Author's Note: I know I must sound like a broken record, but I'm really sorry for taking so long with this one. It was actually looking like if I were to finish this chapter in the form I had planned, it could have taken a few more months! So, I decided to cut it in half and post what I had together so far. I hope this can keep you satisfied until the next update. -SS


Chapter 3: The Old Switcheroo, Part 1

≈O≈

Kim knew she had come up with the perfect routine with which to win the Cheerleading Regional Championships. The problem was the squad had trouble getting it together. She couldn't blame them, though: she knew it was a complex routine. But she knew they could do it; she had faith in her team. If only Bonnie did, too.

"Too bad, Kim. I think we should complain to whoever came up with that fussy routine. Ohhh.. That was you, wasn't it?" Bonnie sneered as Kim lay on top of a pile of cheerleaders; the result from Kim crashing into Tara in the middle of the routine, sending them in a collision course with the rest of the team. Like trying to get the choreography from an idea to reality wasn't frustrating enough, Bonnie had to harsh on her.

She is so going to get punished later.

Kim had a mental image surface briefly that made her wish the warmness in her cheeks didn't show. It involved Bonnie and an act usually reserved for naughty children. She quickly pushed it out.

Kim did her best to not miss a beat. "That fussy routine is going to win the regionals tomorrow, Bonnie," she growled in response. "If you can remember it," she added mockingly.

The look on Bonnie's face as she whirled around and walked off made Kim regret her words. She hoped they would still get together at Ron's later. They had agreed that this was just a fling, that they were only going to go through the phase and then go their separate ways. Kim had trouble keeping in the spirit of the agreement, as she was developing actual feelings towards the fellow cheerleader.

But this wasn't the time to reflect on her relationship issues - Relationship? Am I in a relationship? Ugh, this is so complicated. - so she forced the conflict down, for now, and prepared to take the routine from the top, again, when Ron ran up to her holding up her Kimmunicator.

"You'll never guess who needs your help."

Kim took one look at the screen and saw that Ron was actually right: she couldn't believe it (the person needing the help part, not the Ron being right part, though that, too, was pretty amazing).

"Dr. Drakken?"

≈O≈

The day couldn't get any worse.

After responding to a call for help from who apparently was a military officer temporarily occupying the body of one of her arch foes, Dr. Drakken, Kim and Ron had brought the guy to her place. Oh, and there was that little mishap of getting their brains switched. Drakken had developed a device that could switch two people's brains, no matter how implausible it sounded. One should never try to apply laws of nature to mad science. Anyway, in the midst of the fight with the mad scientist's goons Kim and Ron had stumbled into the machine and triggered it. Talk about wandering minds.

Since Kim didn't trust Ron alone with her body, she insisted (which is to say, demanded) that he sleep over at her place. He agreed, but he still had to go get some clothes for Kim to wear while in his body, and to let his parents know what was going on. With all this weird stuff going on Kim forgot Bonnie was at Ron's waiting for her.

Oh crap, Kim exclaimed internally as the thought finally occured to her. She excused herself with a vague explanation of checking something out, leaving 'Drakken' with her parents.

≈O≈

Ron was about to enter his room, when he thought he heard music coming from the inside. Is that the album Kim gave me?

As he went in, the sight that greeted him froze him in place. What was going on? What was Bonnie doing in his room?

"Wha-"

"You could have at least called me. Like I haven't got better things to do than sitting around in this gorchy room."

She got up and strode up to him. "How about you make up for that remark earlier."

She kissed him. Hard. Like the day hadn't been confusing enough, now Ron had to deal with the hottie attached to his lips, invading his mouth. Kim's lips. Whatever.

Ron knew he was going to pay for it later, but opportunities like this didn't come around very often, or ever. He grabbed Bonnie's rear. It was everything he had imagined it would be - no, better. In contrast to every scenario Ron had feared, the brunette merely moaned her approval. Despite the logical part of his mind objecting loudly, it was being overrun by the hormone-driven teenboy part, wondering just how far Bonnie would let him, her, take it. As the logical part was silenced to a mere whisper, Ron started moving his hand upwards, or to him, heavenwards. His mind nearly went into lockdown when he noticed Bonnie wasn't objecting in the least.

"Ron! What are you doing?!" Kim screamed as she entered the room.

I'm dead. Oh well, it was worth it.

Surprised by Ron - or more accurately: his body - bursting in, Bonnie jumped back. "Do you mind!" Then she thought back. "Did you just call her Ron? And what's with your voice?"

"It's kind of a long-," Kim began her explanation, only to be cut off by Ron.

"We switched brains," he said simply.

Bonnie stared at Ron - in Kim's body - for a moment, then she looked at Kim, and then back at Ron. "You don't actually expect me to believe that?"

"It's true. Dr. Drakken's machine did it," Kim said.

"So, if what you say is true, that means I just kissed Ron?"

"Yeah," Ron rubbed the back of his neck, with Kim glaring at him.

Bonnie covered her mouth. "I think I'm going to be sick."

"Hey!" Ron protested. "I didn't hear you complaining a minute ago."

"Yeah, but that was before-"

"You couldn't tell it wasn't me?" Kim asked, offended. "Was he better than me?" she demanded suddenly.

"No! He was... different."

Ron winced: Bonnie should know better.

"Different? Different how?"

"Aren't we getting off the subject: Ron being a big pig."

"Fine," Kim said after a moment of staring at Bonnie. "But don't think you're off the hook."

For the moment united with a common purpose, the girls faced Ron once again. He could only look down, grind the tip of his foot on the floor with his hands clasped behind his back.

"What do you have to say for yourself?" Kim asked.

"I'm sorry. I just couldn't help it."

"I told you he was a pig," Bonnie commented.

"I'm starting to agree with you."

"Come on," Ron pleaded in defense of his honor. "First of all, she came on to me before I had a chance to do anything."

Kim gave Bonnie an annoyed glance.

"I thought it was you!"

Kim turned back to Ron. "And second?"

"Well... It's not like I haven't thought about it before. She's one of the hottest girls in school. I guess I just thought that this could be my only chance with a girl like her."

"Got that right," Bonnie huffed.

"Okay, okay. I think we need to let this go for now. We have a bigger problem at the moment."

"What?" Ron asked.

"Oh, for the love of-," Kim said pinching the bridge of her nose.

"You're in my girlfriend's body!" Bonnie yelled.

"Oh, yeah, that," Ron said.

"Girlfriend?" Kim asked.

"What?"

"You... said I was your girlfriend."

"Oh, shut up. You know what I meant."

Kim wasn't sure that she did. Even if she herself had used the word, though only in her own head, Bonnie hadn't recognized their thing as a relationship like this before. Was it an honest mistake or a Freudian slip?

"Hey, focus," Bonnie impatiently interrupted Kim's staring. "You two," she said, waving her finger at the mixed up teens for emphasis, "need to fix this."

"Why? So you can get your toy back?" Ron said acidly.

"Ron!" Kim exclaimed, shocked at Ron's sudden hostility. It wasn't like him to attack people this way.

"What the hell are you talking about, Stoppable?" Bonnie asked.

Ron thought for a moment if he should just have it out right then and there, but decided to keep it to himself. He knew about Kim and Bonnie's arrangement, but he also knew that Kim was past just it being a phase. Though he might seem oblivious to the world around him, very little concerning Kim got past him. It was only natural considering they'd spent a decade together, almost on a daily basis.

Ron was pretty sure Kim was starting to have feelings for Bonnie. And because of that, he was starting to resent Bonnie's frivolous attitude towards Kim and their relationship. However, he realized there really was nothing he could do unless Kim made a conscious decision to be serious about her and Bonnie, who Ron doubted would be very sympathetic.

"Nothing. It's nothing," Ron told them, trying to steer the discussion away from the volatile subject. "You're right, we should start looking for Drakken."

Kim frowned deeply as she stared at Ron, trying to figure out what his deal was. She reluctantly broke the stare at his conceding reply. "Well, we can't do anything until Wade finds his new hiding place."

"So what's the plan till he does?" Bonnie asked.

"We'll head over to my place and try to figure out what Drakken was after. Ron, grab some clothes for me to wear. We need to be heading back."

Without a word, Ron complied. He set out putting together a few sets of clothes, mostly consisting of tan cargo pants and red jerseys.

Kim looked at Bonnie. "Look-"

"We'll get together after you get back in your own body. No need to get all mushy about it."

"Right. No mushy."

"Okay, I'm finished," Ron announced. "I'll just leave a note for my parents and we can go."

"You're explaining this on a note?" Kim asked, surprised.

"Actually, I'm just telling them I'll be over at your place."

"You're not even gonna tell them what happened? Don't you think they should know? What if you run into them?"

"That is my way of telling them."

"That's downright devious, Stoppable. I'm impressed," Bonnie said appreciatively.

"There's so many things wrong with that, I don't even know where to start," Kim said.

"Then don't," Ron said, a little more curtly than intended. He looked away and continued, "Besides, shouldn't we be questioning the guy squatting in Drakken's body?"

When the group finally left, it was clear that Ron and Kim were in need of a long talk. The walk home was silent and uncomfortable. When they reached the Possible residence, it took Kim considerable effort to switch to mission mode. After talking to Private Dobbs, the military officer occupying Drakken's body, and finding out he'd been assigned to guard something called the Neutronolizer, they'd concluded that that was what Drakken was after. They didn't know what it did, but most likely, neither did Drakken. With the official business finally out of the way, Kim and Ron retired to her room.

"Okay, Ron: spill." Kim wasted no time or words.

"Spill what?" Ron asked as he sat down on Kim's bed.

Kim sat beside him. "Something's up with you. You've been on my and Bonnie's case all day. And it's not the first time." After Ron just looked away, she grew nervous. "I thought you were okay with me and Bonnie being, you know, together."

"Are you? Together?" he asked suddenly.

"I'm not sure what you mean."

"You said you agreed just being in it for the occasional tongue wrestle. That there was nothing more to it."

"I did. And I am."

"Are you? Are you really?"

"What's this all about?"

"You were supposed to be my best friend."

"What are you talking about? I am your friend. Nothing's going to change that."

"Then why have you been blowing me off for someone you said doesn't mean anything to you?"

"It's not that simple."

"Yes it is. Is our friendship still important to you?"

"How can you ask me that? You know I love you."

"Then you do care about Bonnie?"

"I-" Kim hesitated.

"It's okay, Kim," Ron reassured his friend. He laid his hand on top of her hands resting in her lap. "You can tell me."

Kim hesitated to put what she'd been feeling into words. She had tried blocking it out, she had tried denying it, and if she were to actually say it out loud, who knew what direction her life would take. Up to now she'd had almost everything figured out. Then Bonnie happened. Even after everything she had said and done to her and Ron, Kim couldn't ignore the new development: "I think I'm falling for her."

"Whoa. Didn't see that coming," Ron said - though it wasn't exactly true. He had seen the signs, which was the very reason for the conversation they were having, but to actually hear it out loud took him by surprise. Especially when he was expecting something more in the lines of "like-like", not the other four-letter L-word that was implied.

"I know," Kim said before launching into a tirade, "I mean she's a total witch and all she wants in me is to make out not to mention other things. I mean, would it be too much to say something nice or at least show some affection when we're not all hot and heavy-"

"Slow down, Kim," Ron interjected, giving Kim a chance to catch her breath. "And feel free to elaborate on these other things."

Kim's shoulders collapsed. "In spite of all that... I think I'm falling in love with her."

"We're talking about Bonnie Rockwaller, right? The girl who deals putdowns like they were going out of style?"

"I know."

"I get why you'd want to do what you've been doing so far, the girl's hot, but love...?"

"Believe me, Ron, I know. I'm not happy about it, but I just can't help it."

Trying to think of something supportive to say, Ron chose to quote one of his favorite TV shows: "Love isn't a decision, it's a feeling. If we could decide who we love, it would be much simpler, but much less magical."

Kim stared at Ron in amazement of his sudden insight. "Who said that?" she asked, sure that he had heard it somewhere.

"A French twig in a cartoon."

"Smart twig," Kim said. She then pulled Ron into a tight hug. "Thanks, Ron. I'm really glad you're my friend."

"Me, too," Ron replied. He was happy to have this little moment with his best friend, as their time together had been rather limited lately, but something was off. It wasn't too long before he figured out what it was. "I think I'd enjoy this more if I was in my own body," he said.

"Speak for yourself," Kim replied.

"Lezzie."

"Dateless Wonder."

"This from the girl who was so afraid to ask out guys she switched to girls."

Kim started chuckling. Shortly, so did Ron. Gradually it turned into full-blown laughter and they had to let each other go and they fell on the bed laughing.

When they had eventually had stopped laughing, Ron had a disconcerting issue pop into his head. "What are we going to do about changing?" he asked.

"When we find Drakken we'll just make him change us back," Kim replied.

"No, I meant: how are we going to change clothes? There are bound to be, umm, things showing."

Kim's eyes went wide. "I didn't even think about that."

They looked at each other. This was going to be so awkweird.


TBC...

A/N: A big smilie to anyone who recognizes the quote Ron used.