Ch.24
Ron's dream started fairly simple, he found himself in the backyard of the Stoppable residence. Looking around, he spotted prepwork for a barbecue and got to work, afterall it looks like he was having guests.
A few minutes after making sure the ingredients were up to his satisfaction and starting the grill, Ron's first guest came in.
"Hey Shego." Ron greeted from the grill.
"Hey Ron." Said Shego walking over. Shego was wearing a green and black top, skirt and sandals. The skirt had a long slit up the side of the left leg and an emerald rested on her neck.
Ron struggled to tear his eyes away from her. Although Ron tried, he ended up staring, taking all of her in. Shego was absolutely stunning. Ron noticed the satisfied smile and Shego's lips before he finally found his voice again and complimented. "You're absolutely gorgeous."
~~~~~
Shego was enjoying Ron's honest look of admiration with a satisfied smile and he spoke again. "You're absolutely gorgeous."
It was three simple words and Shego had heard countless variations, if not the same words, many times before but this time it took her breath away. Ron's heartfelt compliment had elated her and if Shego was honest with herself, scared her. She had a million thoughts racing through her mind and light blush she couldn't get to go away. It took her a while to compose herself and by then Ron had reluctantly turned his attention back to the grill.
Shego and Ron chatted as he went about making the food. Just as Shego was putting down some food on the table, she heard very light footsteps and turned to see Yori coming into the backyard.
"Hey Yori!" Shego and Ron greeted simultaneously.
When Shego saw Ron turn around, she had a bittersweet moment, as Ron nearly dropped some food while admiring Yori.
"Beautiful!" Ron breathed.
Even Shego admitted that Yori in the one piece white dress, sandals and her signature red hairband looked beautiful.
"He's right, beautiful." Shego conceded, adding to Yori's blush.
"Thank you Ron-san, Shego-san." Yori said bowing slightly.
After a moment the three continued chatting and setting up the table with Ron's masterpieces. 'What could she say, the man could cook...' Shego's heart started racing again, but before she could explore why, Ron spoke up. "Hey Monique."
Shego had a moment of dread, her mind racing. Her right hand went up to her necklace, her thumb behind the emerald, pressing the fingerprint scanner for her hoverboard to sweep by and help her with a quick getaway. She was looking up when Ron walked up to her and stretched out his hand. Shego was torn with indecision when Yori came up next to Ron and stretched out her hand with a smile. That was the moment Shego made a decision that she feared she would come to regret. She let them in!
Just as the hoverboard came to a stop a meter above her head, Shego grabbed Ron's and Yori's hands. Her grip was firm as Ron whispered. "I won't let anything happen to you." And Yori added. "We, won't let anything happen to you." Ron smiled and conceded. "We!"
Shego was touched and on the verge of tears as Monique finally walked into the backyard.
~~~~~
"Hey Ron!" Monique greeted from the other side of the fence, wondering how Ron even knew she was there. As she entered the backyard she did a double take. She expected Ron, afterall he had already greeted her. Then there was Yori, which wasn't too surprising, but she would have never guessed the third person, Shego!
Her surprise must have been obvious because Shego looked like she was ready to jump onto what looked like a hoverboard floating above her. Before either could make a decision on what to do, Ron spoke up. His tone natural and a bit firm. "Monique, I want you to meet Shego, a close friend. Shego this is Monique, likewise a close friend."
Monique had no doubt what Ron meant. It was crystal clear for anyone who knew him. One, you're my friends. Two, I want you to try to be friends. And three, if not, at least don't fight! What could Monique say, Ron rarely showed such a side and although she had tons of questions, she had faith in his judgement.
"NTMYS(nice to meet you Shego)." Monique greeted after a moment of thinking but from the blank look Shego gave her she knew she had to explain. "Nice to meet you, Shego."
"Nice to meet you too." Said Shego. "But can I ask, why the abbreviations?"
"ONOREA(oh no one really ever asked)." Said Monique before explaining. "Oh, no one really ever asked. With the people I'm close to I like to treasure every moment so I tend to keep conversations short."
"Oh!" Said Shego taking a moment to think. "Can I ask that you say the really long ones normally? That way you won't have to repeat yourself."
'She has a point, even Ron and Kim have blank looks when I talk sometimes.' Monique thought and seeing Ron nearly nod she agreed. "IT(I'll try)."
"TY(thank you)." Replied Shego.
~~~~~
"Two things." Said Ron seeing that the tension dissipated. "One, looking great Monique." He said, missing the satisfied smile and added. "And two, can I get a ride on the hoverboard?"
At his words, the ladies started to laugh. It wasn't long before everyone was chatting and having good time. Ron noticed Shego placed the hoverboard to the side, leaning it on the fence. And, although Ron wasn't sure how, he noticed someone else arriving that he chose to greet personally. He went to the gate leading to the backyard and opened it waiting for her. Once he saw her Ron took a minute to swallow before speaking. "Hey, Mrs. Dr. P."
~~~~~
"Hey Ron." Ann greeted. She was wearing a comfortable one piece purple dress and was satisfied with Ron's reaction, helping her regain her confidence that her efforts to maintain her figure are working.
"Ah, right." Ron said, turning sideways and inviting Ann inside. "Mrs. Dr. P. That's Shego a close friend. And you know Monique and Yori."
Ann had a moment to compose herself and spoke a greeting. She had lots of questions but decided to wait, afterall Ron had been clear. They were among friends and she did not want to ruin things by openly questioning his judgement.
After joining the conversation and chatting for a while Ann was shocked at how natural everything felt. 'Leave it to Ron to create such an environment.'
~~~~~
Tara was up late in to the night talking with Bonnie. They were going over the plan for her confession to Ron and Tara found herself too excited to sleep. She wanted to go over everything to make sure it all went down perfectly.
"...and on Saturday after you finish tutoring him would be the perfect day. Since it's the weekend you can ask him over early and once you're done you can tell him." Bonnie was suggesting. "I even recomend going on movie date before. There's this horror film that would give you the perfect excuse to hug him. By the time the movie ends the mood should be perfect." Bonnie concluded.
"I can't believe you thought of all of this, thank you Bonnie.
"No problem, you should go online and order the tickets. That way there won't be a problem." Said Bonnie.
Tara and Bonnie were about to try to figure out the best time when Tara's mom spoke from outside her room. "Tara sweetie it's time to go to bed!"
"Ok mom." Tara answered before saying goodnight to Bonnie and whispering a question. "Text?"
"Text!" Was Bonnie's reply.
~~~~~
At some point in the night Ron found himself in the familiar clearing within himself. He composed himself and sat down to meditate trying to achieve a state of selflessness. It didn't take him long to achieve it and after a while he started loosing it. When he looked around himself, he noticed that it was raining and realized that it was the same training Master Sensei and done earlier. Seeing that was the next step Ron understood what he had to do.
Ron lost track of time, not that he could really track it to begin with, but he lost it anyway. He did eventually succeed in achieving a sense of selflessness and maintain it even while it rained. In time, the rain intensified and thunder rumbled after a lightning struck in the distance, snapping him out of meditation. Taking a glance at the woman next to him, Ron saw that she maintained a state of selflessness and went back to meditating.
It was not easy, in fact, it was extremely difficult and although Ron had despaired that he would not succeed at first, his determination to not give up helped him through. Like this the environment changed, from raining to cold, eventually snowing and later to hot and near burning but he managed to maintain his state of selflessness.
~~~~~
Yori woke up with a big smile on her face. She was hugging Ron's jersey. Reluctant to part with it she folded it and tucked it under her pillow before she went about getting ready. Surprisingly, she was the first one into the bathroom that morning and after Yori finished it looked like Shego had yet to wake up.
Quietly making her way downstairs, Yori noted Ron sleeping on the couch and made her way over. Although she was embarrassed to admit it she looked to see if he had a 'morning wood' as Shego had put it. To her relief and slight disappointment. With a wry smile, she bent down by Ron's head and while caressing his face whispered. "It time to wake up Ron-san."
To Yori's delight, a smile appeared on Ron's face as he whispered her name before he opened his eyes. With a smile she greeted. "Morning, Ron-san."
"Morning, Yori." Ron said as his hand reached her face and caressed it. Blushing at his touch but not pulling away from him.
~~~~~
Ann had a smile as she woke up, which disappeared as soon as she reached for James. Looking to his side of the bed, Ann noticed that James never made it home the day before. Wiping some tears away Ann made her way to the bathroom.
~~~~~
Shego woke up feeling great and refreshed. She had nothing but Ron's jersey on and and that made her smile. She went through her morning routine and checked to make sure no GJ agents were surrounding the house before making her way downstairs. She spotted Ron and Yori in the kitchen already making breakfast. From a quick glance at the kitchen clock Shego realized she slept through the morning exercise and run.
"Morning, Shego/-san." Ron and Yori greeted her with and smile.
Shego felt like hugging and kissing them. Shego had to admit that when she wanted something she usually went and got it, so she did just that. She first went up to Yori and brought her into a hug. After she gave her a quick peck on the lips. "Morning, Yori."
While she did this, Shego noticed that she had surprised not only Yori but Ron too. With a smile she went up to him and brought him into a hug. The kiss she gave Ron was a little longer. Then she greeted him. "Morning, Ron."
Both teens where blushing by this point and Shego admitted she was satisfied with their reaction. So with a slow sway to her hips she made her way over to the coffee maker, ready for her morning coffee.
~~~~~
Ron had a million things running through his mind after Shego's actions, but in the depths of his heart he admitted to himself that it felt right. Shego was unrestrained and true to herself ever since he met her. She wanted something, she did or got it and that kind of honesty is something Ron admired in her. Still Ron was in a daze till Rufus squeaked. "Burning!"
Hearing him, Ron rebooted and went back to cooking. It wasn't long before he finished and had the table ready. As everyone went through their meal and chatted Ron finally remembered that he invited Monique over and mentioned it.
"So Shego, would you like to wear your disguise or are you ok with her seeing you?" Ron asked, but before Shego had a chance to answer he went on. "Once I explain to her we are friends, I'm sure Monique will agree to keep your presence a secret. Even from KP but if you feel safer in your disguise I'll support your decision."
Shego's reaction surprised Ron at first. She smiled at him and looked between him and Yori a moment. He was about to reassure her that he would make sure she was safe when Shego finally spoke. "I won't be wearing my disguise but you might want to talk to her before she sees me. It would be bad if she sees me and calls the cops before you get your chance to explain."
After he heard Shego, Ron to a moment to think and finally spoke. "Trust me, I got this."