Thanks to captainkodak1, kpandron, swiglo3000, Zaratan, mattb3671, shadexxx, RamaFan, campy, JPMod, surfost, Moss Royal, Theta-Alpha-One, jasminevr, Taechunsa, spectre666m Shinriko, daywalkr82, Uru Baen, Louis Mielke, JMAN2.0, Mobius97, TexasDad, Darkcloud1, TAZER ZERO, Markv1.0, Ezbok58a, momike, conan98002, Yuri Stisteble, Dixon-San, vanillalilies, Commander Argus, Cabriel, zipporahvulcan, kemiztri, Emerald Dark Knight, The Odd Little Turtle and strength-91-possiblity-none for reviewing.
Thanks also to everyone who reviewed Kim Possible: So the Christmas Present Drama and Kim Possible: She Could Do Anything.
A special thank you, as always, to campy for his indispensable beta and proofing work; the Blood Wine is in the mail.
I feel like the Disney Channel, posting this chapter on a non-scheduled day. However, FF net announced maintenance for tomorrow, so I decided to post this chapter a day earlier rather than a day late. We will return to our normal schedule next week.
Remember: write a review, get a personal response beamed directly to your email box!
In the mood for yet more seasonal fun? You might want to check out my Hanukah story, Indiana Kim and the Dreidel of Doom. And, as a special New Year's treat, keep an eye out for Kim Possible: December 31st, which will be posted on, you guessed it, New Year's Eve day.
KP belongs to Disney, TNG to Paramount.
I.
The door bell chimed. Ron, who was leaning over the toilet, cursed, then groaned.
The bell chimed again.
"Come in," Ron moaned. He felt awful; his head was pounding and his innards were on fire.
"Ron, where are you?" Kim called out as she entered, concern in her voice. She was answered by the unmistakable sound of retching, now knowing where to find him. She saw her best friend on his knees, his back to her; he was still wearing the clothes he'd had on the previous night. "How are you?" she asked.
Ron stayed on his knees, his back turned to Kim. He was too ashamed to look at her. He had vague memories of her and Miles O'Brien leading him into his quarters. He wondered where they'd found him. He was mortified. I let her down. Big time. First the bathroom thing, now this … She must hate me, he thought morosely.
"Ron, please, look at me," she said with disarming gentleness.
He reluctantly turned around and looked at his best friend. She really was attractive in her gi. And though some would have said her hair was a mess, he thought it was wildly beautiful. Great, I'm gonna be a drunk lovelorn poet, Ron thought.
She thought he looked dreadful. His hair was spiky, standing up at ridiculous angles; his eyes red-rimmed and bloodshot; his face unshaven; his clothes rumpled and soiled. But what caught Kim's attention was the look of utter shame and defeat on Ron's face and in his eyes.
"I'm sorry, KP …"
"Ron, you don't need to apologize," she said warmly.
"Yeah, I do, Kim …"
"No you don't, Ron." She saw he was going to protest, then recalling one of their childhood games said, "To infinity."
Ron gave Kim a weak smile, realizing he'd lost that argument for now. "Okay, fine, you got me there. How about some water? And my toothbrush and toothpaste?"
Kim gave Ron the requested items and watched with bemusement as he brushed his teeth while he sat on the bathroom floor. He really still is weird, she thought as he handed the brush and paste back to her. After putting the items on the sink, she sat down next to him.
"So, you and Lieutenant Worf are drinking buddies?" she asked, much to Ron's surprise.
"Long story …" Ron croaked.
"I'm sure it's fascinating, too. Spill."
"I, I don't think you want to know," Ron said softly. He was too embarrassed. And he was now convinced he had no romantic future with Kim; there was no way she'd want to be with an immature, drunk loser like him. He felt lucky that she was still willing to talk to him.
Kim then did something he hadn't seen in nearly a year. She flashed him the Puppy Dog Pout, which Ron believed to be the most fearsome weapon in the Federation.
"Oh, geez, Kim, not that, not the Pout."
She wouldn't relent.
"Okay, fine, you wanted to know." He knew he'd have to say something sooner or later. He paused before he said quietly, "I was jealous ..."
Kim looked at Ron intently.
"… I was jealous because, well, because, oh man, I can't …"
"Why, Ron?" Kim asked softly, intently hoping for one answer. "Why were you jealous?"
"Because I care about you." He gulped. "As more than a friend." He dropped his head back into his hands and groaned. He felt so stupid. And like his head was going to explode.
Kim looked at Ron, too overwhelmed by the revelation that Ron had also been thinking about the two of them to even move. But while she was happy – even thrilled, she realized – that Ron had feelings for her, she still wanted to know why he became so drunk the previous night. "So why did you …"
"Get blotto with Worf?" he asked, still not looking at Kim. "Short version: I was wandering around depressed about you, we bumped into each other, he looked at me funny, I snapped at him, he invited me for a drink, and next thing you know I'm on my way to drinking more blood wine than any other human in history."
Kim smiled, relieved that there was an explanation for Ron's condition. "Worf said you ate gagh and heart of Targ, too."
"Yeah. I learned something important last night. Klingons obviously began conquering other worlds in search of a better meal. The targ wasn't all bad; I might actually be able to do something with it. But the gagh. Uggh."
"Why'd you eat it then?"
"You ever been with a drunk Klingon?"
Kim shook her head.
"Yeah, I didn't think so. Let's just say the line between happy Klingon and psycho Klingon seems to be pretty thin," Ron said, uncomfortable as he recalled the manic gleam in Worf's eyes as they drank. "I decided to stay on the happy side of the line."
Kim laughed at that. Then she moved closer to Ron and put her hand on his knee.
"Ron, look I, uh, I've been thinking about you a lot, too."
"Huh?" Ron replied, confused by the placement of Kim's hand and unable to believe what he'd just heard.
"You heard me, Ron. I've been thinking about you. About … us. About how I feel. How you might feel. We've been friends for so long and now I'm wondering if maybe, well, we could be something more. But it's all so confusing."
"Yeah? I think I under– …"
Kim leaned in and gave Ron a kiss, not caring that he smelled like he'd been marinating in alcohol, that his face was scratchy, and that his mouth tasted awful, even after he'd brushed his teeth. It felt … right. She felt fireworks.
Ron was surprised. The kiss began gently, tentatively, but soon deepened and took on a more passionate cast. Ron had had daydreams about this moment, though they never involved his being hung over and sitting on a bathroom floor. Still, it was wonderful. Yet Ron couldn't escape feeling like he'd let Kim down and so broke off the kiss.
Kim looked disappointed.
"You sure about this, KP? I'm not exactly the pick of the litter."
"Ron," she said sternly, "I'm not looking for a dog."
"What are you looking for, KP?" he asked, an unfamiliar tone of seriousness in his voice. "What about Tom?"
Kim sighed. "Ron, my heart's been racing since the moment you stepped on board and I've been having all of these unfamiliar feelings for you … and I like them. And Tom and I broke up last night."
Ron gawped at Kim.
"And, no, this so isn't a rebound. I broke it off with Tom because of what I've been feeling for you and because I realized something was so not right there." Kim took Ron's hand. "I know this isn't going to be easy, we're so used to things being just friends. And then there's the whole matter of you going back to Earth. So, what am I looking for? Not a fling. I want to see if we can, well, you know, see where this goes, Ron. Do you think we can give it a try?"
Ron sat quietly for a moment, considering what they were discussing. Eighteen years of friendship. About to change into something different. If things went wrong … but if things worked out … Ron flashed her one of his goofy grins. "Yeah, I'd like that, KP."
She offered Ron a dazzling smile, then brought her lips to his. She began to kiss him lightly, then more aggressively, when …
"Riker to Possible."
Kim pulled back from Ron and sighed.
"Possible here."
"Ensign, please meet me in the Captain's Ready Room at 1000 hours."
"Yes, sir. Possible out," she said to Riker. Then, to Ron, "Sorry …"
"S'kay. That's a big deal. The Captain wants to see you. In his bathroom!"
Kim laughed. They looked happily at each other for a moment, before Ron spoke.
"Uh, KP, what time is it?"
Kim looked at her chrono and swore. "Ohmigosh. Gotta warp!" She leaned over and kissed Ron on the cheek then ran out the door.
Ron slowly got up and wandered into the sitting area. The chrono there said it was 0947.
II.
Picard sat behind his desk, staring sternly at Ensign Possible. She looked like she had just had a rumble with a band of rowdy Klingons. But he was willing to concede that she'd arrived on time, if barely.
"Ensign, I expect my officers to present themselves in a way that reflects positively on this ship at all times. Do I make myself clear?"
"Yes, sir," she replied. She knew her hair was a mess. But she'd had less than fifteen minutes to run from Ron's quarters to hers, change out of her gi and into a duty uniform, and present herself to the Captain.
The expression on the Captain's face softened. "Please sit down, Ensign."
Kim took a seat in the chair before Picard's desk; Riker leaned against the wall by the fish tank. "Mister Riker has given me a report on yesterday's mission to the array. I was intrigued by your theory."
Kim sat up even straighter.
"He and I have talked and we believe we should follow up on your hypothesis. I would like you to lead the investigation."
"Yes, sir. Thank you, sir. May I ask for Mr. Data's assistance?"
"Why him?" Picard asked.
"We're going to have to look at every conceivable use for the stolen components, then hypothesize new ones. Nobody can do that as fast as he can."
A satisfied smile began to form on Picard's face. "Please do invite Mr. Data to join you in your endeavors, Ensign. You should know that he is actually quite fond of a good mystery." The Captain took a sip of his tea, then looked at his First Officer. "Anything to add, Commander?"
"No, sir."
"Fine, then. Ensign, dismissed."
The Captain and First Officer watched the young red-headed officer leave the ready room.
Will Riker flipped the chair in front of the Captain's desk around and sat down.
"So, what do you think?"
"Impressive, Number One. Assuming Mr. Worf's conjecture is correct that she did not go directly to her quarters after he and Ensign Possible finished their training session this morning she was remarkably focused."
"Indeed, she was, sir. She did excellent work yesterday."
"Yes, she did." Picard then smiled. "Perhaps I should invite her to join me on a visit to the world of Dixon Hill."
"If you do, you could also invite her new boyfriend. I can see it now: Dixon Hill and the Case of the Missing Toilet …"
Will grinned as his Captain pulled a face.
III.
Kim got up and left the ready room, amazed that she'd been given this assignment – and relieved that she'd maintained her composure in front of the Captain and First Officer. She had been nervous. But not as nervous, she realized, as she'd been telling Ron how she felt. And that seemed to work out just fine. She smiled as she approached the Second Officer, who was sitting in the Captain's chair.
"Excuse me, Mr. Data?"
He looked up. "Yes, Ensign?"
Kim explained the situation, before extending an invitation to be part of her investigation.
"I would be pleased to join your team, Ensign. When would you like to begin?"
"I need to ask Chief O'Brien for his help and pull together some materials; let's say 1100 hours."
"Eleven hundred hours it is. And may I suggest we meet in the Observation Lounge? The senior officers have found it to be conducive to conversation and analysis."
"Thank you, sir. See you in the lounge shortly."
IV.
Kim returned to her quarters to neaten up before returning to work; she was surprised to find an envelope beneath her door. She bent over and opened it, withdrawing a piece of paper.
"Galactic Champion Blood Wine Drinker Seeks Company of Bon-Diggity Officer Babe at Dinner. 8 o'clock (that's 2000 hours for you Starfleet types). Chez Stoppable. RSVP or gimme a holler."
Kim laughed. She was happy that Ron was being himself in the wake of their conversation. She realized she'd hate it if he lost his goofiness as they began to explore this new side to their relationship. She was also impressed with how quickly Ron had made it to her quarters after she left, given his condition. It had been less than half an hour since she'd departed.
She pressed her comm badge. "Ensign Possible to Mr. Stoppable."
"Yo, Kim. What up?"
She chuckled. "You don't quite have the protocol down, do you?"
"Hey, who needs protocols when they've got Ronshine?" he asked cheerily. His head and stomach were slowly beginning to feel better after his latest draught of medication and he was still riding the high from kissing Kim; he didn't think she needed to know how woozy he felt when he went to deliver the invitation.
"Well, I'd like some of that Ronshine tonight at 2000 hours."
"Badical."
"Though, uh, my acceptance has to be provisional."
"Oh?" Ron said, sounding a little bit deflated.
"Sorry, but the Captain put me in charge of the investigation and …"
"Booyah! That is sooo incredibly cool, KP!"
"So, you're all right with this?"
"Sure, I get the perversional thing …"
"Ron!" Kim exclaimed.
"Just making sure you're listening, KP. Provisional. Kind of iffy. Perversional. Well, uh, em, well …"
"What we might, uh, explore?"
"Whoa! Your Dad ever heard that …"
"Good thing we're already out by the black hole, huh, Ron?"
"Yeah, I guess it is." He laughed, recalling the black hole speeches James Possible used to give to Kim's teen-aged suitors. "Kimbo, you find a lead, you gotta follow it. Anyway, I'll make sure dinner's ready for you whenever you are, 'kay?"
"Ron, you rock, you know that?"
"You say that to all the guys."
"Nope. Just to … my boyfriend," she said, blushing.
"Double booyah! As long as you're talking about moi!" Ron joked.
"Yes, I am, you dope. I've gotta go. Talk with you later."
"KP?"
"Yes, Ron?"
"This is gonna sound hokey, but I'm proud of you. Knock 'em dead."
"Thanks, Ron." Kim said, before ending the conversation. She looked at her dresser for a moment, and the picture of her with Ron, which now sat alone, sighed, then smiled. This was turning out to be a ferociously good day.
V.
Ron had just climbed out of the shower when the door chimed. He wondered who might be visiting him; he'd known Kim long enough to know that once she set her mind to her work she would remained focused. So as appealing as the idea of his best-friend-just-turned-girl-friend appearing at his door looking for another kiss might be, Ron knew someone else wanted to see him. He put on a robe, then called out, "Door's open. C'mon in."
Worf strode into Ron's quarters, carrying a bat'leth. He tossed it to Ron, whose first instinct was to jump back. But something caused him to reach for the handle instead. He was tired, though, and still hadn't recovered from the previous night's fun with his visitor, so he missed. The weapon sailed by him and crashed to the floor.
Worf flashed Ron a Klingon smile. "You did not flinch. Good. Next time you will catch it."
"What are you talking about?" Ron asked.
"I am going to train you in the art of combat."
Ron's jaw dropped. When he'd regained his composure, he shook his head in disbelief. "Yo, dude, I'm a chef, remember? And I'm gonna be gone in two weeks. Not much time to turn me into a warrior."
Worf ignored Ron's protests and stared at him, his arms folded across his chest. "You have told her how you feel."
"What?" Ron was caught off guard.
"I said, you have told Ensign Possible about your feelings for her."
"Uh, yeah, actually, I did."
"That is good." Worf grinned. "Did you kiss her?"
Ron looked at the Klingon in disbelief.
"Well, did you kiss her?" Worf demanded.
"Whoa! Just because I shared obscene amounts of alcohol with you doesn't mean you get to start nosing around my personal life."
Worf stared at Ron, who began to sense the Klingon would not leave him alone until he gave an answer.
"Yeah, we kissed."
"Who initiated it?"
"She did. And it was badical. Satisfied?"
Worf smiled again. "Yes. But now you will take the initiative by becoming a warrior."
"Uh, dude, what's this got to do with me and Kim?" Ron asked, completely confused by this utterly bizarre conversation.
"Ensign Possible has a warrior's heart; so do you. That is why I believe you two should be mates. But she is a warrior. You are not. You must be able to stand by her side if you are to be truly worthy of her."
"Hey, I'm worthy of her already!" Ron protested.
"If you truly believe that, why did you wait so long to reveal your true feelings? Why was it she who had to kiss you?"
Ron began to feel uneasy. "Weeeellll. She's Kim and she's just so incredible and …"
"Let me train you, Ron. This will give you the confidence to truly be her mate. Her partner. To truly win her heart."
"You're serious, aren't you?"
"I am always serious," Worf intoned.
Ron thought about things for a moment. He had the time while he was on board. And the bat'leth seemed really cool. And he was pretty sure Kim would be impressed. "Okay, the Ronman's gonna be a warrior. When do we start?"
"Now. Get dressed in these," Worf said, handing Ron a gi, "and follow me …"
VI.
"Ensign, you are leading the meeting. You should sit at the head of the table," Data suggested.
"But that's the Captain's chair …" Kim said, looking warily at Picard's place.
"He won't mind if you sit there, Ensign," O'Brien encouraged, a smile on his face.
Kim sat down gingerly. It amazed her how the location of a piece of furniture could convey authority. But here she was, the youngest, least experienced person in the room, and the two others were deferring to her.
"Okay, sitch me," she said to the two men.
Data cocked his head. "Sitch me? I do not understand."
"My bad, Commander. I have this habit of slipping into slang …" Kim said, thinking that she only did that when she was feeling truly comfortable and confident. Could having Ron back in my life – and in a new way -- make that much of a difference in so short a time? she wondered. "What's our situation?"
"Here is what we currently know," Data offered. "Two pieces of unrelated equipment were carefully removed from the array. The items are interoperative, but can also function independently. Both have limited uses. We have already determined that both the relay and the transponder were state of the art, indeed, were the first of their type to be deployed."
Kim pursed her lips. "What else?"
"There's the plasma residue you found. Somebody was using unusual tools to remove the components." O'Brien noted.
"Actually, the plasma was only found on the casing of the relay, not on the components immediately adjacent to the unit," Kim said. "That might be important."
"So, whoever took the relay used a blunderbuss to gain quick access to the target," O'Brien noted; he'd seen the images of the rough cut around the relay housing.
"It would seem so. Smash and grab." Kim said, half to herself, sure they were dealing with thieves. "Mr. Data, any possible theories as to why those particular components were taken?"
"I have begun to work on the following scenarios: First, that the two items will be used in tandem; second, that they will be used independently; third, that only one will be used and the other was taken to confuse us."
"And don't forget the fourth possibility, Commander," Kim added. "Both were taken to throw us off the track of something else."
"That is indeed true," Data acknowledged. "The dog that did not bark."
Kim and Miles looked at Data.
"Sherlock Holmes and the case of Silver Bullet," Data said, assuming everyone would be familiar with the works of the great Conan Doyle.
Kim smiled. "Mr. Data, Mr. O'Brien please identify, categorize and prioritize the threat level of the possible uses involving the stolen equipment; then put it into a report that I can share with the captain. I'll contact Starfleet Security to see if there are any other crime scenes where our plasma residue may have turned up." Kim rose from the chair. "Let's meet again tomorrow at 1100 hours, unless something else comes up before then."
VII.
"Very good, Admiral. I look forward to welcoming you to Enterprise. Until then ..."
Will Riker and Deanna Troi watched the Captain as he watched the screen return to a view of deep space.
Picard sighed. "Number One, any possibilities of a Romulan sortie into Federation space between now and our rendezvous?"
Riker grinned. "Sorry, sir. All's quiet along the Neutral Zone. And in case you're wondering, the Cardassians appear to be behaving themselves, too."
"Perhaps she's just doing random inspections of ships in the sector, Captain," Deanna suggested hopefully.
Picard snorted. "Counselor, Admiral Nechayev does nothing randomly. If she is coming to visit, she has an agenda. And past experience suggests that it will not be one that we like. At least we have some time to prepare for her arrival."
Picard stared wistfully at the viewscreen. Where were the Borg when you needed them?
VIII.
"Possible to Stoppable," Kim said into her comm badge. There was no answer. That surprised Kim. She didn't think Ron would be sleeping at this hour. She quickly dismissed the idea that he'd gotten drunk again, now that she knew what had led him onto his bender the night before. "Computer, please locate Ron Stoppable."
"Ron Stoppable is in Holodeck Three."
Kim was glad she'd arranged for Ron to receive his own comm badge.
"Thank you," Kim replied before heading to the turbolift. She had a very short break for lunch and she wanted to say hi to Ron before she returned to her duty shift.
She was surprised by what she found when she entered the holodeck.
"No! Hold it this way!" Worf commanded to Ron; they were standing with their backs to the door.
"Chill, dude, I'm new at this!" Ron protested.
Kim coughed; the two men turned around to see her wearing a bemused smile.
"KP!" Ron exclaimed, suddenly feeling foolish.
"Ensign Possible," Worf said. "If you will excuse me." The Klingon looked at Ron. "I will be back in fifteen minutes."
"Sir," she acknowledged as Worf passed by her. She walked up to Ron, who was still holding his weapon. "So, I know dating is still unfamiliar territory for us, Ron, but don't you think a better way to greet me would be by giving me a kiss rather than pointing a bat'leth at my chest?"
Ron grinned sheepishly, then dropped the weapon. He wrapped his arms around Kim's slim waist and looked into her eyes. "This better?"
"Getting there," Kim said with a twinkle in her eye.
Ron then leaned in and kissed her. He was awkward and nervous, and it was only the third time they had done this, but Kim already loved the feeling of Ron's lips pressed against hers, feeling 18 years of a shared bond behind the action. Ron began to explore a little more aggressively, much to Kim's delight. She liked a confident Ron and tightened the embrace. Finally, they parted lips and touched foreheads.
"How was that?" Ron asked.
"I think I'll keep you."
"Boo-yah."
"Boo-yah, indeed," Kim said before brushing Ron's lips with hers. "So, what are you and Mr. Worf up to?"
Ron dropped down to the floor and sat cross-legged. "Mr. Worf has decided to teach me how to be a warrior."
"Really?"
"Yeah, uh, it's supposed to impress you."
Kim couldn't help herself; she laughed. Ron sulked in response. Kim, seeing the hurt look on Ron's face, knelt beside him.
"Ron, you don't have to impress me. Remember what you looked like when I kissed you this morning?"
"Well, yeah, but …"
"I like you the way you are. I'd much rather have a boyfriend who's mastered the kitchen than one who's mastered Klingon weaponry."
"But Worf says you're a warrior and if I'm going to be with you, I should be one, too."
Kim laughed again. "Ron, listen to yourself. You're taking advice on romance from a Klingon!"
"Well, okay, if you put it that way, it does sound kind of dumb. I told you I wasn't the pick of the litter."
Kim looked at Ron, who seemed deflated. She felt bad; what he was trying to do was actually very sweet. "Ron, you're not only the pick of the litter, you are the litter." She ran her fingers through his hair; she felt a shiver as she realized how much she liked doing that. "Give me an honest answer. Are you enjoying this?"
"What, you running your fingers through my hair? Duh!"
Kim smiled, then messed his hair. "Seriously, Ron."
"The part about being yelled at and my muscles aching – I didn't know that Worf was going to shuffle his schedule so he could spend the entire day doing this when I agreed – I don't like," he replied. "But learning how to use that thing, yeah, actually it's pretty cool."
"Okay, here's the sitch. You should be flattered. If Mr. Worf's taking the time to do this, he really likes you. And, to be honest, I'm touched. Maybe we can work out together, if you'd like … I've got some moves I can show you."
"Yeah?"
"Yeah. And some of them may even have to do with fighting," Kim said, leering, before she reddened. Flirting with Ron was still new.
"Booyah! Sign me up, now, KP!"
Kim stood up, extended her hand, and helped Ron to his feet, then kissed him. "I'm looking forward to dinner tonight, Warrior Chef."
"Same here, KP."
As Kim began to leave the Holodeck, Ron slapped his forehead. "Oh, you must think I'm a jerk. I didn't even ask you about your day!"
Kim smiled. "No big, Ron. We were kind of distracted! Anyway, we've got things moving. In fact, I have to get back to work now. See ya!"
"Back atcha, KP. See ya tonight."
As Kim was exiting the Holodeck, Worf entered. "Ensign," he said.
"Sir," she replied.
With Kim gone, Worf approached Ron. "I hope you … took advantage of your break," the Klingon said.
"Oh, yeah!" Ron answered, a goofy grin on his face.
"Good. Now let us resume your training …"
IX.
It was 1900 hours and Kim was preparing to leave the ship's security office to get ready for her dinner with Ron when the information she had requested from Starfleet Intelligence arrived via sub-space transmission. She opened the files – somebody had sent her a mass of raw data that would take hours to review.
She was tempted to set things aside until the morning, but something about this case was bothering her. The perpetrators had acted brazenly, making no attempt to cover their theft. That could have been a sign that they were amateurs, but considering what they stole and where they went to steal it, Kim suspected otherwise. These were people looking for something in particular and they knew just where to find it. Which meant they had access to information. She wondered whether somebody in Starfleet was selling data. If that was the case, this was way beyond troubling. But even if that wasn't the case, this was a bad sitch. They didn't cover their tracks, and they didn't seem worried about being caught. And if they weren't careless amateurs, then this was not good. It implied that somebody was ready to act. Soon.
Reluctantly, Kim pressed her comm badge. "Possible to Stoppable."
"Stoppable to Possible," Ron said in a mock serious voice, causing Kim to giggle.
"Ron, I hate to do this, but I just got a ton of data for the investigation from Starfleet that I have to review. Can I have a rain check until tomorrow night?"
"Sure, KP. On one condition," Ron said.
"Okay, what?"
"Regardless of when you finish, you have to stop by for some dessert."
Kim smiled. "I'd like that, Ron. You rock."
X.
Kim had been scanning the files for the past two hours; she would have asked Data to do this, but she wanted him to complete the threat analysis.
She was getting up to stretch when the door to Security opened.
"Ron?"
"In the flesh. With some din-din for my Kim-Kim!"
"Mushy much?" she said with a smile that said she liked Ron being mushy.
Ignoring her, he set a hamper down on the desk. "Somethin' tells me you forgot to eat, KP."
Kim squirmed uncomfortably. Ron knew her too well; she'd done just this kind of thing when she was at the Academy. She grinned as she recalled how nice it was to have Ron just show up with food. She shook her head and chuckled.
"What's so funny?" Ron asked as he laid out a place setting for Kim.
"I so cannot believe I had to come out here to realize what a catch you are, Ron."
He kissed her on the top of her head. "Thanks, KP." He then turned to the hamper. "Here's the deal: this is real pasta with fresh pesto sauce, so don't wolf it down. Greens are fresh, too."
Kim looked in wonder at the meal before her.
"Ron, this came out of that box you brought on board, didn't it?"
"Sure did."
Kim looked pensive for a moment, then she looked at Ron. "Is there, uh, any, well, you know, uh, well …. meat in the box?"
"Uh, yeah, but since you're not eat–"
"I want some. Please tell me you've got one of those filet mignons. Or even better, bacon. Oh, bacon and eggs," she said, a dreamy look on her face.
Ron smiled. Tom Carter, like so many other guys Kim had dated, had wrapped her around his finger. He'd always been amazed by how his take-charge best friend could be like putty in the hands of the latest hottie. That was why, when it seemed she'd shunned meat simply to follow Carter's lead, he was not pleased; he would have been perfectly agreeable if she'd done that on her own. But now Ron was happy that she was thinking for herself again.
"KP, I not only have steaks and bacon in that little treasure chest, but, just for you … all-beef hotdogs and marshmallows."
Kim's eyes opened wide. "Ron, you know how to turn a girl on."
"I told you my moves were famous throughout the Alpha Quadrant," he said with a grin. "Alas, I need to go. I know you need to get to work."
"What are you going to do with the rest of your evening?" Kim asked as she put the napkin on her lap.
Ron smiled. "I think I'm gonna hang with Guinan in Ten Forward."
"Have fun. And thanks for dinner," she said. Then, after enjoying her first forkful, she said, "Mmm. Ron, this is soooo good."
"Glad you like. See you for dessert later on."
Kim smiled. "I'm looking forward to it. And Ron?"
"Yeah?"
"Don't be surprised if I have a special treat or two for you!" she said before she leered at him and began giggling.
Ron's jaw dropped. Kim reddened. Then he smiled. She smiled in return. At that moment, the two old friends had very similar thoughts: this was going to take some getting used to. But it sure would be worth it …
TBC …