Ya know, things just work faster when ya have a couple guys willing to take the time to stand still long enough for ya to throw ideas at 'em to figger out what works. Thanks Sentinel and CajunBear.

Chapter 46 Christmas Wishes

Ron, Sagara, Junior and Alejandro left in Eleanor, leaving Bonnie in the care of Kim and Kaname in the Sloth. Like the good bodyguard he was, Alejandro was slightly concerned about letting Bonnie out of his sight with only the two girls as cover until he realized just who one of the girls was.

Sousuke was a bit miffed that the man dismissed his love until he thought about it. If this obvious professional misread her skills, then so would just about everyone else. And more often than not, the most effective skill is the one your opponents don't know about. Suckers!

The guys drove the two hours back to Middleton and made their first stop at the bank. Ron had called his Father and told him, not asked, but told him to meet them there.

At the beginning of the call Gene Stoppable was about to give his son a piece of his mind until Ron cut him off saying it was Mission related. While he was the young college student/Teen Hero's Father, he knew better than to argue with him when it came to Mission work. What Ron said he needed almost had him back to a giving of the mind state.

"Dad, I need thirty thousand dollars out of my account. Now!"

"Thirty thou…Ronald…"

"Dad, it's a loan."

"A loan? Ronald, that's a lot of money just for a loan. It's not like it's fifty or a hundred dollars. How can you be sure it'll be returned?"

"Oh, that's not a problem." Ron looked at the tall, tanned, buff young man beside him. "I'm sure ya can cover a thirty G loan, can't ya, Junior."

Junior looked insulted, "Thirty thousand American Dollars? Please, if we would have had any time to prepare at all, I have at least four times that much in my petty cash drawer, not including various amounts of Euros, Yen and Won."

He hung his head, "It was only the quick thinking of my Father's….my retainers that my Bonita and I have our Passports, Identification and credit cards. Speaking of which, I have credit cards that are worth millions and access to accounts that are worth billions, why would I need a loan from anyone?"

"Junior, how many people know you left the island? Ten, twenty people maybe? And every one of them would probably die ta keep you safe. And of those that know ya left, how many know you're here. One! But if you start flashing around Neutronium credit cards, it won't take long before half the planet knows you're here. Including the guys that got your Dad."

"Ronald, I think you mean platinum credit cards."

"No Dad, I mean Neutronium. You don't know who this is. Junior, this is my father, Gene Stoppable, Dad, this is Senor Senior, Junior, His dad….He's one of the five richest guys on the planet."

Now Gene Stoppable was no man's fool and it didn't take him long to put the pieces together. He looked at Junior and said, "You have my sympathies, young man. The loss of a loved one is never easy." Junior just nodded.

To Ron he simply asked, "Is Thirty thousand going to be enough?"

"I think so, Dad.

"I presume you're doing this to keep your friend from being found?"

"Yap."

"Then I suggest you make it harder for anyone to track the transactions. Instead of drawing the cash out of a single bank today, I'll draw out enough to see you through the next few days, say four or five thousand. In a week or two I'll make another withdrawal, a week or so later another and so on. No round numbers. Four thousand four hundred and fifty-eight today. That will keep the transfers from being too noticeable. They'll look like normal business transactions. I'll even start shuffling funds between our portfolios to blur the picture even more."

Just like when his dad had helped against the Mather, Ron stood in awe of his Father again. "Th..thanks Dad. I figgered I'd really have to talk fast ta get ya ta help."

"I admit when I heard how much you wanted me to draw out I was concerned, but under the circumstances, it's the least I can do. You have a duffle or something in the trunk I can use, Mr. Sagara?" When Sousuke emptied one of his smaller weapons bags, Gene said, "Wait here, this will take a few minutes."

An hour later, after a stop at the garage to get Junior into something besides the now four day old night clothes, found them sitting in the car in a huge parking lot. Junior and Alejandro were both wearing a set of Sousuke's older workout clothes. The retainer seemed comfortable in the outfit and Junior was strangely quiet about it. When Ron asked him about it, the answer raised a couple of eyebrows.

"You think I have gained and kept my superb physique simply laying about and working on my golden tan. I try and maintain a serious physical regimen and was able to keep up with Shego when Father hired her to train me in villainy. There is nothing wrong with clothes fitting the circumstances."

"Alright. Junior, I told ya that ya weren't gonna like what ya were gonna have to do and you said whatever it takes. Does that still go?"

"Would it still go if the last of your family had been murdered, Ronald Stoppable?"

"Works for me. Junior, welcome to Smarty Mart."

When they entered, Junior looked around the vast space, confused by the mega mart retail outlet store. "What is the purpose behind this establishment, Ronald Stoppable?"

"Well, like ya told me before, ya wanna be unnoticeable. This is the best place at make that happen. Sure it might not be Club Banana, but if ya wanna fly under the radar, then CB ain't the thing for you. And if ya try having tailors come in someone's gonna notice. The trick to being unnoticeable is hiding in plain sight. Like that guy we heard about in World History. Sagara, what was his name Mon Dodong?"

"That's Mao Zedong, Stoppable-san. And I believe the quote you're referring to is 'The guerrilla must move amongst the people as a fish swims in the sea.' And you are correct. Senor Junior, the best way to hide you is if you appear similar to everyone around you. There is little we can do about your physique; however there is a great deal we can do about the rest of your appearance."

Ron and Sousuke looked at each other for a moment and started considering Junior. Their stances were eerily similar, left arm across their chest holding the right elbow as their right hands held their jaws contemplatively.

Ron was the first to voice an idea, "Lose the razor."

Sousuke voiced his approval, "Very good, Stoppable-san. The barber as well."

"Oh, that was a given. It's the Le Goop that's really gotta go."

Seeing the impending horror rising on Junior's face, Ron suddenly hardened. He grabbed the larger young man by the workout jacket he was wearing and bounced him off a handy nearby wall.

Growling, he said, "You listen to me, Junior. The five of us helped load your Father into a transport for Madrid a few days ago for autopsy. A pointless thing to do since it was obvious from the bullet holes what killed him. Now you asked for my help keepin' you alive. If ya want it, then shut up and do what we tell ya to do. Clear!"

"Ye..yes Ronald Stoppable."

"Lose the formal language, too. It's a dead giveaway. Call me Ron or Stoppable. Let's go, you got an appointment in the men's department."

Ron stepped into the living room and said, "Ladies, I give you the newly covert and clandestine Senor Senior, Junior."

When Junior appeared, Kim and Bonnie were shocked at the difference. Kaname was the only one that wasn't surprised because other than the introductions at the airport, she had never met the old Junior.

Gone was the designer pants and tight shirt, the perfect hair and multi-hundred dollar shoes. In their place was loose fitting carpenter's pants and plain black baggy T-shirt. While his hair was still clean and healthy looking, it was mussed without a hint of mousse or gel. On his feet were a pair of steel-toed work boots and a heavy coat covered his torso. All in all, he looked like a construction worker, ready for a day on the job. There was even a pair of light leather gloves in the thigh pocket of the carpenter's pants.

Kim was the first to find her voice, "Ron, you're a genius. If I didn't see it with my own eyes, I don't think I could believe it. He doesn't look anything like the old Junior."

Bonnie was floored, "Where did you get that look, Stoppable?"

"Bonnie, this is me. Where do ya think I took him? And I promise ya it ain't CB!"

"SMATRYMART? You mean to tell me you created this macho hotness at that outlety place?"

"Well let's see. Construction workers are by your own definition 'macho hotness'. But they go ta work knowing they're gonna hammer their clothes. And since it'd be kinda stupid ta spend more than half a C-note on every pair of pants that you expect to get hammered on the job." Since his mission clothes cost about a third what hers did, Kim had the decency to blush when Ron looked at her sidelong when he stressed the word 'expect' .

"And since it's the same place every other construction worker in the Tri-city area goes to get new clothes, I figgered 'why not?'. Besides, I know for a fact you can fight in those clothes." Now Ron's face went grim. "And something tells me Junior here might have to do exactly that."

Junior was scratching at growing stubble on his jaw. "Ronald Sto…." Junior paused at the glare Ron sent his way, "Ron, do I really have to forego shaving. This itches terribly."

"If ya wanna live, get used to it. You too Bonnie. Super rich dudes shave every day. A lot of the middle-class don't. And until we can put the kibosh on whoever hit your dad, the more middle-class you look, the harder it'll be for them ta find you. That's why we got ya that set of clippers. Once it grows out a bit, ya can use 'em ta keep it under control."

Ron unslung the duffel he was carrying and rummaged through it, pulling out a bundle of cash and handed it to Kim. "Here's a grand, KP."

She was staring at the cash in her hand with an eyes wide, open jawed look when Ron misinterpreted the look and handed her a second bundle, "You're right, here take two. I need ya to take Bonnie shopping for the basics. Everything she needs. I don't mean that cute pair of pumps she thinks she just has to have or the belt that would go perfect with the amazing skirt she just saw. She's got to blend in." Ron looked at Bonnie's hair. "And that frosted look's got to go, too. Those eyebrows rule out blonde or a redhead. Make her brunette."

Bonnie started to squawk, "Now wait a minute!"

Ron wasn't having it. He got right in her face and said, "Do ya wanna live? Cause if ya don't, ya just keep on doing what ya been doing. And I'll bet it'll a matter of days before they're burying you just like they're burying Senior!"

"Now it's this or you can be a prisoner in your own home, surrounded by bodyguards. Not that they'll do any good. The guys that got Senior had an entire Company of assault Troops. Two hundred men with military grade weapons."

"The only way for you to live is just like the witness protection programs. Under the radar, low key, don't draw attention to yourself, blend in. And top fashions, salon hair, bling bling and livin' large ain't it!"

Kim stood there staring at the man that handed her the wads of money in awe. Ron Stepupable! Grim faced, takin control of the Sitch! Other then the night they'd spent at the lake, the only time she had wanted jump his bones this bad had been when she was "Moodulated'.

When he saw he had Bonnie cowed, he turned to Kim, "KP, can ya make it fast? When ya get back, Junior has an appointment in New York with Senior's lawyers."

She just nodded and murmured, "Sure thing, Ron."

Ron glared at his now slightly less self-absorbed charges and said, "I'm going to the Dojo for a while. I need to work out."

When her cell sounded the tone she had programmed for her Father's number she opened it and said "Hi, Daddy. What's up?"

"Kimmie-cub, I need to talk to Ronald." James practically bit off Ron's name. "He's not answering his cell. Where is he?

She could tell he was not a happy camper. Something had the man in a tweak and since he had asked where Ronald was, she had a good idea of what set the man off. Somehow he had either figured out or had been told that she had taken her relationship with a certain blond young man to a whole new level.

Her thought was, since she had never really had any success in getting her Father to see her as something besides a four year old, to let Ron handle the sitch.

"Well, he's in the Dojo right now, Daddy. He's going to be there a while if ya wanna come over to talk to him."

"Think I'll do just that!"

She cheerily said, "OK Daddy." She closed the phone, muttering, "Your funeral. Well, at least Ron won't kill him. Still, I better warn him that Daddy's on his way."

As James Possible approached the garage, he entered a number on his cell phone and hit send. This deactivated the security system and opened the overhead door. He stalked through the garage portion of the structure, fuming about the call he'd gotten from Wade a short while ago.

When the teen had called him to tell him that he'd 'Won the pool', the first words out of his mouth was 'What pool?' Even being told that the Lowardians were returning wouldn't have shocked him as badly as the stammering, blushing answer Wade had given him. The only unanswered question James had was who in the Hell had placed a five dollar bet in his name on such a thing as when his Kimmie-cub would give her…uh, do the…uh lose her…uh, never mind that! None of that mattered more than confronting the one responsible for this situation.

That Boy, Ronald Dean Stoppable.

Throughout the Dojo stood an even dozen training dummies, strangely with a potato on top of each one. Ron had left the Lotus Blade in its default shape of a Feudal Era katana. He spun and twirled through the Dojo maintaining the speed of the Blade, never allowing it to rest for more than the instant it took to shift his grip. When he attacked one of the dummies, he would 'disarm' it, then strike the potato, sending the top half of the hard vegetable spinning beside the bottom half.

The last target was close to the door where James had entered. The scientist was in an excellent position to see the razor sharp sword parry the dummy sword and catch the potato on the back swing. This time the top half went flying and the bottom spun off of the pedestal.

"Missed.", the sweating Swordsman muttered. He looked at James and growled, "That damn backswing gets me every time."

James was seriously considering that maybe he should calm down a little bit before things got out of hand. "Uh, what do you mean missed Ronald? You cut it in half."

Ron ran a silk cloth across the Blade, and then placed it back on the wall amongst the other weapons on the wall. "That wasn't the point of the training, MrDrP. I was supposed to strike it fast enough to leave both halves on top."

Ron walked to the cooler and pulled out two bottles of water, tossing one to James and grabbing a towel for his face. "Anyway, KP said ya wanted to talk to me 'bout something."

"That's right Ronald. I heard a very troubling piece of information earlier."

To James, young Ronald looked disturbingly calm, "From the look on your face, I'd guess somehow you heard that KP and I have taken our relationship to the next level."

Ronald, I have the Center on speed dial and there's a…"

Ron quietly interrupted, "MrDrP, if the words, Black. Hole. Probe. come out of your mouth, you and I are gonna have a problem."

"Now see here, Ronald!"

Ron never took his eyes off of the taller man. He just whispered, "Lotus Blade." and the Blade flew from the wall, impacting into his outstretched hand. Spinning in place, Ron struck the dummy three times, in a reverse of motions as his nightmare from months ago. Left, right then straight up the center of the dummy. The dummy practically exploded, with pieces of the torso still tumbling in the air as the base fell over.

Ron never raised his voice, "I don't take threats very well, MrDrP. Never have. Ever! Used to be whenever I was threatened, I got terrified, and panicked, and ran around screaming like a lunatic. I looked like an idiot."

"But all that changed a year ago. Now I still don't deal with threats very well, cause I still get terrified. But what's changed is my reaction to it. I deal with the threat."

"And just to let ya know, anybody that tries ta stuff me into a deep space probe without asking, is asking for trouble. Not only from me, but from KP too."

He replaced the Blade on the wall and said, "Now that we're done beating our chests and trying to intimidate each other, are you ready ta listen?"

James could merely nod as he stared slack-jawed at the pieces of scrap.

"Good. Then, I'm gonna ask ya a couple a questions. Do you honestly believe that I would try ta force myself on her? And even if I tried, do ya really think I could? If I had a tried, there's three other people in this building alone that would wanna put a beat-down on me and God only knows how many others there are around the world."

"Now while Kaname don't really have a chance, Wade would have me worried 'cause I don't know what all he's been doing to that BK he's got downstairs. And if Wade worries me, I'd be praying that Sagara never get's to that AS of his. 'Cause MMP or not, that thing scares the crap outta me."

"And just who do you think made the first move, anyway, MrDrP? 'Cause as much as the thought has crossed my mind in the last couple a years, and it has, with the way me and KP's always been, ya can probably guess it wasn't me."

"Now I remember the Middleton Days Fair a few years back. Ya told me then that if I made KP unhappy, that the trouble was gonna be Black Hole Deep. Now I ask you, does she seem unhappy?"

James had been trying to interject a comment here and there during each one of Ron's points. The problem was he couldn't refute any of them. No matter how much he wanted to.

He sighed and said, "You're not fighting fair, Ronald."

Ron grinned and said, "Something I learned from Uncle Rog. 'There's no such thing as a fair fight.' The question still stands though. Does KP seem unhappy to you?"

James sighed again, "No, she doesn't. Actually I don't think she's been this happy since she was four years old."

Ron muttered, "Well, good to know I'm doing something right.

He continued, addressing the Father of the women he loved, "Look, whether you like it or not, we're both adults. We can vote, enter into binding contracts, enlist in the Military or move to Turkmenistan. And there's nothing you can legally do to stop any of it."

"You can talk to us and try to influence our decisions. But those decisions are just that, ours! Anything that happens between the two of us is something the two of us have decided. And the fact you might not like some of those decisions is just something your just gonna have to accept."

James looked at the young man before him. He saw there were serious differences in Ron than there was just a year ago. Twelve months ago, Ron had been barely half a head taller then Kimberly and only thirty or forty pounds heaver than her hundred and ten; while being a little pudgy around the middle. Now he stood at least a full head taller than Kim and outweighed her by eighty or ninety pounds; all of it solid muscle

But it wasn't the physical changes that stood out to James. It was the look in Ronald's eyes that truly struck him. They were harder now than they had been a year ago. Much harder.

"You've changed, Ronald. You've grown up a lot in the last year."

"No MrDrP, I haven't. I talked Rabbi Katz. He said that I've been changed. There's a difference. And as for growing up, what's happened since Graduation…."

He shook his head clearing it of the visions threatening to cause a flashback. "Anyway, back to me and KP. The thing that changed last year was I figgered out just what KP meant to me. And if you think you're gonna threaten me away from her, you better think again. The only way the two of are gonna split up is if we choose to split up."

Ron's face grew sly, "And if things work out right, you might wanna start getting a lot of cash set aside."

Dawning comprehension showed on the other man's face, "For what?"

"Well, traditionally it's the bride's family that pays for the wedding isn't it."

"Ronald, are you asking me…"

"No. I'm not asking ya, I'm telling ya. It's my intention to ask KP to marry me. You're blessing is wanted and hoped for, but it's not required. I haven't asked her yet. Not sure when I'm gonna either. But it's gonna happen. I just figgered it would make ya more comfortable with everything knowing I intend to do right by KP."

Ron's grin grew again, "I've even got the rings. We'll have to go the bank if ya wanna see 'em though. I got em in the safety deposit box so nobody can accidentally find em."

"I think I'd like to see those rings, Ronald."

"Give me a minute to get cleaned up and I'll get my keys."

After Kim had dropped Bonnie off, Sousuke flew Junior, Bonnie and Alejandro to New York to visit Junior's lawyers. After they left Kaname asked Kim for a favor in meeting with the Tweebs.

There was a sense of urgency in the car as Kim and Kaname drove to the Possible home. Not a 'Mission Mode' or danger sense, but the kind where someone anxious to have something finished.

Kim asked her friend, "Are you sure you wanna talk to the 'Tweebs', Kaname?"

"Do you know anyone else their age?"

"Well….no. But ya have to be careful with those two. They can be…unpredictable. They might just see it as a chance to pull a prank or something."

"I hope not, this is too important."

While Kaname focused on the road as they approached the Possible's subdivision, she still remembered how she had acquired her self imposed 'mission'. Her Father had taken them on a tour of New York the day following their arrival in the city.

At one point Shunya excused himself leaving Kaname, Sousuke and Ayame in the foyer of a large building. As they chatted, waiting for Shunya to return, they heard a small, plaintive voice saying, "'Cuse me?"

They looked around and the problem was there was no one there. Then they heard it again. "'Cuse me, are you Santa Claus?"

It was Ayame that figured it out. Just like the school trip to the museum, the room's acoustics could carry a whisper. She pointed across the length of the foyer, saying "Over there."

On the other side of the long lobby was a collection point for the United States Marine Corp 'Toys for Tots' program. Standing to the side, like a statue, at the position of Attention was a Staff Sergeant in Full Dress Uniform, including the pristine white gloves. He was huge, nearly 6 and a half feet tall broad shouldered and well muscled.

In front of the Marine was a small bedraggled little boy of about six years old.

He barely came up to the waist of the motionless Marine. Somehow the acoustics of the lobby carried the sound of the little boy clearly across the length of the room and through the hubbub of the people inside.

They watched as the little boy fumbled with a folded piece of paper as he said, "I heard you might be him. If you are him, here's my list."

There was a pause and the statue moved a tiny bit. The Marine's left hand uncurled slightly and his palm faced forward. The eyes of the little boy went wide in awe. He carefully set the list in the opened hand and scurried away saying in hushed tones "He is Santa Claus!"

Ayame, who had lived in the United States for years and knew about the annual USMC 'Toys For Tots' drive, was crying at the sight. Kaname watched as the little boy hurried out the door.

Sousuke was confused. He had learned a lot but he was still clueless about a lot of things in the civilian world. He asked, "Why did the Sergeant break regulations like that?" Seeing the shocked looks the girls were giving him he said, "The Marine is Posted on Interior Guard duty. By regulations he is not to move until he is relieved."

It hit Kaname that, just like Thanksgiving, he had missed out on other holidays as well. While not the religious holiday it is in the Western World, Christmas was still celebrated in Japan as a lover's holiday, closer to the American idea of St. Valentines Day. Well she was going to fix that loss in Sousuke's life. She had started with Thanksgiving, now it was time for another.

Thinking fast she said, "Ayame, you said you wanted to help on a 'Mission', right?"

Confused the girl said "Uh, yeah."

"Imoto-chan, go with Sousuke. Keep him from overreacting. Sousuke, I want you to find out where that little boy lives. Don't let him know you're following him. Listen to Ayame, that kid isn't an enemy. Understand?"

"No Kaname-chan. But I trust you enough to do as you ask without question."

She beamed at him and gave him a quick kiss saying, "Go track the kid and stay in contact." When they left, she resumed watching the E-6 standing across the lobby. Other than blinking occasionally, he'd returned to his grim, stone-faced, motionless statue act, but she wasn't fooled. Under that forbidding façade was a softy.

She recalled from somewhere, probably Sousuke, that most Interior Guard duty was about 60 minutes, so she settled in to wait for both her Father and his relief. When Shunya reappeared, she told him what she was doing and why. It was a mission Shunya heartily approved of.

Outside, Sousuke and Ayame saw a frantic woman examining the little boy. They were close enough to hear her saying. "Where did you go? I was worried about you?"

"I found him, momma. I found Santa! He's inside and I gave him my Christmas list!"

The woman looked through the doors to see the Marine and the display he was 'Guarding'.

Her face grew poignant as she smiled, "OK, honey. But you shouldn't run off like that, OK?"

"OK, momma."

"Let's go." Sousuke and Ayame followed as she led the boy away to a car in an alley. The back of station wagon was packed to the roof with what looked like everything they owned.

She settled the boy in the passenger seat with a comic book and walked to the back of the wagon. There was a pair of bumper stickers on the car. One said 'Semper Fi', the other, 'I (Heart) My Marine'. She sagged to the bumper and sat there quietly crying.

Sousuke pulled his cell and took a picture of the license plate and forwarded it to Kaname and Wade, then called Wade on the Kimmunicator.

"What's up, Sagara?"

"Load-san, can you track our location?"

"Of course, I'm showing ya in Manhattan in New York."

"There is an automobile close to our location. I need you to maintain a watch on it. I sent you the license plate."

Wade pegged at the keyboard for a moment and said, "Got it. As long as they stay in the New York Metro area it won't be a problem. Why do ya want me to eye on 'em?"

"I don't know. Kaname asked me to find out what I could about them."

"Well I got a lock on 'em. I'll start trying to dig up what I can."

"Roger, we'll be in contact. Sagara out."

Shortly after Sousuke and Ayame returned, the group saw a second Marine, a Lance Corporal this time, in dress uniform march up to the Staff Sergeant. He saluted and said, "You are relieved."

The E-6 returned the salute and said, "I stand relieved."

They exchanged places and the Sergeant marched a short distance away. Once he was far enough away, he worked his neck and shoulders around to relieve a few kinks. He noted the approach of what appeared to be Japanese tourist family. Thinking they might be lost or need help, he was mentally trying to recall the Japanese he'd picked up when he'd been stationed in Okinawa.

He gave a short bow and said, "Kon'nichiwa, watashi wa tasuke to naru koto mo arimasu?" (Hello, may I be of assistance?) From Ayame's giggle he knew his pronunciation had to be bad.

Shunya eyed the younger girl and said, "Ayame-chan, anata wa tanin ni yūmoa o mitsukeru mae ni jibun no Nihongo o kōjō sa seru koto o kangaete mirubekida." (Ayame-chan, you should think about improving your own Japanese before finding humor in someone else's.) She ducked her head at the rebuke.

Kaname took charge of the meeting, "Please Sergeant, our English is excellent."

"Thank you, it's been a couple of tours ago since I was with 2nd of the 7th at Camp Schwab in Okinawa. What can I do for you folks?"

Kaname had some time to think about how to broach the subject to the Marine and had decided to start off by making sure he had a reason to trust them. "Sergeant, did you see the news about that dam break a few months ago? The one where Team Possible helped out?"

The Sergeant grinned, snapped his fingers and pointed to Sousuke, "I recognize you now. You were the pilot of that Duck. Ya also did that forced entry, that was some good work. You got some stones boy. But I bet the 'Pucker Factor' was pretty high when ya got hammered in that flood."

He looked to Kaname and said, "And you were flying around with what-his-name, Possible's boyfriend. But the news never figgered out who you guys were. Possible just said you guys were reserve Team members or something. What can I do for ya?"

"Sergeant, I'm Kaname Chidori, this is Sousuke Sagara. We saw that little boy that gave you his list. We'd like to get it from you."

"Why?"

"Cause we're gonna fill it. Sousuke tracked him back to his mother. He said they're living out of their car. According to the information we've been able to dig up, she's the widow of a Marine."

The Marine Sergeant's eyes went flat and he growled, "She's homeless? That's not supposed to happen to a Marine Family. Where is she?"

A few minutes later found a strange procession entering the alley consisting of a Marine and four Japanese nationals. They agreed that Kaname and Ayame, as a young woman and a teen would be the best to draw the woman into trusting them. The two girls approached the car and got the woman's attention. After a moment they were able to convince her to accompany them a short way apart from the car. Once she was with the group, the Marine took charge.

"Ma'am, I am Staff Sergeant Schull, 2nd Battalion, 25th Marine Regiment out of Garden City. Where is your Marine?"

"He was killed two years ago in Fallujah."

"What unit was he in?"

"He called it the 'Triple Deuce'."

Sergeant Schull pondered a moment, "2nd Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment 2nd Marine Division, based out of Camp Lejeune. They took part in Operation Phantom Fury in and around Fallujah, Iraq in Oh five. Ma'am, what are you doing here?"

"After Danny was killed, I came back here to New York. This was where I grew up. I thought I had a job…, but it didn't work out."

"What happened to his SGLI? That should have been enough to get you started, at least."

"His what?"

"His Servicemembers Group Life Insurance."

"…His what?"

"I see, somebody goofed. Well, Ma'am, let's get you home."

She was starting to break down again, "We…we…we don't have one any more."

He looked at her sternly and said, "Ma'am, of course you have a home. You have one with the Marines. You're a Marine Family, and the Marine's take care of their own. If nothing else, I have a garage you can park that car of yours in and heated basement and some cots you can use until we can come up with something better."

"My wife would unscrew my skull and scramble my brains if she found I left you here like this. I'll call her and tell her to expect ya so she can start setting things up. She's making southern fried chicken for dinner. She'll need ta cut up another bird."

He pulled out his wallet and took out a business card. "This has my home phone number and address on it. Just take the 495 out to mile marker 39, from there ya jump onto the Northern State Parkway. Take the Northern State around until you can jump on the Meadowbrook. Take the Meadowbrook until you can get off at Stewart Ave. That'll put you near Nassau Community College. You find a payphone on Stewart and call that number and tell my wife where you are, she'll come find you and take you home."

Then he withdrew a few twenty Dollar bills, "Here, this should be enough to get you enough gas to get ya to Garden City and something to eat on the way. Once we get you on your way, I'll call the Colonel and let him know what's happening. If nothing else find out what happened to your husband's SGLI."

This was all happening just too fast. The stunned woman stood there looking at the card and cash the towering Marine stuffed into her hand and the only thing she could think to say was, "Why?"

"Because Marines don't leave people behind, Ma'am."

She threw herself into the chest of the towering Marine and sobbed, repeating "Thank you." over and over. When she had settled herself a bit, Sergeant Schull said, "Don't thank me, Ma'am. These two are part of Team Possible, thank them. They're the ones that led me to you." Kaname and Sousuke found themselves being smothered by the crying woman.

Once the young widow was on her way, Sergeant Schull turned to Kaname and Sousuke and said, "I want to thank you two for your help."

Kaname answered, "Helping is what the Team is all about, Sergeant. The only thing we need now is that list."

He chuckled and reached into his pocket, saying, "Ya know, I forgot all about that." He opened the folded page of grade school ruled paper and read what was on the list of a little boy. There were no toys or bicycles, no action figures or handheld games on the list. The list consisted of a single thing. In the blocky scrawl of a six year old little boy it read:

Deer Santa, Mommy has ben sad for a whil, bcuse she dont have work any mor. Now we hav to stay in ur car bcase we dont have a partmnt any mor. So fur Crismas coud you hlp Mommy fnd a nuw partmnt fur us ot live in.

He looked at the young adults with a smile and passed the list, "You already filled it."

Confused, the Chidori's and Sousuke started reading. As they did, Sergeant Schull said, "Just so you know, if Team Possible ever needs help, 2nd of the 25th Marines stand ready."

Kaname shook her head, clearing her of her reverie, bringing back to the present. When they arrived at the Possible homestead, Kim led her to the basement where Jim and Tim had taken over her old workout area.

"Tweebs, Kaname wants ta talk to ya.

"I need your help. The two of you are the youngest boys I know besides, Wade."

"Why should we…"
"Help you, your sister…"
"Just ignored us…"
"Like we weren't there."

"How is that my fault?"

They couldn't really answer that and that made them more annoyed. The only explanation they could come up with was,

"If ya don't get it…"
"We can't explain it."

It was a teenage boy thing.

Suddenly Kaname had a flash. These two had a tendency to get focused on a single goal to the exclusion of nearly everything else. She first looked Kim and grinned, "It's all about analogies."

"Huh?"

"A lot of the problem you've had with these two is they lack foresight." She looked at the 'Tweebs' and said, "You two don't often see the consequences of your actions, do you?"

The two of them shrugged,

"It was never a big…"
"Deal in the past…"
"So we never really…"
"Thought about it."

"Well maybe you should start. For example, I can assure you, that very few girls want to share their boyfriends, particularly with another girl. And I can promise you it's the same way with boys."

"What's that got to do with the…"
"Price of H2O2?"

Seeing the confused expressions on the girls they said,

"Hydrogen Peroxide…"
"Rocket fuel."

"Maybe nothing, maybe everything. When it comes to Ayame, the two of you have only been seeing the goal, my sister, instead of the consequences."

Stereo, "Huh?"

Kaname smiled when she snapped her trap, "If you were able to get her attention…which one of you would date her?"

Stereo, "Me, of course."

Their heads snapped to look at each other, "Not you, me." It was a good thing they were having the discussion in Kim's old basement workout room because things quickly devolved from there.

It took a few minutes to settle the twin terrors down enough for Kaname to continue. She looked at the two teens standing before her with their arms crossed and said, "Are the two of you aware of Sousuke's childhood?"

They looked at each other and said, in stereo, "No."

Kaname explained what growing up was like for the Soldier. As she went the two boys quickly grew horrified. "He never got to enjoy any of the things you two take for granted. He was beaten if he was found more than the bare minimum of food. Not spanked, beaten! A holiday for him was a day he didn't have to fight for his food. He was forced into Battle when he was about half your age. And Christmas, Thanksgiving, New Years, all the other holidays you get out of school for, he was denied all of them."

"And I need your help to make that up to him."

The Tweebs looked at each other for a second, turned back to Kaname and said,

"What can we…"
"do to help?"