Kim was wearing one of his old jerseys and seeing her fine shapely legs, had an idea that she was sleeping in the same manner as Yori.

"What's wrong?" concern filled Kim's voice. As soon as she heard those dreadful words, a lot of things went through her mind. Was he breaking up with her? Was there something he didn't like about her? Was he asking for some time off their relationship? She knew there wasn't another woman so what was it?

"Nothing's wrong," Ron said sheepishly. "Well, nothing precisely. Just something I need to tell you."

"You're scaring me Ron," Kim said as her eyes searched his, looking for any sign of what he was thinking.

"It's not what you think!" Ron waved his arms frantically as he realized that his actions were causing her confusion. "It's just… has it really been four years?" he said suddenly.

"Four years, two months, twelve days and fifteen hours, approximately," Yori supplied to Ron's astonishment. They actually counted.

"It's been hell Ron," Kim said as she neared him. She wanted to hold him, never letting him go. "Not knowing where you are, or even if you are still alive? I've heard stories about Gunsmoke from Vincent and I knew that my pain could not be compared to what you had endured. But…" Ron cut her off by suddenly kissing her on her lips.

Kim was surprised by his boldness. It was not a chaste kiss but one filled with longing and passion that had been pent up for years of being apart. She immediately melted into the kiss as Ron wrapped his right arm around her and pulled her closer.

Both of them moaned as their kiss deepened. There was enough desire between them that they were starting to forget where they were and who else was in the house. Not until a discrete cough brought them back to Earth. It was not a feminine cough but someone clearly amused and clearly male.

"The temptation to shoot you right now is extremely high," Ron said as he turned to face a smiling Nicholas. Kim blushed as she hid behind Ron. That kiss was intense! She was never kissed like that before and realized that she didn't mind that she would be kissed again.

"Yeah, well I got worried," Vincent said as his face grew serious. "I mean you have been here for almost thirty minutes." Thirty minutes? Were they so into it that they hadn't noticed the time? "Also, Mr. Dr. Possible's talking about their latest project at the Space Center. Something about a probe to the center of the Milky Way?" Ron paused at this information and smirked. Kim noticed his demeanor and was puzzled. The center of this galaxy was thought to be a giant black hole and her father had a space probe ready to be sent there and if he had caught them in a compromising position he would be the first human to the center of the galaxy.

And he was just smirking?

"Is there something I need to know?" she asked.

"Yeah," Ron slowly said. "Kinda actually sorta fell into one," he said sheepishly. "It's more of an inconvenience."

"You survived a black hole?" Kim's eyes widened in shock. What was her fiancé doing all this time?

"Two," Nicholas said. "When I first came up Yori was guarding the door, but when Kim's dad started talking about the probe I came back to see if you're still decent."

"Two black holes?" Kim almost shouted in disbelief. Ron cringed at her tone. This was one of the reasons he didn't want to tell her everything. She would be worried about him.

"One, actually," Ron smiled goofily. "It was the same black hole." Kim blinked at his words. He acted like it was nothing. And he did survive, but how?

"Why were you near a black hole anyway?" Kim had to ask.

"We created one," Nicholas said. "Actually that's wrong. We sped up its growth to optimal levels."

"Optimal levels?" what had caused them to do such a thing?

"Oh sure," Vincent said like it was the most natural thing in the world. "The second time around we used the black hole's energy to rip a temporary portal through time and space."

"You mean you went through a black hole just to get home?" Kim asked. This was beyond crazy but then again, this is Ron. He does the craziest things sometimes.

"Long story short, Yeah, we did KP," Ron shyly said. Kim's legs gave and she plumped down on her bed. If what she was hearing was true, then that meant…

"You used that energy to get home," she whispered and Ron merely nodded. "These four years you did nothing but to look for a way home. Ishould have been looking for a way to meet you." He could tell that she was bothered. Kim knew that her waiting was insignificant compared to the lengths Ron had gone to get home but she was about to realize that he had suffered more than she had ever knew.

Ron knew he shouldn't be sidetracked. He wanted to tell Kim everything and she needed to know.

"KP," he began. "For you it was just for years. For me it was an eternity." Kim smiled at that. He was so sweet, so kind, so…

"Literally," Vincent said. Kim looked at him questioningly.

"What do you mean?" Kim asked. She was dreading earlier that he would break up with her but never in her entire life she expected what he was about to say.

"It's been 158 years since I left."

End of chapter

a/n: And on that bombshell it's time to end the chapter. See you again next installment. all will be explained and please no flames. Please review. I would like to hear your input. Thanks.