Hello, my beloved Butterflies! I hope you all have had a great week so far. Last chapter followed Shego and her experience in the hospital after getting into a car accident. This chapter is going to follow Kim, and I think I will keep using this pattern of alternating POV's. Also, I'm moving to another part of the country next week, so I might fall behind on posting chapters weekly. Please bear with me as I make that transition. That is all I've got for now, so here is the next chapter.
Disclaimer: Kim Possible belongs to Disney.
(Kim's POV)
A few blonde hairs fall in front of Ron's closed eyes, so I brush them away. I haven't left his side since I arrived yesterday; I only wish I could do so much more for him. He's a great friend and partner, and I can't imagine not having him. It's my fault he's like this. We shouldn't have gone on that mission. None of this would have happened if we hadn't been so stupid. Maybe we should just give up fighting evil. That way, if Ron doesn't recover, I won't have to worry about him during missions. That's what I'll do.
I kiss Ron's forehead and step out into the hall; I call Wade on the Kimmunicator. Wade takes one look at my face and understands. He nods and says that he'll get right on posting the message on the website. I tell him no and to just shut the website down. Wade starts to protest, but he quiets down and starts typing on his computer. After a few minutes, he nods solemnly. I thank him, and we hang up. We will probably never speak to each other again, not that this is a surprise. We, as a team, all knew this day was coming, when life would pull us apart and end our business; I just don't think we all thought it would end like this. Silently, I stare at the blank screen on the Kimmunicator. In a moment of rage and pain, I toss the darn object on the floor and listen to the sound of it breaking. It's not like I'll need it any more.
Dad steps out into the hall and finds me staring down at the broken Kimmunicator. I feel so numb now, so confused, so lost. He places a hand on my shoulder, but he doesn't say a word to me. The two of us keep staring down at the piece of junk on the floor. All those memories, gone. Then Dad bends down and picks it up, careful not to hurt himself.
"It's over, isn't it, Kimmie Cub?" He finally asks. I nod and hug him. For some reason, I don't cry, but I always thought I would when the end came. "Let's go home, Kimmie." I pull away.
"I can't leave Ron. If something happens, I want to be right here with him."
"Kimmie, he's in the best hands in Middleton. If anything happens, he'll be alright." I still resist. "You've barely left his side since this began. You're going to lose your mind if you don't do something else." I stop fighting and agree to go home. Then I re-enter Ron's room, give him a kiss, collect my things, and follow Dad out to the car. We drive home in silence with only the radio making noise.
When we pull into the driveway, I stare at the house; it was destroyed the night of graduation, but we've since rebuilt, thanks to Tim and Jim's inventions. Dad sees me staring, and an expression of sorrow crosses his face. I turn back to him, so he doesn't have to look at my face. I don't him to hurt just because I am. It's not his fault Ron has amnesia, nor is it his fault I've responded to this whole mess the way I have. I should be the only one hurting, alone. From somewhere outside the realm of my mind, I feel a hand on my shoulder and a firm voice telling me to go inside. Too numb to object, I go inside and head up to my room. I plop face down on my bed and cry hot, dry, invisible tears. I have no job, no friends, no boyfriend, and no clue. Could this get any worse?
The clouds suddenly decide to dump rain, and a thunderstorm rolls into town. The thunder rattles the windows, and the wind whistles through the house. I glance up from my pillows and gaze into the pitch black sky. How can it only be nine-thirty in the morning? I shouldn't be here. I should be back at the hospital with Ron. A loud clap of thunder shakes the entire house, catching me off guard. I might still be able to get to the hospital before the weather gets any worse.
However, fate has a different idea. Just as I'm getting up to go downstairs, the power goes out. Dad calls from downstairs to make sure I am okay, and I yell back that I am fine. Then a shudder runs through me. In the darkness of the house with the combined darkness of the outside, I could disappear into the depths of an alternate reality without anyone noticing. But no. They would notice if I vanished from this reality into the one of make-believe. Still, it never hurt to try. I sit down on my bed and reach for my hidden collection of notebooks and journals. They're all filled with poems and stories from years ago. I read every last one of them with help from my flashlight, and I reflect on how much I've changed since I started writing them. After I finish reading the last one, I flip to a blank page and take out my pencil. The words flow naturally, as the do emotions. I keep writing, never stopping, pouring my entire being into the scribbles that form words along the paper. When I finish, I feel better, and I read the endless words that make up my newest poem. The poem doesn't rhyme, but the rhythm it carries makes it work. Then I close the journal, put every single of them back in their box, slide the box under my bed, and turn off the flashlight. The darkness is comforting, so I sit in quiet comfort. I never want to leave.
Dad comes up at some point and temporarily blinds me with his flashlight. Once he realizes that I'm recoiling from the light in my eyes, he turns the flashlight off. Then he sits next to me and wraps me in a side hug.
"I'm sorry, Kimmie Cub, for this entire mess. We never meant to hurt you, and we want to help you in any way we can." Resting my head on his shoulder, I start crying. I can't keep this up any longer. I can't keep a brave face anymore. Ron has amnesia and isn't recovering, and my parents have lied to me for the past eighteen years. My life is collapsing all around me, and I can't breathe. I continue crying on Dad's shoulder for a long time. The power doesn't come back on either.
"Dad, will Ron ever be the same again?" I sob. Dad strokes my hair and says he doesn't for sure. Then he reassures me, saying that Mom and her colleagues are doing the best they can to help him. But is it enough? What if it's not?
Dad and I sit and on my bed and talk for a long while. The power is still out, but we don't mind. Soon, however, the powers comes back on; we go downstairs together. When we get the the bottom of the stairs, I see a familiar face; I run to Nana and embrace her. Ever since the time Drakken tapped into the frequencies of Nana's hearing aids, and Ron and I had to stop Drakken, Nana and I have been much closer.
Nana hugs me back, and we keep hugging each other for an indefinite amount of time. I never want to let go. Then I realize that if I'm adopted, then she's not my real nana. I'm not sure if I'm okay with that. She's been such a huge part of my life, for better or for worse, but now I know that my whole life has been a lie. Does this mean that Nana can't still be my nana? I pull away from Nana and hurry away. I duck behind a corner and eavesdrop just a little.
"James, what has gotten into Kimberly Ann?" Nana asks.
"Ann and I told her," Dad replies.
"Told her what?"
"Mother, you know what." They say some more things, but I shut them out. Even Nana lied to me. Nana then asks why they told me, and my attention is reverted back to their conversation. "Her boyfriend lost his memory. She needed a distraction." WHAT?! I stealthily slip into the kitchen and write a quick saying where I'm going, and then I take my car out for a drive. I don't where I'm going, nor do I care. I have been through so much, and I deserve a break. I keep driving in the pouring rain. Finally, I end up at a familiar place. I park the car and walk inside. It's the Smarty Mart where Ron dreamed of working for the longest time. Causally, I walk up to the entrance, and the greeter is Bonnie, much to my surprise. I say hello, and she actually says hello back. We chat some more, with only a few breaks when Bonnie has to greet entering customers. When I ask how she ended up working at Smarty Mart, she explains her mom made her get a job, and Smarty Mart was the only place hiring. We wrap up our conversation, and I head inside. Once inside, I wander around the store and look at everything. Memories of Ron flood my mind, and I'm taken back to when an alligator ate my cargo pants and when Drakken tried to take over the world with his shampoo.
As I walk past the pets section of the store, I recall when Ron first got Rufus. It was a memorable day, and I'm glad I was part of it. Then I realize that Rufus has not been a part of this ordeal. I know he knows about Ron, but I don't think he's been able to see him. Maybe I should go visit Rufus and let him know that I haven't forgotten him.
On my way out of the store, I bump into someone. Quickly, I apologize and keep moving, but then I do a double take. It's Mr. Barkin! What does he not do for a living?
"Possible!" I cringe a little before turning around. I am not going to miss moments like these come August. "How is Stoppable doing?" Whoa, talk about out of character for him.
"Pretty good. He relapsed recently, so a lot of his progress was lost, but he's slowly getting better." There really isn't much I want to say to Mr. Barkin.
"Next time you see him, tell him Mr. Barkin wishes him well. And, Kim, don't lose hope." Then Mr. Barkin leaves. That was extremely unlike him. Maybe it's because I've only known him as a teacher and guidance counselor, and now I'm seeing him as a real person. Or perhaps I'm just crazy and imagined the conversation. I should go.
Mr. Barkin's words echo and repeat over and over in my mind, like a scratched CD. How did he know I'm losing hope? Does he know that Ron will probably never remember any of our past again? Does he know the torture I'm going through? Thoughts like those and Mr. Barkin's words plague my mind the entire drive home. It's still raining, but I don't care. I don't care about anything anymore. I'm only going through the motions at this point in time.
When I walk into the living room, the first thing I notice is that Mr. and Mrs. Stoppable are over. I say hello and try to slip upstairs into my room, but Dad stops me. He says I should spend some time with Ron's family, but I would rather not spend time with anyone. Reluctantly, I sit down in a chair and pretend that I want to be down here. Mr. and Mr. Stoppable immediately start asking how I've been doing and other similar questions. All I can do is smile, nod, and answer their questions numbly. Rufus appears out of nowhere about ten painstaking minutes into the conversation. My joy must be visible because Mrs. Stoppable asks if I would like to spend some time with Rufus. Rufus answers the question for me, and I whisk him upstairs to my room.
Once we're in my room, I give Rufus a big hug, and I don't let go. Finally, I pull back and look at my friend. Swallowing, I ask how he has been doing throughout this ordeal. Rufus shrugs and says he's been doing okay. Then he asks about me, and I roll my eyes. I've been nothing but a total mess since this all began, and I'll be more than happy when it's over. How much longer will this endure? Any longer, and I'll lose my mind.
"Kim, will Ron be able to help you stop evil?" Rufus squeaks.
"No, Rufus, he won't. That's why I've called it quits on crime fighting." The words pain me to say.
"But won't the bad guys win?"
"Yeah, but I need Ron in order to beat them. Besides, there are so many of them trying to take over the world with subpar inventions, they'll stop each other or themselves." Rufus says I make a valid point. We talk some more about what life has been like without Ron around; it's evident neither of us is really living life as much as we're just going through the motions. This has got to stop.
A loud crack of thunder shakes the whole house, and poor Rufus falls off the bed. I scoop him up and place him back on my bed. If Ron doesn't regain his memory, what will happen to Rufus? What about Hannah and Ron's parents? What will happen to Ron? More loud and violent rumbles of thunder shake the house. I wish the storm would just move through Middleton and leave us alone. Is that too much to ask?
"Hey, Rufus, would you like to go see Ron?" I whisper. Animals technically aren't allowed in the hospital, so I don't want anyone to overhear my question. Rufus nods eagerly, and he leaps into my pocket. Then I slide down the handrail rather than use the stairs, and I yell to Dad that I'm going to Monique's house with Rufus. Dad says goodbye as I closing the door, and I jump into my car. Before I know it, Rufus and I are pulling into the hospital parking lot. I park the car as close the entrance as I can; I was a total airhead and forgot my umbrella. Next Rufus jumps in my purse, and I snap it just closed enough so no one can see Rufus. Then we enter the hospital and head straight for Ron's room.
As I approach the closed door, a nurse comes whizzing out. In an attempt to avoid her, I sidestep out of the way and right into a hand sanitizing station. The jug of hand sanitizer pops out and hits the floor, spilling its contents all over the floor. Great, this day just keeps getting better.
Ron is awake and sitting up when Rufus, who is still concealed in my purse, and I walk into the hospital room. There is no one else in here, so my life just got a lot easier. I explain to Ron that I brought a friend who wants to see him but that he cannot let anyone know he is here in anyway. Ron agrees, and I open my purse. Out summersaults Rufus; Ron looks like he's about to to scream, but he doesn't. The three of us chat for a while, which is nice. Ron still doesn't remember much, and he needs help doing a lot of things. It pains me to see him like this, and I know that he probably won't ever remember all the adventures we've had even if he does recover. It's not fair.
"Ron, have your parents and sister visited you yet?" I ask lightheartedly. Ron gives me a confused look, so I presume they have not or he has no clue whom I am talking about. I pull out a picture from my wallet and show it to him. Once he recognizes his parents and sister, Ron nods and says that they have visited him many times. I smile because it's good to know I am not the only one who visits Ron in every spare moment I have.
"Kim, does Kim love Ron?" So his grammar is a little off, but that's an easy fix; I'm grateful that he can speak at all.
"Yes, Kim does love Ron, and so do Ron's parents, sister, and pet. They all love Ron with every inch of their beings, and they want Ron to get better. They need Ron to get better." My voice cracks during the last sentence and a half. Tears well up in my eyes, but I blink them away; I must stay strong for Ron. "Promise Kim that Ron will get better, okay?" Yes, it's unrealistic, but I believe that holding him to something will motivate him to recover. That's just how Ron is about everything.
After another hour or so, Rufus and I have to leave. We say goodbye to Ron, and Rufus jumps back into my purse. Then we walk back out the car in the pouring rain. We drive in silence, but the silence is a hopeful one. Maybe, just maybe, Ron will get better. And maybe this ordeal will be over with soon.
I pull into Monique's driveway. I'm not going to flat out lie to Dad; I'm only going to partially lie to him. Monique comes running out in her super snazzy rain gear and herds me inside. I let Rufus out while Monique and I have a heart to heart. When she invites me to have a sleepover, I jump at the chance and call Dad. He agrees, so I drive home to drop Rufus off and to get my stuff. Then I return to Monique's for an adventure unlike any before it: a spa night with homemade concoctions. I've got to love Monique.
Alright, so that's Chapter 6! I hope you all enjoyed it. Please remember that I move next week, so my chapter might be late or pushed back a week or so. Bear with me; I'll find a pattern soon enough. Don't forget to follow, favorite, and review! I love you all!