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Finally, special thanks to campy for proofreading this chapter.
Author's Note: If you haven't already read "Fly Me to the Moon," you might want to do so. Events and people referenced in this chapter take place in that story.
Chapter 17: Just Desserts?
I.
Kim had been trying to overcome her sour mood ever since the Possibles had left Middleton but she was in a rare funk. She felt bad, because here she was heading off to college and her parents were being awesomely supportive, but every time she looked at the empty seat beside her she thought of Ron, who was not in the car with her. And, she reflected, would not be with her over the next year save vacations, visits and missions.
And that was the best-case scenario.
If he wasn't able to boost his grades and transfer or for some other reason was not accepted by Llenrock, they'd be apart for the better part of four years.
Despite knowing Llenrock was an excellent choice for her, Kim found herself wishing she had gone to Upperton. Maybe they'd still take me, she mused — at which moment she envisioned her boyfriend telling her that was quitter talk, which made her smile. Still, she wished she could actually hear his voice, and not just imagine it. Looking at her watch, she knew that wasn't possible since Ron and Mr. Smarty were supposed to be in the White House meeting the president of the United States at that very moment.
II.
"Daddy!"
A little girl with pigtails barreled into the Oval Office and jumped into her father's lap. The president smiled with pride. "Martin, you remember my daughter, Abby."
The mogul smiled. "Nice to see you, young—"
The child's eyes opened wide in wonder. "You're the 'Naked Mole Rap' guy!"
"The what?" the befuddled CEO asked.
"Uh, Sir, I think she's talking about me," Ron said nervously. "I was on American Starmaker a couple of years ago. I think I may've heard there's some video of the number I did on the Internet."
Abby smiled. "I saw you on meTube!" she said with a smile before asking excitedly, "Is Rufus here?"
"No, sorry, he's back home in Middleton with my little sister."
"Could you do your song for me anyway? Please?"
"Uh, right now? Here?" Ron tried to suppress the unwelcome image of Steve Barkin finding a way to court-martial him for rapping in the White House.
"Pretty please?" the little girl asked, batting her little eyelashes at Ron and then her father. It wasn't the Puppy Dog Pout, but it was still potent.
Lyle Lott laughed indulgently. He was now exceedingly grateful that the Enterprise battle group had not destroyed the Soviet Cold War underwater base that had been discovered earlier in the summer. His daughter would never have forgiven him if she learned he'd given the order to blow up someone she clearly adored. "How about it?" he asked. "You'll have your country's gratitude."
Martin Smarty leaned over and whispered, "And mine, too."
III.
Kim and her parents were sitting in a booth at the highway rest stop food court eating some lunch.
"Is everything okay, Kimmie?" James asked, worried about his daughter.
"I so wish Ron were here right now," Kim sighed. "Sorry."
"It's okay, honey. Everything will be fine," Anne said, recognizing her eldest child was still dealing with transition anxiety. "I'm sure you'll get to talk with him tonight when he gets back home."
"Yeah," Kim said with a warm smile. She was glad she had arranged for him to have his own Kimmunicator; that way they could "see" each other every day. I wonder how his day in Washington is going? she wondered.
IV.
"Young man, I've been in politics for twenty-five years now and I can tell when someone is trying to avoid telling me something," the president said firmly. "What is it?"
Ron gulped. He didn't want to say anything to embarrass Mr. Smarty or, even worse, Kim.
"Uh, nothing, Sir. Really." He looked around the small, private dining room that was just off the president's office, desperately trying to avoid making eye contact. Even without any threat of monkey ninjas, he feared this wasn't going to end well.
Martin Smarty looked from Lyle Lott to Ron and back again. "Speak up, Ronald. This is your Commander-in-Chief asking you something …"
Ron couldn't help but think Kim was his Commander-in-Chief. He wisely decided to leave that thought unspoken, too.
"… Of course, if you want to keep silent, you can always do that back in the pet department."
"Fine," Ron sighed, knowing he was beaten. "This cake. It's like Cafeteria Lady made it. I could do better than this with my eyes shut!"
The president was taken aback. "What do you mean?"
"It's dry, the flavors are off, it's got a, oh how do they say it in France, je ne c'est nothing."
Lyle took another bite of his dessert. He sat thoughtfully, then laid down his fork. "You're right. This cake could cause a diplomatic incident."
"Really?" both Ron and Martin said at the same time.
"Yes," Lyle sighed. "I only hired the pastry chef because my wife wanted to find a job for her sister's husband's brother. I should have known that somebody who had apprenticed in a Bavarian Strudelworks and Munitions Factory would be bad news."
"Well, I'm glad that Ronald was able to help you avoid some trouble," Martin said, mentally calculating how much all of this goodwill was going to be worth to Smarty Mart.
"Yeah," Lyle said before he grew pensive. Then he looked at Ron. "You said you could do better than this. You mean that or are you just blowing smoke?"
Ron gulped nervously, suddenly felt like he'd been braggy. But then he remembered the popularity of Seven Layers of Heaven. If his cake could tame take-no-prisoners Steve Barkin, surely it would satisfy some self-important VIPs. Then he thought of Kim and how she would want him to help. That's what Team Possible did, after all. And he was supposed to be her partner … "Ron Stoppable is at your service, Sir."
"Excellent," the president said. He pressed a button and moments later Polly Titian, his most trusted aide, appeared. "Polly, please take Mr. Stoppable to the kitchen."
V.
Kim finally gave in to her desire to hear her boyfriend's voice and called him. Ron was supposed to be done with his big meeting and should be free to talk. And even if he wasn't available, she could always leave him a message. She activated the Kimmunicator, pressed the speed dial button, and called her BFBF.
His image appeared on-screen. What she saw surprised her.
"KP?" he said, harried but clearly pleased by the call. "Where are you?"
"We just crossed into Illinois and we've checked into a motel," she answered. "But what I want to know is why are you wearing a chef's hat?"
Ron looked sheepish. "Long story but I'm in the White House kitchen making Seven Layers of Heaven for some fancy pants state dinner."
"You are so kidding me," she said, immediately regretting how that sounded when she saw the hurt expression on her boyfriend's face. "No! No! Ron, that sounded bad. I meant that that wasn't quite what I was expecting you to be doing today. The president is ferociously lucky to have you making Seven Layers of Heaven for whoever is there."
"Thanks, KP," he said with a lopsided grin. "I'll make you some when I visit Llenrock."
Kim smiled fondly. "You're going to fatten me up so none of the guys here will be interested?"
"I see you've figured out my evil plan, Kimberly Anne," Ron said in his best Zorpox voice.
Kim laughed. "So where's Mr. Smarty?"
Ron's grin turned to something more vexed. "Upstairs, enjoying dinner."
"You should be there, too," Kim said sympathetically, feeling bad for him.
"Maybe, but a badical redhead I know has taught me that it's more important to help people," Ron said with renewed enthusiasm.
Kim beamed. "I'm proud of you, Ron. And I miss you."
"Thanks, KP," he said. "Look—HEY, I ASKED YOU TO FOLD THAT IN, NOT MUTILATE AND SPINDLE IT! YOU'RE GONNA START WORLD WAR THREE! AAIIIEEEE! Kim, gotta go, bye!"
The call abruptly ended, Kim sighed. That's my guy, she thought happily.
VI.
Ron was helping the rest of the kitchen staff clean up. Leaving everyone to deal with the mess didn't seem right and he didn't really know where he was supposed to go anyway and while it would have been nice to talk with Kim he knew she would be asleep since the Possibles would be setting out early in the morning to complete their trip to Llenrock. Ron was musing on all of this when the kitchen fell unnervingly silent.
The first thing he did was check that his pants had not plummeted. Relieved, he looked around and finally caught sight of the President of the United States. The kitchen staff were treating him deferentially but with what appeared to be genuine affection. This guy would have clobbered Prince Wally in the school election, Ron thought randomly. Suddenly, Lyle Lott was standing in front of him with his hand extended. "Ron Stoppable, that was the best dessert I've ever had!"
"You liked it?" he asked.
"Liked it? I loved it! Even better, the Euro Alliance president went crazy for it. Thanks to your cake, I think we may have just avoided a trade war."
"Well, just trying to help," Ron said.
"Why don't you come up to the Family Quarters?" Lott said. "I'd like to talk some more."
"Are you sure, Sir? I mean, it's late and I've got to find Mr. Smarty or a hotel and—"
Lott waved a dismissive hand. "You can stay in the Lincoln Bedroom. It'll be historic."
"Historic? Really?"
"Yes," the president said with a chuckle. "You'll be the first person in decades who hasn't made a campaign gift to spend the night!"
VII.
"You stayed where?" an impressed if undeniably surprised Kim asked.
"You heard me, KP!" Ron said gleefully. "The Lincoln Continental Bedroom!"
"I think you mean the Lincoln Bedroom," she said with a smirk.
"You sure, KP?" Ron replied.
"So sure, Ron."
"I guess that explains why there aren't any car pictures in here."
Kim rolled her eyes but then smiled. "Even without pictures, this is so the drama. I can't believe my BF stayed in the White House last night!"
"Believe it, KP! Your best friend boyfriend is living large in the Big House!"
Kim quirked an eyebrow.
"Okay, that didn't sound right, did it?"
"Not so much," she agreed before she continued. "But, best friend boyfriend of mine, next time you start freaking about how you're going to lose me because I'm at a Leafy League school and you're not, remember who spent last night in the White House as a personal guest of the President of the United States and who slept in a budget motel."
"The White House rocks, KP, but I'd rather be with you up in the old tree house."
Kim smiled warmly. "Keep those compliments coming, please and thank you."
"Will do, Kimila," Ron said. "Look, I gotta go now but I'll talk to you tonight. Can't wait to hear about your first day at college!"
VIII.
The Possibles were heading down the interstate when the Kimmunicator beeped.
"What's the sitch, Wade?" Kim asked.
"I don't know, Kim," he answered. "I'm patching through a call from President Lott."
"Lyle Lott?" she responded, hoping that the start of her collegiate career wasn't about to be delayed by some whacked villain or, even worse, something unexpected involving Ron.
James Possible chuckled. "Ah, calls from the President. I don't remember that happening when I was a kid. Though there was that visit from the Defense Department officials after that business with Pinky Jo Curlytail …"
"Dear, hush," Anne said.
"Here you go," Wade said before his image was replaced by that of a woman Kim didn't recognize. "I have the President of the United States on the line for you, Ms. Possible."
"Thank you," she said, with a sangfroid of someone who dealt with world leaders on a regular basis.
"Kim Possible!"
"Mr. President," she said politely, very much wondering why he was contacting her.
The answer was quick in coming.
"I'm calling to thank you for all the times you've saved the world, especially last summer when you took out that blintz in the Pacific – and, more importantly, for lending me your boyfriend. That cake he made for last night's State Dinner was incredible!"
"I know Ron was happy to help. It's what we do and I'm sure he'd agree it was no big."
"That's awfully kind of you to say, but I know it was big. Ron told me he was supposed to help you move to Llenrock."
"He was, but Mr. Smarty asked him to go to Washington with him and he's pretty serious about his job. I wish he were here but I really like it when he can step up."
"Well, Kim, he certainly did step up and he did you, and the United States of America, proud last night. I'm sorry to have taken him away from you. I owe you."
"Mr. President, that's nice of you to say, but so not necessary."
"Of course it is. Besides, we fellow Llenrockers need to look out for each other!"
"Oh, that's right, you went to the College!" Kim said, recalling the admissions brochure spread on the university's famous alumni, which included the President.
"And the Law School, too, after I got out of the Army," he said with unabashed school pride. "Hopefully I'll get to thank you again in person when I'm on campus this fall for the big game against Kingston! Well, I'd better go now. I think the Vice President is trying to think up ways to reinvent government again and even you won't be able to save the world if we let him start doing that. Take care!"
"You too, Sir," said. With that the call ended, the screen went blank, and Kim Possible continued her journey to college. She thought of her conversation, of what her boyfriend had done in the past 24 hours, and then wondered what Llenrock, where she'd just be one of hundreds of accomplished first-year students, had in store for her.
To Be Continued ...
KP, RS (c) Disney; Lyle Lott, Polly Titian (c) the Author