Author's note: The story is nearing the end, I have maybe three or four chapters left.

Thanks to my betas Neo the Saiyan Angel and kgs-wy.


Chapter 14: The Not-So-Calm Before The Storm

≈O≈

Why?

Why would Kim do that to her? Why would she attack her? Nothing about the night before gave her any idea why Kim would want to hit her. Was it because she laughed at her? Kim said something about her missions. What, did she mistake her for that blue weirdo or the guy in the kilt?

"We're here."

The taxi had arrived at her house. Bonnie paid the driver with the last of her cash and got out. As the car drove off, she started walking towards the house, deep in thought as she rifled through her purse for her keys.

"Bonnie!"

Ron appeared out of nowhere, making Bonnie almost literally jump out of her skin. When she recognized the face of the annoying friend of Kim's, she reacted by punching him in the face.

Ron dodged the punch by pivoting on his right foot, narrowly stepping out of the way of Bonnie's fist. Realizing she had missed, Bonnie went for the family jewels. Ron avoided the kick aimed at his crotch by dropping on his rear and tucking into a backwards roll, ending up springing to his hands. When his feet touched lightly against the wall of the house, he spoke up, staring wide-eyed up at her while standing on his hands.

"Whoa, slow yo roll, B! I come in peace."

Bonnie let out a frustrated groan. "How the hell did you do that?"

"Luck?" Ron said with a lopsided grin.

Bonnie wasn't buying it. Ron's moves had been too smooth for it be just lucky clumsiness. As she glared at the upside down towhead, she noticed his face starting to glow red. At first she thought it was the blood rushing to his head, but then she realized from his angle he was staring right up her dress.

She made an indignant sound and punched him in the stomach. Ron dropped on his head, and fell over face first. As he curled up on the ground gasping for air, Bonnie found her keys and went inside, slamming the door behind her.

"I deserved that," Ron wheezed.

As he slowly regained his breath, Ron got up and dusted himself off. He sighed and walked away from the house, disappointed that he had failed to help Kim, and, by proxy, Bonnie. He turned back to take one last look at the house. Then he noticed something. There was a tree growing behind the house, pretty close from the looks of it.

This is a very bad idea, he thought, yet headed back towards the house.

Behind the house Ron found that the tree did indeed grow very close to the house. With simian agility he climbed the tree and jumped onto the ridge roof. He clambered around looking for Bonnie's room, peeking in the dormer windows. Finding only empty rooms, he clambered over the ridge to the other side of the house.

This time he found what he was looking for: Bonnie's room, which she was in the process of trashing. The brunette was working her room over like it owed her money.

Against his better judgment, Ron opened the window and called out to Bonnie: "Bonnie, we need to- whoa!"

A thick book flew out the window, narrowly missing Ron's head.

"Get out you pervert!" Bonnie screamed.

Ron eased back into the line of sight, while ready to duck should anything else fly out window. "I just want to talk."

"Didn't you hear me? Get the hell out!"

Another book flew past Ron.

"Look, Kim told me what happened."

Bonnie crossed her arms. "And you're here to finish the job?"

"What? No!" Ron asserted. "I came here because there's something you need to know."

"Did she put you up to this?"

"Kim doesn't know I'm here."

"I don't care either way, so," Bonnie said, grabbing a lamp off her desk, "fuck off!" She threw the lamp at Ron, who was able to dodge it by the skin of his teeth.

Cautiously he looked back in the window, only to be shoved aside by Bonnie who stuck her head out the window, frantically looking around.

"Where did it go?" she panicked.

"What?" Ron asked.

Rufus clambered on Ron's shoulder, holding something in his mouth. Ron took what turned out to be a locket and offered it to Bonnie.

"Is this what you're looking for?"

"Give me that!" Bonnie snapped and snatched the locket from Ron. She held on to it like it was a nugget of gold. She walked to her desk and plopped down on the chair.

"Can I come in?"

Bonnie didn't say a word, her attention focused entirely on the locket she had carefully set on the desk. Ron climbed inside, a sideward glance being the only reaction from Bonnie. Still he kept his distance, staying by the window, avoiding sudden movements.

"Come on, Bonnie, talk to me," he said softly.

"Why do you even care?"

"My best friend cares about you, so that kinda makes you my friend, too."

Bonnie's head whipped around to deliver an icy glare. "We are not friends."

"Fine," Ron held his hands up. "But can you at least accept that I want to help?"

"I don't need your help, I'm fine."

"Yeah, right. You were assaulted by someone you trusted, you can't-"

Bonnie jumped up, her fisted hands stiffly at her sides. "Shut up!"

"You have a right to be angry, furious even. Let it out, tell me how you feel."

Bonnie got up in Ron's face. "I said shut up!"

Ron put his arms around her. "Let it out."

After a few seconds of struggling, Bonnie reluctantly gave in and started shedding tears, still forcing down the sobs. "She attacked me! I felt safe and happy and then she attacked me. Do you have any idea how that feels? I trusted her.."

Ron sighed. "She can't help it."

Bonnie pushed herself off. "What's that supposed to mean? That she's a crazy bitch?"

"I guess that's not too far off," Ron said, rubbing the back of his neck. "Can you please sit down? Please?"

Bonnie glared at Ron, trying to be subtle about wiping away her tears. Ron grabbed the chair next to the desk and sat on it backwards, resting his hands on the back of the chair. Satisfied not being the one to give in first, Bonnie went to her bed and sat on it.

Ron looked down at the floor. "There's something me and KP don't really talk about. Least of all with other people. And that's how dangerous and... scary things can get on a mission."

"And what's the point?" Bonnie snapped in fearful irritation, making Ron sigh slightly.

He looked up to meet her eyes. "The point is that when we're saving the world, things sometimes get a little hairy, often quite literally. There have been times when I thought we may not make it out alive."

Bonnie looked away, a bemused expression on her face. "I- I did see her all bruised up the other night."

"Kim actually let you see herself like that?" Ron said, genuinely surprised. "She must really trust you."

"Yeah, well, I kinda caught her by surprise."

"Still, there was a time when she didn't even tell me how banged up she was getting."

"Point. Get to it."

"That's just it. I can't count the times that we've gotten captured, knocked unconscious, and woken up strapped to a deathtrap. That'll mess with your head."

"You seem okay. For a freak."

"Sure, now. I had some issues, but I got help. And I have a little mystical mojo to help me."

Ron ignored Bonnie's quizzical look and continued. "So, yeah, sometimes she wakes up having a flashback, or just instantly in battle mode, and reacts to everything and everyone as a threat. It's worse when she's in a strange place."

"So you're telling me Kim Possible, the world famous teen heroine, goody two-shoes to the max, has post traumatic stress?"

"I think that's what the shrink called it, yes."

"She's seeing a psychiatrist?" Bonnie's mind reeled. She had always suspected – no, known – that Little Miss Perfect had chinks in her armor, but this? This was almost inconceivable.

"She was," Ron sighed. "I talked her into it when she first started freaking out. She dropped out after the verdict was in. I guess she was expecting to hear it was just some jitters or something like that."

"Wait," Bonnie held up her hand, "she's been diagnosed and the doctor didn't call someone; cops, social workers, anyone?"

"You know how she keeps getting free rides all over the world?"

"Yeah, people owe her favors."

"The shrink did, too. She did tell Kim that she didn't like keeping it from her folks, but you know KP."

"Has she ever gone nuts with you?"

"A few times. A couple that she doesn't even remember. I told her I fell. I think she thought the bullies in D-hall beat me up."

"Is that why her mom didn't come near her when she woke us up?"

"Yeah, Mrs. Dr. P knows the sitch."

"And she still lets Kim do what she does? Why?"

"You'd have to ask her that."

"How the hell am I going to have a relationship with someone who could at any minute snap and attack me?"

"It's not quite that bad. She didn't snap at the slumber party, right?"

Bonnie thought back to that evening and the next morning. Kim did not do anything crazy then. Except for...

"She stiffened."

"Sorry?"

"In the morning, I felt her body go stiff for a few seconds."

"She was probably pretty close to start fighting. It takes a few seconds for her to come down from battle mode if she doesn't see a threat."

"That's just great. So I have to start handcuffing her onto the bed so she doesn't beat me up in the morning?"

"Uhh.." Ron resisted lingering on the visual.

"Just go," Bonnie waved her hand. "I need to think."

"Are you okay?"

"I'm fine, just... just leave me alone."

Ron stood up and walked to the window.

"You have something against doors?"

Ron rubbed the back of his neck, grinning sheepishly. He then took the more conventional way out.

≈O≈

"You can't stay in your room forever."

"Watch me."

Ron tried his best to stay positive, which was getting increasingly harder to do when his best friend was so heartbroken and, quite frankly, pathetic. Kim lay sprawled on her bed, staring at the ceiling, complaining to the tune of woe-is-me.

"I finally get Bonnie to open up and commit to serious relationship, and what do I do? I try to break her face."

"It wasn't your fault, and you know it."

"She's never gonna forgive me."

"Sure she is. I already explained about your... condition. You'll see, she'll come around."

"Maybe she shouldn't. It's bound to happen again, I could really hurt her next time. If I did that, I could never forgive myself."

"Stop that, KP."

"I'm just gonna lock myself in my room so I can't hurt anyone ever again."

As Ron rolled his eyes at Kim's pitiful display, his phone rang, allowing him a welcome respite from his thankless task.

He glanced briefly at the screen before answering. "Hi, Tara. - Sorry, I'd really love to, but Kim's feeling a bit down and I have to keep her company," Ron said. He glanced at the aforementioned redhead who was glaring at him.

"I am not some helpless little girl for you to-," Kim declared angrily.

"You sure whine like one," Ron said. He ignored the shocked glare and returned his full attention to the other blonde on the line. "Sorry about that. Maybe you should check on Bonnie, I have a feeling she could use a friend - Well, let's just say there was an... incident - You should prolly ask her that. - Okay, I'll see you later. Love you, too, Blondie Bear."

Ron turned back to Kim, whose glare had turned into a more worried expression.

"How did she seem?"

"She's fine, just disappointed she didn't get her daily dose of the Ron-shine."

"What? No - Bonnie. How was she?"

"I'm not gonna lie, she was not happy."

"How bad was it?"

"She threw a bunch of stuff at me. A lamp, a book, a fist, a foot. Stuff."

"Did she hit you?"

"Only my gut, but it has a cushioning cheese filling."

"I'm so sorry, Ron. It's all my fault."

"Will you stop that already. Kim, we are both fine. Bonnie will get over it, but that's not gonna happen or matter if you don't. So get a grip!"

She stared at Ron. Kim's natural instinct was to respond, vehemently, to his assertion. She found that his expression made the words die on her tongue. It had only been for a moment, but the expression and the scolding tone that he rarely used forced her to consider his words in earnest.

All Kim really wanted was to stay in bed and wallow in her misery. She knew that what she should be doing was to be begging for forgiveness on her hands and knees. But... Ron was right. She would have to get over herself if she wished to make amends with Bonnie. Which was easier said than done. Not only was she still wracked with guilt, she could not gather up the courage to face Bonnie. The thought of the other girl not forgiving her was too much for her to bear.

"I don't know what to do."

"Don't sweat it, KP. You'll figure it out, you always do," he said and walked over to Kim's bed. "But you can't stay in your room feeling sorry for yourself. That's not healthy," he said and grabbed Kim's hands, pulling her up. Even Rufus was helping by pushing the resisting redhead from behind. "We'll go to the mall, grab some burritos, check out chicks."

For a few seconds Kim actually considered going, before having the scary thought of running into Bonnie. Tara would most likely be talking her friend to going out just as Ron was.

"No!" she exclaimed, yanking herself free. She spun around, and threw herself on the bed face down. Rufus squealed and jumped out from under her just in the nick of time.

"Come on, don't be such a baby."

"What if she's there? I can't face her yet."

"Then you'll handle it. You can do anything, remember?" Ron said and grabbed Kim's ankles. As he started pulling, Kim grabbed hold of the headboard.

"I can't. Ron, really, I can't," Kim pleaded.

Her pleas falling on deaf ears Ron started pulling. Little by little Kim lost her grip of the headboard. When her hands came loose, she struggled to grab anything, coming away with only her blanket, which she dragged along as Ron pulled her off the bed and towards the trapdoor leading away from her room.

"Ron, let me go!" Kim demanded.

"Dead or alive, you're coming with me," Ron grunted as he dragged his struggling quarry. He winced a little in sympathy with every thump Kim made coming down the stairs. With Rufus helping by working on Kim's fingers as she tried to grab a hold of anything she could along the way, Ron managed to get her all the way downstairs.

"Heading out?" Mr. Possible asked as he passed by the two teens.

"Yeah," Ron said and grunted, "just going to the mall."

"Have fun you two," Mr. Possible said. "Kids these days," he chuckled as Ron pulled Kim outside.

≈O≈

"I don't think this is working," Kim said, staring at the soda Ron had bought her. She had barely taken a sip.

"Just give it chance, KP. And we don't have to just sit here, we could go see a movie. Or," Ron's stomach growled. Rufus popped up pointing at his growling belly. "We could go for some snackage."

"You go, snack," Kim said, glancing towards her favorite clothing store. "I'll just go bury myself in a pile of Club Banana pants. Maybe that'll cheer me up."

"That's the spirit. Okay, catch you later, KP. Come on, Rufus, there's a chimerito with my name on it."

Sometimes Kim envied Ron's happy-go-lucky attitude. But knowing his first real relationship had yet to sail the rough seas, she worried of the massive potential he had for being a drama queen of ridiculous proportions. Not wanting to be the pot calling the kettle black, she took a long drink of the soda watered down by the melted ice and got up. With a final sigh she headed to Club Banana.

≈O≈

"I don't know how I let you talk me into this," Bonnie groused as she was being dragged by the hand by her best friend.

Tara turned to Bonnie as they passed the automatic doors of the Middleton Mall. "Because I'm your bestest friend, and I know what's best for you," the blonde smiled disarmingly.

Bonnie let out a resigned sigh. She could never say no to Tara. Even in as foul a mood as she was. So she let her friend go through her cheering up routine, complete with window and actual shopping. They had seen almost every store before settling at the food court with some sodas. They just sat watching people go by.

Despite her own pensive contemplation and the blonde's attempt at being discreet, Bonnie noticed the inquisitive looks Tara was giving her.

"I know you saw my room and you're dying to know what happened," Bonnie said, exasperated. "Why don't you just ask?"

"Because I know you. If I try to force it out of you, you'll just shut down. You'll tell me when you're ready."

Apparently your boyfriend can get it out of me with a hug, Bonnie thought sourly.

Despite assurances not to push the issue Tara kept glancing at Bonnie, trying not to look like she was doing just that. Bonnie just couldn't take the big blue assault. "She hit me," she blurted.

Tara's head whipped around.

"Kim... she hit me, or, well, tried to."

If possible, Tara's eyes had gotten even bigger. "Oh, my God. What happened?"

"I don't know. One minute she's sleeping next to me looking all adorable, and the next thing I know she goes all Rocky on me."

"Why would she do that?"

"Because she's nuts."

"Bonnie, you can't mean that."

"Ron came by earlier today just as I was getting home."

"Ronnie came to see you?"

"Yeah. He apparently had already gotten the sitrep."

"But how did he get you to talk to him? I know you don't like him on a good day."

Bonnie chuckled. "He actually climbed up on our roof and snuck in my window."

"He did what?!"

"It wasn't like that. It was actually kinda sweet. And after I threw a lamp at him, he saved my locket."

"You don't mean the one that-"

"Yes, the last thing my dad gave me for my birthday before he left. Maybe that's how he got me to unload on him."

"He's gonna get so lucky," Tara smiled dreamily as she thought up creative ways to reward her beau.

"Yeah, well, he told me Kim was suffering from post traumatic stress."

"Kim? But isn't that something that army guys get?"

"That's what I thought. But Ron said she'd been diagnosed and stuff. I mean, I knew that her missions could get bad, she even showed me the bruises."

Bonnie could relate to the horrified expression on Tara's face. Her insight also made her realize Kim might not be the only one holding back.

"You know, if Kim's getting hurt, it's a pretty good bet that Ron is too."

"Ronnie?" Tara whimpered. She fell back in her seat, starting to think back. A little wince here, slight limp there, lame excuses everywhere. Her eyes widened. "I didn't... I didn't know."

"I know how you feel."

The girls fell in a pensive silence.

≈O≈

Inside Club Banana, the closest thing she had to a holy place, Kim browsed the display tables and let her hands slide across the fresh fabric of the latest line of cargo pants. Not even the fabulous new Giza Green color scheme was able to lift her spirits.

"Oh my God, how much do you love Cleo's Cargos?"

"They're bitchin'," Kim said without any feeling behind it and turned to the excited voice she didn't recognize. It belonged to an African-American girl her age. A really cute one, she noted. Kim especially loved her long wavy hair that was tied in the back.

"Whoa, don't get all gushy on me now."

"I'm sorry, it's just that I've been having some-"

"Boy trouble?"

"Something like that," Kim went along, not really wanting to get into specifics with someone she'd just met.

"By the way, I'm Monique. Just moved here."

"I'm Kim." She took a look at the name tag on Monique's shirt. "Just moved and you're already working at Club Banana?"

"I worked there in Go City, and the manager put in a good word for me here."

"That's nice." Kim smiled half-heartedly.

"So what's there to do in this town? No offense, but Middleton doesn't exactly seem like a happening joint."

"It may not seem like much, but Middleton is pretty much Silicon Valley, NASA, and CERN all wrapped up into one."

"So, your parents are what? Rocket scientists? Brain surgeons?"

"How'd you guess?"

"What? For real?"

"Mom's the brain surgeon and Dad's the rocket scientist."

"I was only kidding. Wow."

"Hey, KP!" Ron yelled from the store entrance waving half a chimerito.

"No food in the store!" Monique barked.

Ron stopped and swallowed the remaining piece with one bite before entering the store.

"Is he the trouble?"

"No, he's just a friend. Monique, meet Ron."

Monique eyed Ron up and down. "You're pretty cute for a rube."

"Thanks. I guess," Ron said scratching his head.

"So, is that a corn cob in your pocket, or are you just happy to see me," Monique grinned suggestively.

"That's just my naked mole rat."

Monique's grin turned downright lecherous. "Is that what you call it?"

"Here," Ron said and reached into his pants.

"Wait," Monique turned away, raising her hand to shield her eyes.

"Come on, say hi to Rufus," Kim smiled at her new friend.

Carefully Monique peeked from between her fingers, frowning in confusion as the pink thing in front of her face turned out to be a small hairless rodent, instead of... something else.

"Hello," Rufus squeaked, extending his little paw.

Perplexed, Monique offered her hand to Rufus, who took hold of a finger and gave it a shake.

"Okay," she drawled. A waving customer caught her attention and she excused herself. As she walked off, both Kim's and Ron's eyes were drawn to her shapely backside.

≈O≈

The two friends walked silently. Piecing together the events and conversations she had had over the last few hours, Bonnie was slowly forming a semi-coherent picture of what had happened, and even more importantly, why it had. But there was still one piece missing: Kim.

She needed to face Kim.

Call it what you will – fate, a case of 'it's a small world', or 'ask and ye shall receive' – but Bonnie was instantly given an opportunity to put in that final piece.

"I think that's Kim," Tara said.

Bonnie followed Tara's gaze and saw that it was indeed Kim at Club Banana.

"But who's that she's talking to?" Tara said turning to Bonnie.

"I don't know," Bonnie frowned. She did not recognize the girl, but she was far too attractive for her liking. "But she's hot," she said in thought.

"Is that jealousy I hear," Tara teased in hopes of reminding her friend of her feelings. As she looked back at the store she saw Ron – and something she did not like. "Is she making eyes at Ron?" She narrowed her eyes.

"Now who's getting jealous," Bonnie smiled. Then she noticed something she didn't like. "Is Kim checking out her ass?"

Tara gasped. "Ronnie, too?"

"Oh, we're going over there," Bonnie said determinedly, and with Tara in tow headed towards the store. She had no idea what to say, but seeing Kim paying attention to someone other than her made her former possessive self surface.

Tara was first on the scene, and as soon as she got to Ron, she threw herself at the boy, locking her lips to his, making her claim. She whispered in his ear: "I heard what you did for Bonnie. You're so gonna get some boob tonight."

Startled at the blonde's sudden appearance Kim turned around.

And came face to face with Bonnie.

After a moment of shocked silence, Kim spoke up: "Bonnie, I am so sorry. I never meant to hurt you, I-"

Bonnie raised her hand. "Kim, stop," she said, silencing the other girl. "Ron filled me in. I get it. But," she turned her head away, reaching across her front to grab her left forearm with her right hand. "I'm not sure I can deal with-"

"I'll do anything. I'll go into therapy, I'll put on handcuffs, whatever you want, I just..." Once getting started, the words poured out of Kim. She took a breath to deliver her final plea. "I just want to be with you. Please, Bonnie, just give me a chance."

Unaware of the tensity of the situation, Monique stumbled into the middle of it, seeing only Kim's forlorn expression. "Kim are you okay? Is she bothering you?"

"Butt out, Chocolate Love!" Bonnie snapped.

"Excuse me?" Monique said, her eyes bulging, as if she couldn't believe someone had the nerve to talk to her like that.

Seeing the girl looked ready to throw down at the slightest additional provocation, Ron intervened. He stepped in front of her hands held up. Following his lead, Tara stepped up to Bonnie.

"Who the hell do you think you are?" Monique was livid.

"Monique, was it?" Ron tried to get her attention. "I'm sure Bonnie didn't mean that and is very sorry-"

"Like hell I am!"

"But this is a bit of a delicate situation, so if we could all just amp down."

"I'll kick her delicate ass!" Monique raged.

"Just try it, bitch!"

"Shut UP!"

Everyone turned to Kim. She had her eyes closed and hands over her ears. Monique left Bonnie's mind as quickly as she had entered. Bonnie stepped up to Kim and took her hands.

"K?" she said softly.

Kim opened her eyes. Bonnie felt a twinge at the sight of those desperate greens.

She was not the only one hurting. And she would not give in to fear.

But there would be conditions.

"Kim, I really want to give us a chance. Can you promise me you'll get some help?"

Kim nodded vigorously.

"Fine, as long as you do your part, I'll give this another shot."

"I promise I won't let you down, and I'll-"

"Just shup up," Bonnie said and kissed Kim on the lips.

Having calmed down a bit, Monique now looked in bewilderment at the kissing couple. "Huh," she finally uttered, "maybe this isn't such a podunk town after all."

≈O≈

Even though they had gone through those doors many times before, this time they felt like it was their first. The two girls looked at each other nervously.

"You ready?"

"I'm ready."

They smiled and took each other by the hand.

Kim and Bonnie walked through the main entrance of Middleton High, for the first time as an official couple. Heads turned, and a bunch of murmurs sounded around the hallway, some of them discernible, some of them not. What was clear was that ever since the football game last Friday, the rumor mill had been working red hot through the weekend.

A short gap in the murmurs let a particularly sardonic comment through crystal clear: "So it finally happened. The cheerleaders have become so cliquey they've started dating each other."


To be continued...