Hey, hey, hey. It's been a while real life sucks sometimes. We are coming up on the second anniversary of a world health crisis and a lot of people's lives have been turned upside down. It is slowly getting better…finally.
News around Sentinal's house, the fat guy has taken over the local management of a national charity organization chapter until April 2024, so I have one more iron in the fire so to speak. This, however, should not change the timing of chapters as they come out.
Now, I want to tell everyone that they should not need meds to keep them from having adverse reactions to some of my tales this time.
Anyway, I want to thank everyone who has either, read, faved, alerted, followed or reviewed. SOOOOO, this is where I get to answer some of those reviews: Gj agent, with Missus Pea….not sure I wanna be on the same planet; CB73, Ronnie boy is lucky enough to have made friends. As to 'Eric's' security, it will take some bumps in the future; Bobtrumpet, Ron's train wreck is gonna be spectacular when it hits.
Jimmy1201, In this chapter Monique will get an eye opening. As for Hanna being a target….Dean died on the operating table and Barb was murdered, as far as the police are concerned that was just a one off. GJ though, is a little more nervous about the matter. Oh, Barkin stays prick as you will see in this chapter. Groan about priorship.
I also want to thank CajunBear73 for all his work as editor, he knows that I am working on chapter 90 something right now and he has to get through all that. He deserves all your sympathy.
Let's get this show on the road,
ST-103
The Hunter: Book Two
Chapter 26
Middleton:
The blond teen sniffed as the last of the cars not part of the grieving party drove away through the snow shower. Justine and Mike took Ron's Sister away earlier to the family center at the Temple for the Celebration of Life which was going to follow. Rabbi Katz patted the oldest Stoppable on the shoulder.
"Ronald you should go, you're barely on your feet, and you look horrible. When was the last time you slept?"
"Uh….I….I don't know uh Rabbi…"
Dave Alberts said, "We'll get him to the dinner Rabbi."
"Thank you my son, Ronald needs his friends right now."
Tank (he drove his truck) forcibly turned his friend away from the newly filled grave as Curt and Dave hemmed the former running back in.
Dave Alberts added, "The Rabbi is right, you need to get off your feet. You have to take care of your Sister now."
Our hero nodded, "Yeah, I know. Not surprised Kim didn't make it, it's not her thing."
"Heard her jerk boyfriend had something to do with it, don't blame her. Anyway, both her parents and brothers made it.", Curt told his friend.
"Yeah, sigh, let's go.", Ron stated and walked towards Tank's pickup truck.
Dave inquired, "You're not taking the limo?"
Sighing wearily, "Let me tell them to go back."
Curt frowned, "I'll do it, they don't need to be out in this weather too waiting on your skinny ass."
X
Dave got into the back seat behind Ron, "They weren't real happy, but they agreed that it's up to you Ron. Let's go to the lunch that the ladies have laid out for us."
Ron fastened his seat belt then stopped, "Shit, where's Hanna?"
"Don't worry, Mike and Justine have her. They swiped your car seat yesterday, remember?", Tank frowned as he wondered just how far his friend was 'out of it'.
"Yeah, I remember now…Everything is a blur…Crud, this sucks. I don't have all my stuff in one sock."
"Ron,", Dave advised, "do you wanna speak with my parents? …. You like, had to grow up in less than a month."
"I…I don't know let me think about it Dave. I have to figure out my future…Definitely not going to college right away…"
Tank asked, "Did you get your entrance exam scores back yet. The SATs should'a been here by now."
"Crud, I haven't had time to look, I wonder if Mom or Dad put them somewhere?"
Dave frowned, "Look around the house I'm sure your parents wouldn't have tossed them."
"You don't…errrr didn't know my Mom and Dad.", Ron countered as Tank put the truck in gear to follow the road to exit the cemetery.
XXX
Middleton Memorial Hospital:
"Eric, I have to go to the funeral and I'm late.", Kim admonished her 'English' boyfriend.
"Kimberly, I am very sorry that I twisted my ankle, but I think you can offer condolences at a later date.", Eric winced as he tried to tie his shoe over the now wrapped ankle.
The heroine smiled tightly and kneeled down, Sigh, "I'll take you home Eric, is there anyone there to take care of you?"
"No one will be there for a few hours Kimberly; I am sorry for upsetting your plans. We could go, but I'm afraid that I will not be able to perform my duties to offer my sympathies to Ronald Stoppable, however."
"Eric, I'll drive you home from the hospital and on the way to your house I'll call Mom or Dad to let them know I'll talk to Ron tonight.", Kim suggested, a little peeved with her beau.
"Thank you, Kimberly, I am sorry that I intruded on your plans for the funeral.", Eric replied as he picked up the crutches that the hospital lent him and used them to help him get up and make for the exit of the emergency room.
When they got out to the Sloth, the heroine opened the passenger door and helped the English teen inside. Wiping the accumulated snow off the driver's door she entered and turned the vehicle on. While it was warming up, she pushed the 'Connect' button on her wrist Kimmunicator. In a moment Wade's holographic image appeared before her. "How did it go, Kim?", Wade's voice came though the speakers in the auto slash airplane.
Sighing, "Eric has a twisted ankle. I am going to take him home and keep him company until one of his staff gets back.", she informed her tech guru.
"Okay, well you missed the funeral and the interment. They're going to do the lunch thing."
"Did Ron say anything about me not being there?"
"No, but you should talk to him. Your parents told Ron what was going on, Kim."
"I'll talk to him…"
"Oh, before I forget, tell Eric I need to see his unit you gave him before Christmas so I can download the current updates to it."
Perking up slightly, Eric inquired, "Updates?"
"Yeah.", Wade responded, "When I come up with something new and after I check it out, I download updates so the units are cutting edge."
"I will do that when I get home…"
Wade Load explained, "All you have to do is turn the unit on, it will automatically download the updates."
"What needs to be downloaded?", Eric asked, doing his best to hide his growing glee at the apparent windfall he'd receive at this motherload of tech.
"This is current state of the art in encryption. But you have to make sure that no bad guys get to it. Though I am working with the NSA on this using the Kimmunicators as a testbed, it could leave a huge security hole in the United States if it gets in the wrong hands. This cutting-edge stuff and I have started the patent process. I expect to make about ten million bucks off it if the Air Force picks it up, as well as the NSA.", the genius laughed as Kim and Eric bought this hook-line-and-sinker. [Yay! Wade's gonna brick the damn thing! Party at Larry's house! ... LOL!...CB]
(AN…..do you actually think I'd leave THAT plot hole open?)
"I will do so, thank you Doctor Load."
"Hey you're welcome, thanks for testing the software.", Wade now lied since he was in effect sending a computer order to remove some of the super-secret data off Kim's old unit that Eric had absconded with the previous fall. [Or not yet…At least Wade's gonna clear things off the unit that Hans can no longer exploit…]
"Waaaadddeee?"
"Yeah Kim."
"I didn't know you made money off this."
"I need to Kim, that's how you get freebies, because for the most part they aren't free. You guys test the stuff out and then I contract it to the government or tech companies after I patent them. I can make enough money to keep Team Possible afloat while make sure we have state-of-the-art gear to keep you guys safe.", Wade explained.
"But we're not supposed to make money off this.", Kim pointed out.
"Kim, you have to get some income to keep the team going so you can help people. This is more than just getting free rides you know. Parachutes, all your gadgets, cost something, at least, for the part to make those things."
"You could have asked my 'rents for donations…"
"Kim, aside from rides we need the income, I don't abuse it. I don't live in a luxury house and you can see that Ron doesn't either. We just do what we have to do…anyway, if your parents spent all their extra cash on helping us out where are you going to get the funds to go to college?"
Kim suggested, "We could get some funding from GJ…"
Eric butt in, "Kimberly and I are going to college together Wade…."
"I don't count on that, Eric, until it happens.", Wade countered knowing things could go 'south' if Kim and Eric broke up.
"Anyway Kim, we do get…some funding from GJ, mostly in the R&D end of it. But they have to watch where their funds go as well since they get audited every half year."
"I didn't know that, Wade."
"Yeah, well, it's part of the mundane things that I have to deal with, Kim."
Sighing, "Sure, I understand and I think Eric will turn his unit on to get the latest updates, Wade."
Eric promised as he thought about the gold mine that he might reap out of this, "I will do so when I get home."
"Yeah, thanks Eric. Once that's done, I can clear it off my to-do list. Kim, I'm pulling up your Mom's cellphone so you can tell her what's going on."
"Thanks Wade, you rock.", the younger red-head responded.
"Kimmie, is that you?", Anne Possible's voice asked over the stereo speaker in the Sloth.
"Yeah, Mom."
"Where are you, honey?"
"I called Eric before the service, he twisted his ankle…He didn't want to tell me about it, but when I got there, he was obviously having too much trouble. I took him to the ER and they iced it, wrapped it up and lent him crutches.", the eldest child of James and Anne Possible informed her.
Anne pointed out, "You are an EMT Kimmie, you could have fixed Eric up…"
"I could have, but if he had a fracture, Eric could really have hurt his leg. I made the call to get some x-rays and had them looked at then the ER treated the injury."
"Is Eric accident prone honey? He hurt his back on that rescue mission from what you told me, then he fell in front of Ron's house before Dean's funeral and now he twisted his ankle before Barb's funeral.", Anne observed out loud.
"Mom, Eric wanted to go, but he was in too much pain.", Kim explained, "Anyway, how is Ron doing?"
"Your friend is barely holding it together honey, luckily he has made other friends over the past year. Many of the cheerleaders are helping out including Bonnie and of course the football team acts like a band of brothers.", Anne informed her daughter.
"It's good to see that people have Ron's back. You're right Mom, Ron has stepped up to the plate with making friends now since he is more popular."
"Tara's Mother and Father were here too; it seems Ronald is having trouble with Mister Barkin again. He didn't want Ronald to have time off for the funeral. If that man is ever on my table, it will be very hard to keep something from slipping."
"Mom, you don't mean that…"
"Since I consider your best friend to be one of my children it would not be in anyone's best interest if I had to operate on him, you understand honey."
"Well hopefully Mister Barkin won't need your services in the future Mom, but the reason I called is that I am going to stay with Eric until his friends get home. I really don't want him to hobble around and worry about him."
"We will inform Ronald of your situation, Kimmie."
"If the lunch is still going on when Eric's friends get over, I'll drop by, but could you give Ron my thoughts about his family if I don't make it in time?"
"I will do that Kimmie, now be careful. There are still snow showers and the streets will be a little slick."
"I'll be careful Mom, give my best to everyone."
"Goodbye dear."
XX
The red head checked over both shoulders to make sure she was clear and put the Sloth into drive and pulled out.
X
Eric hobbled to the front door of his house and removed his key from his pocket, then stepped back. "After you, Kimberly."
The heroine shook her head, "You go ahead Eric, you are injured."
"But Kimberly…"
Kim gave her boyfriend a slight push to get him in the door.
The red head helped the injured young man with his coat and went to the refrigerator and came back with two bottles of soda and asked as he sat down on the sofa, "What do you want to watch on the tube, boyfriend?"
Sigh, "There is a documentary that I was interested in…"
"Good, take your meds and you can wash them down with a soda. I'll find the show you want to see."
X
Eric wondered out loud, "I wonder if your friend is going to be able to care for his Sister, Kimberly?"
"Ron has been doing fairly well since they were injured. I think he'll do fine; he has people helping him.", the heroine enlightened her boyfriend.
"You know my position about your friend Kimberly, but I have an idea. Would you like to hear it?"
XXX
James looked at the boy, now very close to being a man. The teen was held onto rather tightly by the red-haired woman. The rocket scientist revealed to the teen, "Eric had another accident and Kimmie had to take him the hospital. Now she has taken him home and will stay with him until his friends get there."
Ron chuckled, "I swear, that English guy is more klutzy than I am. Anyway, it's probably for the best if Kim doesn't show. I don't want to aggravate her allergies to me."
Sighing wearily, "I think she could deal with it for a few minutes, Ronald. Your Mother was a fine woman and it was my pleasure to know her.", Anne Possible observed to him as she held his hand with her right and held the raven-haired tot on her lap with the left.
"Thanks Mrs. Doctor P, I appreciate the kind words. Uh how is your training going in Denver?", as Ron turned the conversation away from Eric, Kim, and the teen's now deceased parents.
Sighing again, "It is going well Ronald, and it is going at what seems to be to be too slow of a pace. I miss my family which includes you and your Sister, as well as my work here in Middleton."
"Well, in about three months you'll be back and things will be great for the Possible clan."
Anne frowned at the despondent teen, "But not for you…"
Shrugging, "Me and Hanna will do fine…"
Ron stopped for a moment as his insurance agent, Marvin Klein, came over, "May I join you, Ron?"
"Sure Mister Klein…Marvin, this is Mister and Mrs. Doctor Possible. Doctors Possible this is Marvin Klein. He is an old college friend of Dad and was his insurance agent since Christ was a Corporal.", Ron introduced the adults.
"Mister and Mrs. Possible are your friends?", Marvin inquired.
"Closer to my second parents, but yes. Anything that you have to say to me can be said in front of them, they were good friends with Mom and Dad.", Ron responded.
"I want you to know there has been a personal injury claim made against your home. Do you know a Mister Eric Thornbottom?", the agent asked.
James nodded, "He is Kimberly's boyfriend."
"I thought Ronald was her boyfriend?", Marvin pointed out.
Ron clarified, "Was. She doesn't remember so she found someone else."
"You didn't tell her that they were dating?"
Sighing in frustration, "On the advice from a professional, we did not.", Anne clued the agent in.
Marvin rolled his eyes, "Alright, I don't get into personal relationships, but this Mister Thornbottom has filed a claim against the homeowners' insurance for the Stoppable home for damages from an injury he incurred a few weeks ago. What do you want me to do Ronald?"
"Uh, I've never had to deal with insurance except for my scooter, so I don't know.", Ron replied as he, once more, felt like he got kicked in the 'nads.
"I will process the claim Ronald, but Mister Thornbottom has filed for two hundred and fifty thousand dollars which I think is rather excessive. I will notify our attorneys…", Marvin explained, "For relatively small claims we just pay them out to avoid the cost of going to court, but for something like this it is worth us to fight it in court you understand."
"Yes Sir."
Marvin frowned, not liking where this was going at all, "I highly suggest you get a decent lawyer as well; he might decide to go after you personally."
"I ah have someone I have been working with. I will contact him.", Ron replied.
"Good now that is taken care of…How are you holding up?"
"Great, just great.", the blond teen responded.
"That's BS and we both know it. Oh, Doctors Possible, please don't speak of what I said about the insurance claim to your daughter. I do not want to give Mister Thornbottom's attorney advanced knowledge of our plans."
James frowned, "Of course. However, I do not know why Eric is making a claim. According to him, his family is very well off."
Marvin shook his head, "Some people, no matter how well-to-do they are, will just make claims and threaten to sue the average Joe. Trust me, Dean Stoppable had purchased very good insurance. He felt having the best was worth not having to worry about someone taking everything he had if something went very badly…Oh, and Ronald, come to the office next week. I have a check for Dean's car. It was totaled. This will allow you to buy a replacement vehicle if you need to."
"Ah Sir, Mom's car runs fine. I don't need to buy another one."
XX
Josh walked up to Anne Possible and held out his hands for the raven-haired tyke. "Doctor Possible, Tara and I can watch Hanna…it's sorta our turn.", the artist offered.
Anne kissed the child on the top of her head and handed Ron's sister off to Josh's waiting hands.
The surgeon blushed as the 'hot' artist got some distance from them, "That boy is going to make Tara a great husband, I hope she knows enough not to let him get away."
Ron chuckled, "She knows Mrs. P, there ain't no way Josh won't be waiting for her to walk down the aisle to him in a few years."
The insurance man got up and went over to the buffet. Anne stared at the blond teen, "Ronald I am sorry…"
"Sorry? For what?", Ron asked.
"For not telling Kimmie about what you two had."
"Don't worry about it Ma'am, it's better off this way. The way it's turning out there is no way I can go to college now."
James leaned in, "Ronald there are always ways…"
Shrugging, "Maybe when Sis gets into grade school…Anyway, I have to leave this town. I am going to have to find work somewhere. I think I am moving to Lowerton after graduation. I can find work there and I can rent an apartment pretty cheap…and I need to get away.", Ron lowered his voice at the end.
James countered, "Ronald I know what you said about working in Middleton, but I am sure that there are people who would hire you…"
"Not from what some of my friends have said Doctor P, it's better to make a clean break soon and start all over where people don't even know me. I don't want Martin Smarty to screw with any of my friends either, if he does, I won't have any friends left and I sorta like the ones I have."
XX
Brick Flagg smiled as he sat down across the table from the older man, "Hey Coach Snodgrass, haven't seen you since the first of October. How are you doing?"
Frank Snodgrass, offensive backs coach for the University of Colorado, offered his hand and replied, "After that game I'm not sure I want to ever be in the same place as you Brick. Nice game, by the way."
"Errr, thanks.", the former Middleton star replied to the African-American former all-American star who made six seasons in pro football.
"So, what are you doing here?", the coach inquired as he sipped a cup of coffee. (The coach had spoken with Ron earlier and was now talking casually with other attendees…AN)
"Friend of Ron Stoppable, I made his Dad's funeral too. I went to high school here in Middleton.", the college QB responded as an African-American young woman sat down next to him, Brick then smiled, "Coach this is Monique, Monique this is Coach Snodgrass from the U of Colorado, probably the reason he is here is because his head coach is interested in recruiting Ron."
The fashionista smiled tightly, "I hope you guys get Stoppable, I'm sure he would thrive in Boulder…better than he would at CSU."
The coach raised an eyebrow, "I'm sure he will Miss Jenkins, but I sense you not very close to Ron Stoppable, are you?"
Monique nodded, "The only reason I have anything to do with him is because my BFF is his friend, although that clown shouldn't be."
The coach looked puzzled as Miss Jenkins sighed, "Best female friend. Listen we have a past which I don't want to get into, I just hope Martin Smarty isn't a sponsor of your school."
"Well, he is…"
"Stoppable got fired from Smarty Mart for stealing, but they couldn't prove it.", Monique snapped maybe a little louder than she should have causing people to look her way, then she added, "And that caused me to go through more grief than I wanted to."
A wide-eyed Brick Flagged grabbed his girlfriend's hand and shook his head as he explained, "They couldn't prove anything coach, so it was in the employment contract that Stoppable signed that they could fire him for any reason…and he had just come up with a cost savings idea that would have saved Smarty Mart millions of dollars…they kept the suggestion and used it while he got sent out the door."
"So…the Stoppable kid had some issues with a corporate entity? Coach Bickers can deal with that, I am here to give my condolences to Ron and be the face of the university…", he said solemnly. Then, directly to Monique, "Oh, and Miss?"
"Yes coach?"
"You should really let go of your anger issues Miss or at least keep your opinions to yourself with people who you have just met. If I were another color, you might have said those things to an uncle or cousin to young Mister Stoppable and embarrassed yourself even more.", Coach Snodgrass advised to a now blushing mocha-skinned teen.
Her ire starting to rise, "Why should you be telling me how to act? You're just a college football coach…"
Coach Snodgrass informed Kim's best girlfriend, "I am also a Doctor of Divinity Dear.", he handed her his card, "If you need to talk, call me because lashing out at others for their perceived faults would better be done by speaking with someone as to the way you are going about it. Give it some thought, at least speak with someone."
Backpedaling, but still copping an attitude, "I don't think I have a problem…"
Snodgrass moved in for the kill, "Then why did you basically insult someone in their house of worship? That may not be one of the Lord's Commandments but it certainly will not endear yourself to the Almighty. Eventually you will need to get that stain off your soul before it weighs you down."
Monique's eyes opened wide as Brick placed both of his hands over his eyes and shook his head.
The football coach then rose and shook Brick's hand, "I have to get going, Brick I wish you the best…Well except when we meet again this fall, and Miss please think about what I said. A little honest introspection is good for the spirit. Now I will take my leave of Mister Stoppable on this somber day."
"Monique,", Brick groaned.
Turning on him, "What?"
"I can't believe you did that.", the college QB complained.
"It's how I felt and I will say what I want to say…"
"You can't yell 'fire' inside a crowned theater unless there is one no matter what you feel. Anyway. Now that coach will be able to use what you said about Stoppable to try to recruit him. We felt we had an inside track since I am going there and he might want to end up playing with me. That's all shot to shit right now."
A satisfied smirk, "Good! Then you don't need him on your team…"
Incredulous, "No? Monique Stoppable was the one guy the staff felt they had to have. He can go both sides of the ball. He can be a scatback with his speed and he can be a slotback and go in the middle cause he's tough. If need be, he could be an NFL class safety once he puts on about thirty pounds. You've seen how he can give and take hits, he's better at it than I am."
Refusing to lose the argument, "Stoppable isn't…"
Brick shook his head as he educated his girlfriend, "As far as nationwide rankings of potential high school football recruits go, which run from one to five-star system of rankings, Stoppable is listed as an upper four-star athlete by Rivals®. One of the other recruiting services has him listed as a top ten recruit as a running back in the whole damned country. Guys like him don't grow on trees, Monique! If he had one more year to play, he might be the number one recruit in the whole country. Of course, some guys like him end up at LSU or Alabama. And they get tons of five-star recruits. They take them and redshirt them for a year bulking them up and when they are sophomores, they turn them loose and they still have them for four years of eligibility. Those are the guys who go pro, either during their second or third seasons. And rarely do guys like that go all four seasons of eligibility."
Still downplaying Ron while holding her position on him, "I admit Stoppable is fast…"
Brick rode over her, "Blazing fast, strong, tough and smart. He catches balls like a wide receiver and he has some sort of radar that lets him know when someone is going to tag him. Add twenty pounds onto him and he might be a top twenty pick in the NFL draft in four years if he decides to stay four years in college…He could come out early and take a big payday. He might need that big payday since he has to support his Sister now. I suppose he could work out a deal with a college for an apartment, a food ration and daycare for her. Other guys at other schools have done stuff like that while they were on schollies."
In the previous five minutes the fashionista had basically been called out by a Minister and her boyfriend, so she thought for a moment. "I guess I should have apologized to Stoppable sooner…"
Brick frowned since he glanced around and noticed people were paying attention, "Tell you what; just think about it and don't think you have to do it in front of everyone…Also don't be surprised if Stoppable tells you to shove it where the sun don't shine, either. You were at the center of Kim and Ron's breakup, she may not understand all that, but he surely does. No matter what everyone thinks of him, Stoppable isn't stupid."
"I never said he was…"
Brick pointed out as he grasped his girlfriend's hand, "But you thought it and dismissed him as a mental lightweight just like all those players from the teams he faced last fall thought that he wasn't a force. There is game footage of Ron's exploits all over the web and coaches like the one we just talked to are getting off their cans to come in and talk to him to come to their schools. I never had that kind of exposure, and I'll bet the new head of the boosters is real happy right now."
"New head?", Monique asked to clarify.
"Yeah, his name is Chester Wilmington. He just took over.", Brick informed her.
"Nobody said anything about that…"
"Rockwaller is going to advise for a month or two, I'll bet Barkin's sphincter muscle just puckered though."
"Why is that?", the fashion guru of Middleton High inquired.
"Ole Stevie wasn't too nice to his kid, I think Barkin is either going to grovel or his kickbacks are going to be slashed."
Monique's eyes narrowed, "I agree, but even more I hope that the bullying dies out. I wouldn't want anyone else being threatened like I was last summer."
"From what Woodson said, Stoppable is working on that. He's already got the jocks to knock it off. From what I hear the D-Hall goons have been told by Big Mike and Shambles to leave the kids alone."
"Or what? Those people don't seem like anyone to be intimidated.", Monique countered being on the wrong side of them before.
"Or they'll get squished. Stoppable doesn't want anyone else being picked on.", Brick released his girlfriend's hand and rose. "I gotta check out some of the guys, you want something from the buffet?"
As the college QB walked away Monique squeaked out, "Squished?"
He turned around and nodded.
XX
Tara King held Hanna on her lap and offered her a bottle. Josh asked, "Can I get you anything, honey?"
"Could you get me some more of those little sandwiches that I had, please?"
"Sure babe, be right back."
As soon as the artist moved away Bonnie sat down, "Let me have her for a while so you can eat."
"Do you wanna sit with B for a while Hanna?", the platinum blonde asked the child.
The raven-haired tot clapped her hands in glee as Bonnie held out her hands.
As Josh returned Bonnie rose up from her chair, "I think you guys need some alone time without slobber. I'll go see what kind of trouble we can get into."
"Ah, sure Bonnie.", the artist responded with a surprised look on his face then asked Tara, "Who is that girl and what did she do with Bonnie?"
"You're silly Joshie, but Bonnie has tried very hard to become a better person over the fall and winter."
XX
Ron was moving around the large room making sure he spoke with everyone while the good Rabbi was off speaking with others that came. The blond teen came up to a African-American woman and a middle aged white male. "Thank you for coming to see my Mom off, I really appreciate this."
The male replied, "I am Jack, Jack Others, Mister Stoppable, and this is Shelly Jasper."
"If you don't mind me asking, where did you know Mom from?"
"Oh, we belonged to a club that Barbara frequented over the last few years."
A woman came up behind them and said, "Excuse me, Ronald.", she offered her hand, "I am extremely sorry for your loss. I hope the perpetrator will be brought to justice soon."
"Thank you, Doctor Director, this is my hope as well."
"If you don't mind me asking, do you know where Miss Possible is?"
"I heard that Eric had some sort of medical emergency and she had to take him to the hospital for treatment. I hope that it isn't serious.", the teenager replied.
"Oh, that's right this Eric is dating Miss Possible.", Betty said a bit louder at the end, to give the two Army personnel the heads up about the Kim and Ron 'sitch'.
Sighing, "Yes, she is, but if you remember she gets an allergic reaction to me now, so maybe it's best if she wasn't here. I would hate to cause her any distress."
'Shelly' inquired, "You and this Miss Possible dated?"
Ron frowned, not knowing if these two people were 'newies' so he was immediately on guard, and answered, "No, not really. Maybe at one time I thought we were close, but now that I think of it, I'm pretty sure that I was wrong. So, no, we are just friends and I help her out on missions when she feels that she needs the extra manpower."
Shelly and Jack saw through the bull that the blond teen was stirring up since they had been sitting in the back of the courtroom the previous fall. 'Jack' half-smiled, "Yeah Ron, I can see where signals get messed up sometimes between men and women."
With that Shelly chuckled and lightly punched her companion on the shoulder.
Jack then observed, "Oh, I just got it, you were the running back for Middleton High. Congratulations on a fine year. They said you're a senior, what do you plan to do when you graduate?"
"Well, right now the plan is to move to maybe Lowerton, get an apartment and a job and see if I can start going to night school.", Ron informed the man.
"Why not stay in Middleton?"
"Do to some legal entanglement, I am unemployable in Middleton…So Lowerton is close, they have affordable housing along with a junior college that is…well it's about half way between Middleton and Lowerton. If I'm lucky, I'll be able to take a few classes a year. Maybe by the time Hanna is in first grade I'll have my degree.", Ron explained.
Shelly said, "Sort of a long way to go isn't it, Ron?"
"Yeah, but I shouldn't have to take out a loan and I am now responsible for a baby too. There's not a lot of options.", Ron responded as a teal eyed brunet came up to the blond teen and asked, "Where's the diaper bag, Stoppable?"
Sighing, "Give lil intruder to me, I can change her."
"You have other things to do.", Bonnie replied, "Just point me in the right direction."
Betty Director observed, "Nice girl."
"She's dating a villain.", Ron informed the red-haired woman.
"Who?"
"Senor Senior Junior, one of the world's richest teens.", Ron grinned.
"How…"
"Long story, ask Kim."
Then Ron said, "Please excuse me, I'm gonna make sure Bonnie finds the bag and then I have to complete my rounds to thank everyone for coming. Oh, and thanks for being here.", Ron then offered his hand and took theirs.
The former running back was just getting to Bonnie when Ron's eyes caught a flash of red by the door. He loosened his tie and unbuttoned his collar and pulled the hood out since he immediately recognized the hue.
Just as Kim got to Ron, he pulled the gloves on over his hands already having zipped the hood shut. Other people backed away from the teen when he told them (although his voice was muffled). "Sorry, Kim is allergic to me and this is what our tech guy came up with to keep her from having issues for when we have to interact."
(Yes, Ronnie could use big words when he needed…AN)
Kim smiled sheepishly and nodded, then she took Ron by the arm. He said, "Just a second I wanna make sure Bonnie found the diaper bag."
The red head's eyes opened wide, "B is gonna change a diaper?"
"Yeah K, I know how to do it. I can't let the other cheerleaders have all the fun.", Bonnie retorted.
X
Being alone in a corner away from most people, Kim told Ron, "Sorry about being late, Eric twisted his ankle and I had to take him to the ER. Someone finally got home to take care of him so I came over."
Ron chortled, "Your BF seems more accident prone than I ever was Kim…"
"Ron, how are you going to deal with this? I mean I love your sister as I would if she were mine…"
"Kim where are you going with this?"
"Well Eric suggested that you give Hanna up for adoption, he says he has contacts which could help out.", Kim looked into the face plate that her 'friend' was behind.
"Kim as I told you before, I am an adult in my religion and have been since I was thirteen. I would sorta be reneging in my duties as an older sibling if I didn't raise her. I think most of the men from Temple would kick my ass."
"But it would be in your Sister's best interest Ron.", Kim countered.
"Kim,", Ron frowned and she could see the frown through his face plate, "this is MY Sister we are talking about and I say that I can handle raising her. If the reason you came here was to get me to give my Sister away then there is nothing more to say about this matter between us. You are my friend, but you have no right to make my decisions for me or my family."
"Ron, I didn't mean for it to sound like you would be a bad big brother, but you have to admit this is going to be tough…"
"I agree it's going to be tough Kim, but I can do this…."
"Hi Kimmie.", Anne greeted her daughter.
"Oh, hi Mom. Uh where's Dad?"
"He's talking to that football coach from Colorado honey.", Anne responded.
"A University of Colorado football coach?", Kim asked for clarification.
"Yes, I think he is here to put in an appearance as an overture to recruit Ron there.", the surgeon explained.
From behind the face plate Ron muttered, just loud enough to be heard, "I'm done playing football, I have more shit on my plate than I need."
XXXX
Kim Possible, Ron Stoppable, Hanna, Tara, Josh and all the rest of the canon characters of the 'Kim Possible Show', is owned by Bob, Mark and the Disney Corporation and not myself nor CajunBear73. We do this only for our amusement not the money.
We'll see ya down the road,
ST103