My thanks to Boris Yeltsin, Eddy, CajunBear73, lelcar, campy, Lostinthought319, Jimmy1201, Quathis, Anonymoose, Bobtrumpet, AceCaps, and F86Sabre53 for their reviews and to everyone for reading.

So, you may be wondering: when will it end? 92 000 words, 39 chapters, and I began posting in 2010. The honest answer is I don't know. I do have a pretty good idea of how I want the story to end and what should happen between now and then. However, I need to put pen to paper, and sometimes, new ideas come to mind that I want to integrate into WTAM. I'm trying to make sure those I include are germane. That said, I really do appreciate your continued readership.

Leave a review and you'll get a personal reply.

Thanks also to everyone who has added this story or author to their favorites or alert lists!

Finally, thank you to campy for reviewing this chapter.

KP © Disney. Original characters © author

Recommendations: Mahler Avatar has begun updating two stories that had been dormant for a couple of years. Beyond the Stars and Groundhog Daze are both worth your attention.

Chapter 39: Do You Know What You're Duing?

I.

"This is Hedda Lyne, reporting live from Llenrock, where we have come to get the truth about Kim Possible: is she still a teen hero or has she become a wild party girl? With me now is her roommate, Fern Berman," Lynn Accurate's mortal enemy in the race for the latest gossip said as the unsuspecting student emerged from the lecture hall. She thrust the microphone into the young woman's face and barked, "Ms. Berman, you're Kim Possible's roommate. What do you have to say about her antics?"

Fern was surprised but did her best to not look annoyed with the reporter; the way she asked her question told Fern the woman was not to be trusted. Grateful for the experience she'd gained from years of watching her brother and his TI teammates deal with the media, she countered, "You mean, saving the world?"

"Um, no," Hedda said, surprised by her interviewee's assurance. "Now, about these stories …"

"Kim's cool, helps people, studies a lot, is tight with her best friend boyfriend, end of story," Fern said.

"Well, that's what she wants us to believe. We have these claims from…"

"One sorry guy with too much ego and too little sense making unsubstantiated charges. There's no story here." She then gently but firmly pushed Hedda aside and walked away.

"Well, we'll see what other students have to say," she sputtered to the still running camera. That's when Samantha Sneed happened by and things got interesting.

II.

Kim shook her head as she looked at the spectral form of her BFBF who had just explained the situation to her. "I'm sorry, Ron, but this is so many flavors of weird."

"Don't I know it, KP," he said, "And there's no need to apologize. The Ron man is cool with things though I'd appreciate if you checked in on Rufus and let him know everything is Chauncey and maybe get Dean B to lay off me for a few days. Man, the homework …"

She looked at him, smirked, then laughed. "You are too much, Ron Stoppable."

"So, we're okay?"

"There was never anything wrong with us," she said reaching out her hands, even though she knew Ron couldn't touch them. Still, his ghostly digits made to entwine with hers. Kim looked down and frowned at their hands. "However, I'm so not down with this."

"Sorry, Kimila."

"What you said earlier: the apology is so not needed," she said before she became pensive. "Do you think you can do some monkey magic and get out of there?"

Ron rubbed the back of his neck nervously. "Yeah, about that …"

Kim arched an eyebrow. "Spill. Now."

"I don't think that'd be a good idea," he hemmed.

Kim was getting exasperated even though she suspected she knew what was motivating his hesitance. "Ron, you're sweet, but we're so beyond your needing to worry about me feeling superfluous."

"Yeah, it's not that, KP, though I'm glad you know that I'm all about having your back, not stealing your thunder."

"That's so romantic," she cooed. Then her demeanor changed, and she order, "Now spill."

"I don't think my hosts really know a lot about my mad fu skills."

Kim was surprised, then pleased. Ron really had been paying attention these past months. He was definitely learning. She grinned. "So it'd be better if we did this old school?" she said with an impish gleam in her eye.

"Exactamundo," he said with a lopsided grin of his own. "I think these guys need to know why you don't mess with the amazing Kim Possible."

"Well, if you put it like that, I guess I'd better get out there," Kim said with a demure grin.

"Coolio. And make it a party. The more people who see …"

"I'm so down with witnesses, Ron," said with a huge smile before she frowned as it occurred to her that she still couldn't hug him. "I so wish I could hug you."

"Yeah, I'm all about the KP hugs," he sighed, before he squirmed uncomfortably.

"Ron?" she asked, suddenly worried about him. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah, but this goop I'm floating in gets everywhere, including—"

"TMI!" she interjected.

III.

"Monkeys? We're collecting monkeys?" an incredulous Tim asked as he looked at the walled yard below and saw plenty of simians bounding about. "You didn't say anything about a safari!"

"No, boy, I did not. We're liberating my ninjas," the English lord said as he landed the aircraft in the middle of the facility's exercise yard. "Open the door."

"What?! There are guys with guns out there!" Along with the monkeys were a number of GJ guards who were conspicuously wielding weapons.

"And they are of no concern to us," Monkey Fist said dismissively.

Tim was about to protest when the older man turned to him. His eyes were suddenly aglow with a malevolent light. The fallen grad student could feel the evil emanating from him. "Open the door and be ready to depart on my command," the man ordered as he pointed a finger at his unwilling manservant's chest.

Trembling, Tim complied. Then the Englishman purposefully strode out of the plane to free his minions.

IV.

"Wow. This is like so juicy," Bonnie said as the video came to a conclusion.

"Thanks. I think this will be ratings gold," Lynn replied. "And I'd be honored to show it on your station."

Lynn needed a new distribution channel for her work and this conniving young woman had the network. The gossipmonger didn't much like the girl, but she had heard that Troy was putting out feelers to other "news" correspondents and didn't want to be scooped, especially by her long time competitor, Hedda Lyne.

"K will never know what hit her," crowed the young woman. "Let's see how Little Miss Smug Mug feels when her adoring public turns on her."

"And turn they will," Lynn said with malice. "The only thing people like more than cheering on a so-called hero is watching one fall flat on her face."

"Then let's give Kimmie a push," Bonnie Rockwaller hissed. She was glad she'd convinced Señor Senior, Senior to buy that satellite television network the previous month, even if it had meant spending hours practicing her evil laugh with the old man when she could have been sitting by the pool and working on her tan.

V.

Kim sat at a conference table with Betty Director and Will Du. "What can you tell me about Area 52?" the teen hero asked.

"You mean Area 51, don't you?" Will Du replied condescendingly.

Director exhaled as she saw the irked expression on Kim's face. "No, Will, she means Area 52."

Will's eyebrows shot up and Kim smirked. "Ma'am?"

Ignoring him, Betty answered the young woman. "After Drakken compromised Area 51 two and a half years ago, General Syms felt a need to build a new, secret installation. He let the rumor spread that the old base was being used to test spy satellites and other reconnaissance equipment, then he built a new underground facility …"

"… Right next door," Kim supplied much to the GJ agent's surprise.

"How do you know that?" Betty inquired.

"Ron's there. And he's not alone," Kim answered.

"Ms. Possible, how can you know this?" Will asked. "Our efforts to locate your sidekick were unsuccessful, and I believe in searching for him that your hacker Mr. Load had one of his rare failures. In fact, when you arrived here, I believe you were asking about Stoppable's whereabouts."

"Can the 'tude, the Will. Ron's my BF and partner and Wade's my webmaster," Kim said coolly as she folded her arms across her chest. Then she smirked. "As weird as this may sound, I know because Ron visited me. Here."

"Excuse me?" Betty asked, not trying to hide her surprise.

"You know about Ron's mystical monkey power," Kim explained. After Betty nodded, she continued. "He's still figuring it out, but, apparently, with the help of some non-Lorwardian aliens he's learned how to mentally project himself."

"Are you saying he's capable of astral projection?" Will sputtered.

"Mmm hmmm," Kim replied.

"Aliens. Telepathy." Betty groaned as she rubbed her temples. "This is getting strange, even by our standards."

Kim snorted. "Welcome to my world," she said, "And I'm so tired of people messing with it."

Betty Director nodded. She had known Kim Possible long enough to anticipate her next move.

"Area 52 is heavily fortified," Betty said. "You will need to be prepared."

"Agreed," Kim said as she got up. "That's why I'm heading back to campus."

"Campus? How will that help get ready?" Will wondered.

"Hello? Visiting a super-secret government facility? I so need to dress properly."

Kim was still wearing the clothing she had on when she and Ron had been taken to GJ. Jeans, a turtleneck, and a college sweatshirt were not appropriate attire for what she planned on doing. Her supersuit however, was a different matter.

"Kim, as much as I'd like to assist you, I fear my hands are tied," Betty apologized. "I can't attack another government agency, even if it's gone rogue and has compromised our network. Too much is at risk now and I need to work through channels …"

"Ma'am?" Will interjected.

"Yes, Will?"

"Permission to go on leave," he said. "Immediately."

"Why?"

"I think you would prefer not to know," he answered, with what Kim thought was a devious smile and a knowing wink.

Betty nodded, then looked back and forth between Will and Kim, seeing her top agent and the young woman she saw as a protégé, knowing that working together they could be formidable, but also recognizing that latent animosity could sabotage any partnership. "I see," she said. "Miss Possible?"

"Check the motto, Doctor Director," Kim responded as a grin appeared on her face. "I can do anything. Even accept help from your number one agent."

To Be Continued …