Ronshine Chapter 3, a kim possible fanfic

Chapter 3

Disney owns Kim Possible and all related characters. Any original characters seen here are figments of my imagination.

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"Ronnie!" Sarah called franticly from her bedroom.

"Yeah, Ma?" Ron answered her when he came in her room. He was outside chopping wood and rushed inside when he heard her call. "You had another bad dream, didn't you?" He asked when he saw her in her panicked state.

"Yeah, could you bring me some water, please?" She asked and put her head in her hands and rubbed her forehead.

"Sure, I'll be right back."

Ron was worried about his mother. She was having nightmares more and more. They started soon after his brothers left to find work. That was almost two months ago, and they had not heard anything from them. As time went on, the nightmares came more often, and he was not sure how much more his mother could take. Her health was already poor, and the stress she was feeling now, was not helping her.

Ron, himself, was starting to think that something had happened to them. He knew that his brothers would send word about their well-being, if for no other reason, they knew that their mother would worry. They may have been jerks to him, but they were never like that toward their mother. He hoped that they were okay. They were his brothers after all, and even if he did not like what they had become, he still loved them. Ron brought his mother a cup of water and sat beside her on the bed. He waited for her to finish drinking before he asked her about her dream.

"It was horrible. This time they were in an accident. I don't want to think about it." She said as tears ran down here cheeks and she shook her head as if the images of her dream would disappear.

"It's ok Mom, it was only dream. It wasn't real." Ron said in a gentle tone and he gave her a hug to comfort her. He just held his mother and let her cry. He really wished they would hear from his brothers soon.

"Are you hungry?" Ron asked when she stopped crying.

"No, thanks for asking though. I just want to rest."

"Ok, then. I have a few things I have to finish outside before it gets dark, if you need anything, just call."

-()-()-()-()-()-()-

"Hey, Ron! How are you today?" Ann asked as she walked up to him. She was there for her daily check-up with Sarah.

"Oh hey, Mrs. P. I'm ok I guess." Ron said with a sigh.

"You don't sound ok. Are you feeling alright?"

"Yeah I'm fine, its…well I'm worried about Mom. She had another nightmare."

"Really? I'm sorry to hear that. I better get in there and check on her." Ann said as she hurried into the house. She shared Ron's concern for Sarah. Over the past two months, her mental health was starting to affect her physical health.

Ron continued with his work until Ann was finished with her examination. When she came out of the house, Ron walked with her to her wagon. "How is she?"

"About the same as she's been. She looked tired, which I expected. She said she hasn't been sleeping lately, so I gave her a bottle of my herbal medicine. Have her take a spoonful before bed, it'll help her sleep."

"Ok, I'll make sure she takes it. So…how's Kim?

"Haha, I knew that was coming. She's good, she misses you and told me to tell you she says 'hi'."

"Good, I'm glad she's doing well. Tell her I miss her too and I'll try to make it over there to see her soon. Right now, I'm afraid to leave Mom alone."

"I'll be sure to tell her. Well, I better get going. I have another stop to make before I head home." Ann gave Ron a hug and a kiss on the cheek before she climbed into her wagon.

"Ok, be safe and don't forget to tell Kim that I love her."

"I'll tell her." Ann said with as smile. She could see how much he loved Kim, and she could not think of anyone else that she would want her daughter to be with, than Ron Stoppable. She hoped that they would get married soon, she wanted grandchildren, and she was sure they would make great parents.

Ron watched her pull away before he went to see his mother. He poked his head in her room and saw that she was sleeping. He did not want to disturb her, so he put another log on the fire. He hoped she got a few hours of sleep before he woke her for dinner.

-()-()-()-()-()-()-

Sarah woke up from her nap and for a split second, she was panicked. She had, had another nightmare. When she realized that it was a dream and it was not real, she calmed down a little bit. It did little to calm her nerves to know it was a dream. She knew they were dreams, but she could feel that something terrible had happened to her sons. She knew they needed help. At that moment, she made a decision, one she wished she did not have to make, but it was necessary. She pulled the covers back, got out of the bed, grabbed her cane, and limped to the door.

"Hi Ronnie." She said as she entered the living area and slowly limped to a chair by the fire.

"Hi Mom, what're you doing out of bed?" Ron asked as he went to help her into the chair.

"I just felt like getting out of that room. Come sit beside me, I need to talk to you about something."

"Ok…what's up?" He asked with a little concern in his voice.

Sarah took a second to gather her thoughts before she spoke. "Ronnie, I think, it's time for you to go find your brothers. We should've heard from them by now, and I have a terrible feeling that something has happened to them."

Ron figured something like this was coming, but he did not know how he was going to handle it. He, too, had the feeling that something had happened, and he wanted to help them, but he could not leave his mother alone. "Yeah, I know what you mean, but if I go to look for them, who's going to look after you? I can't leave you here by yourself?"

Sarah had not thought of herself when she came to her decision. It totally slipped her mind that she would not have someone there to help her. While she may not be completely handicapped, she was not in a position where she could lift heavy logs to build a fire and she got winded if she walked too much, so making herself something to eat would be tiring. As she though about it, her motherly instincts won out and she would sacrifice herself for her children. Then, just as she was about to tell Ron to go anyways, she had an idea.

"Maybe Kim or Ann could help out."

"Yeah, I guess. I should go see them after dinner and let them know what's going on." Ron said.

-()-()-()-()-()-()-

Ron shivered slightly as he walked aimlessly up the dirt pathway to the Possible's house. His mind was on his family and not on where he was going. Thankfully, he did not have to think about what he was doing, he had made the walk between Kim's farm and his so many times that he could do it with his eyes closed.

Kim and her family were enjoying a quiet dinner when they heard a knock at the door. "Now who can that be?" Mr. Possible wondered as he left the table to open the door. When he saw who their visitor was, he smiled. "Ronald?" James said as he extended his hand to shake Ron's. "It's been a while, come in, come in! Kim will be happy to see you."

"Yeah, I want to see her too, but I really came by to talk to all of you." Ron said as he entered the house.

"Ron!" Kim cheered as she rushed to the door to give him a hug and a chaste kiss. While Kim knew, she could get away with more things with her father than her mother; boys were the one thing her father freaked out about the most. "I missed you!"

"I missed you too KP, but I can't stay long. I need to talk to you and your parents about something important." He said in a serious tone as they walked to the table.

"Really? What's the sitch?"

"Hi Ron." Mrs. Possible greeted him when he sat down at the table. "Is everything ok with Sarah?" Ann knew that he did not want to leave his mother alone, so for him to be there now, she wondered if something had happened to her.

"No, she's fine, but she is the reason I'm here. I have to leave for a little while to go look for my brothers. We haven't heard anything from them since they left, and we should've heard from them by now. Mom's really upset and we're both worried that something has happened to them, so…I was hoping that she could stay here while I'm gone. I can't leave her alone, and it would make me feel a lot better about leaving if I knew she was here."

"Of course, she can stay here, but are you sure you want to leave? What if something happens to you while you're looking for them?" Ann asked with concern in her voice.

"They're my brothers and I have to help them."

Everyone at the table knew Ron was right, and if one of their own were in trouble, they would do everything in their power to help them. "You're right Ron. We'd be happy to help in anyway we can." Ann said. The rest of the family nodded their heads to her statement and said a few heartfelt words to Ron to reassure him that his mother would be okay with them.

"Thanks guys. I really appreciate it." Ron said with a relieved sigh. He felt like a small load had been lifted off his shoulders. He had no doubt that the Possible's would be there for him when he needed them, but he still wanted to ask. He did not want them to think he would just assume they would take on the task of taking care of his mother full time, for who-knew-how-long.

"It's our pleasure Ronald. You're like family to us and families stick together!" James chirped.

Ron stayed for a few more minutes and discussed his mother and his plans to go to Lowerton and Go City since he knew his brothers were headed that way when they left. He hoped that he found them soon because he was not sure how much more stress his mother could take, and he did not want to take advantage of the Possible's generosity.

When everything was settled, Ron wanted to get home to his mother and get some sleep so he could get an early start. "Well I better get going. Thanks again, for looking after Mom."

"Don't worry about her while you're gone, dear. We'll take good care of her; you just worry about yourself and your brothers." Nana said as she handed Ron a sack of fresh milk and cheese to take with him on his trip.

Ron thanked them for the food and then said his goodbyes. Kim walked him outside to see him off. When they were alone on the porch, Ron gave her a hug and cuddled with her. They barley noticed the cool breeze blow past them as they enjoyed a few moments of closeness.

"Maybe I should go with you." Kim said as she nuzzled his neck with her nose.

"Kim, no. I don-" Ron was going to protest, but Kim cut him off.

"Ron, Please! I want to help you!" She wanted to go with him to make sure he was okay and if Jake and Will were in trouble, she wanted to help them too.

"Kim." Ron sighed and caressed her hair. "I know you want to help, but I need you to stay here. It'll help me focus on what I have to do, if I know you're safe here, and Mom has somebody to look after her."

"But-"

"Please, Kim!" Ron said, almost as if he was pleading with her.

"Ok Ron, you win, I'll stay." Kim conceded. "And don't worry about your mom; I'll take care of her as if she was my own mother." She did not want to let him go alone, but she could tell that this was something that Ron wanted to do on his own so she would respect his decision.

Ron was touched that Kim loved him so much, that she would willingly leave her family and set out into the unknown with him to find his brothers, especially when he knew she did not like them very much. His mind floated to the memories of them as a couple as he held her in his arms, and he realized that they had only become closer in the past two and a half years. He did not think that was possible considering how close they were before they started dating, but he was happy to say he was wrong about that. He loved her more than life itself, and he knew she felt the same way.

Ron was so over come with emotion that he cupped her face with his hands and leaned down to give her, a soft kiss. The kiss was sweet and almost shy, like the first time they kissed, but it did not take long for their passion to grow. Kim moaned into his mouth as his hands slowly moved from her face down to her waist. It had been a long time since they shared a passionate kiss, that they silently decided they missed kissing each other like that and they needed to find more time to be alone so they could do it more often.

"I love you so much!" Ron whispered as he buried his face in her hair and tightened their embrace.

"I love you too, Ron. Please be safe out there, I don't know what I would do without you."

"Don't worry, I'll come home to you in one piece, and maybe when I get back, we can…um…get married…you know, if you want to."

"What?" Kim said and she pulled pack from him and looked him in the eye. Her eyebrows were raised, and she looked confused. She was not sure she had heard him correctly.

"Um…haha…I um…well Kim…Will you marry me?" Ron said nervously. He had not intended on proposing right then, but he loved her more than anything in the world, and he wanted to spend the rest of his life with her.

"Yes! Yes! Yes! I've been waiting for you to ask me that for a long time now!" Kim squealed as she threw herself into his arms and kissed him again, only this time the kiss did not start out slow, it was intense to begin with.

Ron's knees nearly buckled from the kiss and he wondered if Kim would always be able to make him weak in the knees from a kiss. He was thankful that he was still standing after Kim broke the kiss. When his head stopped swirling, he remembered something important about his proposal.

"Hey, Kim…if you don't mind, can we keep this to ourselves for a little while? I haven't asked your father for permission yet, and I don't want him to get mad that I didn't ask him."

"Well I'm sure he'll say yes, but it'll be our little secret until you get home." Kim replied with a smile. She thought it was sweet that he respected her father enough to ask for permission to marry her.

"Thanks, KP!" Ron leaned down and gave her a quick kiss before he left to get ready for his trip. He practically skipped home with a wide smile on his face. For this first time, in a long time, he had something to look forward too!

-(Next Day)-

It was mid-morning when Ron and Rufus arrived in Lowerton. Ron was a little nervous and he felt his stomach do a couple of flips when he though of finding his brothers there. Part of him hoped that he did not find them, because if they were this close to home and they did not bother to send word of their well-being for two months...well he might just lose his temper with them because of the stress they put him and his mother through. The other half of him hoped that he did find them in town. It would be a welcomed relief knowing that his brothers were safe and he could return to his mother and Kim sooner than expected.

"Where should we start first, Buddy?" Ron asked the naked mole rat sitting on his shoulder.

"Over there!" Rufus squeaked as he pointed to general store.

"Ok. Let's hope for some good luck." Ron said and crossed his fingers. Rufus crossed his claws and smiled at the teen as they walked over to the store.

The pair entered the store and saw a tall, bald man helping a young boy load sacks of flour onto a shelf. He approached the two, but before he could ask about his brothers, a young woman asked the man a question.

"Mr. Smarty…How much are these gloves?" She was a pretty girl, maybe a year or two older than Ron, and she looked like she came from a wealthy family based on the way she was dressed.

The storeowner looked up from his task and noticed the gloves in his costumer's hands. They were long, blue silk gloves that had a floral pattern woven into the material. "Miss Leon, these gloves are £1.50, and I was told that they are a one of a kind design."

"Oh really, I'll take them! Just charge them to Daddy's account."

"Sure thing!" He said happily, as he left his son to finish stocking the flour. "Bring them over to the counter and I'll wrap them in a nice box for you to carry them home in." Martin was always happy to see Camille Leon in his store. She and her mother had expensive taste. Unfortunately, for him, they were one of two families in town that could afford to spend money on frivolous things.

"I'll be with you in just a minute." Martin said to Ron when he noticed that he had a second customer in the store.

"Take your time." Ron answered. He decided to look around the store, while he waited, to see what they had to offer. The store resembled the general store in Middleton, and for a minute, he thought he was there. He was lost in his thoughts of home when Martin walked up to him.

"Can I help you find anything, son?"

"Well, I'm really here for information. See, my older brothers, Jake and Will Stoppable came to Lowerton about two months ago looking for a job, and well, we haven't heard from them since they left Middleton, so my mother sent me to find them. I'm not sure if they stopped by your store, but I thought I would ask if you remember seeing them."

"Now that you ask, I do remember a couple of guys that came through here looking for work a while back. I didn't have anything for them so I sent them to the Carpenter and the Blacksmith, but I've been by both places since then, and I haven't seen them."

"Well that narrows a few places for me." Ron thought as he listened to Martin.

"Come to think about it, the last time I saw them, I was closing my shop when I saw them go into the Tavern, across the street."

"Really? I'll check there next. Thanks for the help." Ron said. He was happy that he found someone who remembered his brothers and was able to point him in the right direction.

"You're welcome, and I'm sorry I couldn't be of more help. Good luck finding them." Martin said as he watched Ron walk towards the door.

Ron crossed the street and entered the tavern. He did not see anyone behind the bar and the place looked empty. The room was poorly lit and Ron was starting to get a little freaked out by the place. It was a little early for lunch, but he did not think that it would empty. He walked up to the bar and waited for a few minutes before he called out, "Um…excuse me!" Hoping that it would get someone's attention. He did not have to wait long for his answer.

"I'm sorry sweet-ums! I'm Amy, how can I help you?" The woman said, in an overly cheerful tone.

Ron was a bit thrown off by her bright personality, considering how dark the place was. "Amy, my name is Ron, and I'm in town looking for my brothers. I wonder if you remember them. Their names are Will and Jake Stoppable. They were here about two months ago looking for work."

"I remember them!" Amy practically shouted and Ron was startled by her outburst. "How can I forget those two cutie pies? The stayed the night here and then left for Go City!"

"Really, thanks Amy…you've been a big help." Ron said to the cheerful woman as he left the tavern and headed toward the road that would take him to Go City.

-()-()-()-()-()-()-

"Cheese!" Rufus chattered and rubbed his rumbling belly. He and Ron had been traveling for hours since they left Lowerton and his stomach was telling him that it was time to eat.

"Yeah, I'm hungry too. Let's eat!" The two friends decided sit along the side of the road and rest for a little bit and enjoy some milk and cheese. "Here you go little buddy!" Ron said as he broke off a chunk of cheese for Rufus and poured some milk into a small travel cup that he had brought.

"Thanks!" The mole rat squeaked before he started to devour his meal. Ron smiled at Rufus' behavior and then poured himself a cup of milk and broke off his own piece of cheese.

Ron was not sure, if he was really hungry, or if the cheese was just really good, but he was thoroughly enjoying his food. "It's probably a little bit of both." He thought to himself as he ate. Kim and her family made the best cheese that he had ever eaten.

As the pair ate their lunch/dinner, Ron noticed someone walking down the road towards them. When the person got closer, Ron could see that it was an elderly Asian man and he had a large bundle of sticks on his back.

"May I sit with you?" The man asked Ron when he was close enough.

"Sure." Ron said in a friendly tone. When he noticed the man struggling to take the bundle off his back, he jumped up and offered to help the man. "Here, let me help you take those sticks off your back. Man, these sticks are heavy, how long have your been carrying them?"

"All day. Thank you for your help. My name is Sensei, and what is your name?" He said as he sat down on the cool ground.

"You're welcome, and my name is Ron Stoppable and this is Rufus. It's nice to meet you!"

"Yeah!" Rufus squeaked to acknowledge the man.

"Likewise."

Ron sat down and picked up his cup and his cheese to continue his meal, but before he could take a bite, he noticed Sensei looking at his food. "Would you like some?" He offered the elderly man.

"Please. I have not eaten since early this morning."

"Well, we it's not much, but we can certainly share." Ron said with a smile. "My girlfriend and her family own a dairy farm and they make the best cheese in the world!" Ron bragged as he refilled his cup and gave it to Sensei. He then broke off a bigger chunk of cheese for Sensei than he had for himself and Rufus. He figured that the older man would need it more than he would. He was considerably younger, so he had more energy to spare.

"Thank you, again." Sensei said before he took a bite of his cheese. "You are right, Stoppable-san. This is the best cheese I have ever tasted."

"See, I told ya!"

"What is a nice young man like you doing out here, than at home?"

"Well, my older brothers left home two months ago, to find work, and we haven't heard from them since. It upset my mother not hearing from them, so we thought it would be best if I went to look for them. I hope I find them soon, it would really make my mother happy."

Sensei nodded to acknowledge Ron's answer, and took a sip of his milk. He remembered his brothers. He did not know their names and he did not have to hear Ron's story to know they were related, there was a strong family resemblance. He was glad he remembered the old proverb, "Search seven times before you suspect anyone." He found it refreshing to know that the whole family was not cold and selfish like his brothers. He could see that Ron's heart was kind and pure.

After some more small talk, Ron wanted to continue on his way. He did not want to waste too much daylight. "Well, we better get going, we have a pretty long walk ahead of us."

"Yes, it is getting late." Sensei said as he stood and reached for his bundle.

"You know what, I remember that you were walking in the same direction that we're headed, let me carry these sticks for you." Ron picked up the bundle before Sensei could protest and put them on his back. "Man, these sticks are heavy for me. I can only imagine what they feel like for him." He thought to himself.

"If you wish Stoppable-san, it will be your honor to carry them."

"No problem! Well, let's get going." Ron said as the three new friends walked down the road.

-()-()-()-()-()-()-

Ron, Rufus, and Sensei walked up the road for most of the afternoon talking and getting to know each other. The time flew by for them. It did not seem like they had been walking for as long as they had. By the time they got to the side road that led to Sensei's house, the sun was setting and it would be dark within the hour.

"Stoppable-san, it is late, please come with me to my house and let me return your kindness. You and Rufus may sleep there and then continue on to Go City in the morning. If you get an early start, you could make it by early evening."

Ron thought about it and he decided to take Sensei up on his offer, not because he wanted to be repaid for sharing his food and carrying the heavy load of sticks, but because he would need to find a place to stay for the night anyway. "Ok, we'll stay. Thanks for the offer!"

The small group left the main road and started up the hill into the woods. It was not a hard walk considering they were in the woods and it was not a well-traveled road. The dirt road was cleared, and it looked like someone cleared it on a regular basis. When they reached the halfway point of the hillside, Sensei pointed to a small house just off the road. "We are here."

"Cool, um…where would you like me to put these sticks?" Ron said, looking around for a place to put them.

"Please bring them in the house. I do not want them to get wet from the morning dew."

Ron entered the house behind Sensei and placed the bundle next to the fireplace. "Whew! Man, does it feel good to get these sticks off my back!" He thought as his back felt relief.

"Please sit here. I will have dinner ready shortly." Sensei said, while motioning to a chair next to the fireplace.

"Ok, is there any thing I can help you with? I can build the fire for you."

"As you wish, but please do not use the sticks from the bundle, they are not meant for the fire. There is a woodpile on the side of the house."

"O-Ok?" Ron said. He was a little curious why the bundle was not meant for the fire, but he decided not to question the man. He figured if Sensei had wanted him to know the reason, he would have told him.

Ron and Rufus saw a lantern beside the door and took it with them to gather wood. When they got to the woodpile, they saw that there was a small pile of chopped wood, and a bunch of logs that needed to be chopped. Ron decided to chop some of the logs so his older friend would not have to. Half an hour later, a very large pile of firewood stood where a small pile once sat.

When Sensei was finished making dinner, he came around the side of house to tell his guests that dinner was ready. When he saw the new pile, he was surprised. He had not expected Ron to do that. He just thought that the young man was going to gather a few logs. "Stoppable-san, I do not know what to say. I was not expecting this."

"Oh, it's no big! I knew you'd have to do it soon, so I thought I'd help you out."

"Thank you." Sensei said with a small bow. "Please come inside, dinner is ready."

Dinner was a simple meal of noodle and broth soup. Ron had never had a meal that included noodles, and he was not sure that he was going to like it at first, but when he tasted it, he loved it. "Sensei! This is really good!" He exclaimed. Rufus chattered a little to show that he liked the food too, but he was more interested in eating than talking.

"I am glad that you two find it enjoyable."

Ron smiled at the older man, and went back to eating his meal. He tried his best to show some manners and not gobble his food down, but he was having a hard time of it, since he was hungry and he thought the food was good.

After dinner, Ron was ready for bed. He was tired from walking all day and he needed to get an earlier start than normal since he wanted to make it to Go City by the next evening. "Thanks for dinner! We really liked it!" He said while suppressing a yawn.

"Thanks!" Rufus squeaked and rubbed his full belly, so Sensei would know he was grateful.

"You are welcome. I imagine that you are tired. Your bed is ready in the loft."

"Ok. I plan on getting an early start, and I don't know if you will be awake when I leave, so I want to say 'thank you' for letting us stay here tonight. I really appreciate it."

"Again, you are welcome. Before you retire for the night, I want to give you something to take with you on your trip." Sensei said. He walked into another room for a moment and returned with a small leather bag.

"Stoppable-san, please take this bag with you, it will protect you from any danger."

"Danger?" Ron said with a puzzled expression.

"If you are ever in a situation where you are in danger, call to the bag an-"

"Call it?" Ron said, interrupting the older man and raised his eyebrows. He looked in the bag and saw…flowers? Lotus blossoms, to be precise, but Ron did not know what kind of flowers they were. "How are flowers going to protect me?" He thought when he saw the bag's contents.

"Yes. Just remember to call it and it will come to your aid."

"Umm…ok, sure."

"Well, the hour grows late, and we all need our rest. It was nice to meet you Stoppable-san. I wish you luck in finding your brothers." Sensei said and bowed to his guest.

"Thanks, it was nice to meet you too. Sleep well." Ron returned the bow and then climbed into the loft to get a few hours of sleep.

-()-()-()-()-()-()-

Ron and Rufus left Sensei's house a little after four in the morning. It was early for them to be awake, but Ron wanted to get an early start. When the two sleepy friends approached the road, Ron heard a faint cry. He was not sure what it was, but it sounded like someone was in pain.

"You hear that buddy?" He asked Rufus. He wanted to make sure that someone else heard the cry. He was tired and he thought that his ears could be playing tricks on him.

"Yeah!" Rufus answered and pointed up the hill. He actually had better hearing than his human friend, so he could tell what direction the sound was coming from.

"Maybe we should go see if they need help. I mean, it sounds like someone's hurt."

Rufus nodded, pointed up the hill, and said, "Uh-huh! Let's go!"

The road was well lit and easily navigated by the two travelers since it was clear night, there was not a cloud in the sky. Also, the road was so well cared for, that the trees around the road were trimmed and allowed a lot of light to shine on the road. The further up the road they went, the louder and more discernable the cry became. It was more of a loud, pained moaning. "Wow, someone must really be hurting!" Ron thought as he quickened his pace up the hill.

He nearly sprinted up the hill so he could get the ailing person as soon as possible. By the time Ron reached the top of the hill, he was sweating and breathing heavily. When he caught sight of the building in front of him, he nearly lost what little breath he had left. A large castle stood a few hundred yards ahead of him.

"Is this where…where the cry is coming from?" Ron asked as he tried to catch his breath. Before Rufus could answer, a loud cry could be heard coming from the castle. "I spoke too soon." Ron said sarcastically.

Ron walked over to the castle entrance and looked for a guard. He surprisingly did not see one. Another thing that he found odd was that there were not any lights in any of the windows. He decided to walk around the building to see if there was someone on the side or backside of the castle that he could talk to.

When he made it to the other side of the building, a bright light could be seen coming from a room on the third floor. Ron looked up at the window, noticed that it was open, and wondered if he should call up there and ask if anyone could hear him. Rufus climbed down Ron's leg and started looking in the windows that where at ground level. It was obvious that there was a lower level to the castle, so the naked mole rat wanted to see if he could locate anyone. Ron jumped when the cry was heard again. It sounded like it was coming from the window. He was about to yell up there, when Rufus started to squeak frantically and point at a window at the far end of the castle.

"Whoa, calm down little buddy! What's got you so wigged?" Ron inquired as he ran over to where Rufus was.

"Look! Look!" The pink mole rat exclaimed as he pointed at the window.

Ron got down on his knees and looked in the window. He had to squint because there was only a small, dim lantern lighting the room. He could barely see what was inside. Then, Ron's jaw dropped and his eyes bugged out when he realized why Rufus was so freaked out. He rubbed his eye and looked again to make sure of what he was seeing.

"No, this can't be right." Ron whispered in disbelief. As he looked in the window a third time, he experienced a wave of different emotions when he saw his brothers huddled together, in a locked cell.

Next time: Ron attempts to rescue his brothers.

A/N: Hope you like the story so far! Thanks for reading and please leave a review!