Dear readers, a little something for New Year's. The story's three chapters long and will be posted over three consecutive days. Enjoy – and have a wonderful 2006!

Thanks to campy for everything. Have a glass of bubbly on me.

Leave a review, and you'll get a personal response or your money back. Guaranteed!

You saw it on KP, it belongs to Disney

I.

Kim Possible looked at her reflection in the mirror. She was 25, possessed a glorious mane of auburn hair, large emerald eyes, and a dazzling smile. Her figure had not changed since her days as a high school cheerleader – nor her height. She had her nana's compact physique, which was a boon to her in her line of work; a lower center of gravity was always an asset in a fight. She was girl-next-door pretty, youthful looking, and the darling of photographers around the world. In short, she couldn't help but like what she saw.

She was wearing a classic black cocktail party dress, a string of pearls and a pair of pearl earrings. She smiled wistfully as she noticed the earrings; Ron had given them to her eight years ago. She missed him. He'd been her best friend and her first love. But that was then and this is now, she thought with regret as she checked her make-up in the ladies' room of one of New York's premier restaurants, The Pegasus Room, located atop Rockefeller Center's Art Deco RCA Building. It had been quite a coup for Adam to get them New Year's Eve reservations; even astronauts like her current boyfriend had to wheel and deal to get tables at this eatery located 65 stories above mid-town Manhattan.

Kim reached to put a stray hair back in place, then noticed the earrings again. She sighed. Ron. Why am I missing him so much right now? she asked herself, knowing the answer all too well.

It was New Year's Eve.

II.

The night was cold and clear as Kim and Ron left Monique's. Mr. Dr. P, feeling generous and knowing he could trust his daughter's boyfriend, had given Kim a 1:00 am curfew. The two teens left the party a bit after 11:00 and walked, hand in hand, until they found themselves at the base of the old tree house. They looked knowingly at one another, then proceeded up to their aerie.

They could see their breath when they exhaled but that just gave them more reason to cuddle. They opened their parkas and drew close to one another, looking into each other's eyes, then began kissing.

After a while, Ron opened a bottle of sparkling cider and the two teens exchanged silly toasts to the future and to one another. They kissed again. And again. And again.

They turned the Kimmunicator on and tuned in the New Year's broadcast from New York, joining in the countdown as midnight approached and celebrating the new year by making out some more.

When they came up for air, Ron reached into his pocket and withdrew a small box for Kim.

"I got these for you, KP," he said with a sheepish grin.

"Ron, you didn't have to …" she replied.

"I know. That's why I did. Now c'mon, open it," he said.

Kim tore off the paper, removed the lid and cooed. "They're beautiful!"

Ron smiled as Kim removed the earrings from the box and put them on.

"Maybe someday we can go to New York and you can wear them there!" Ron suggested.

"That's a spankin' idea, Ron," Kim responded, before she embraced him and gave him an extra special New Year's kiss.

III.

That had been their only New Year's together as a couple. The spring came, Kim got into all of her top-choice colleges and began to think about her future. She was very attached to Ron but began to wonder if he had what she needed in a long-term partner. Sure, he was sweet and loyal. But he wasn't exactly bright and could be lazy. She had her whole life before her and wanted to get the most out of it. But she hesitated on doing anything about their relationship until Global Justice offered her – and her alone – a position that would be structured around her college studies.

Kim broke things off with Ron; she knew he was hurt, even devastated, despite the brave face he put on for her. They tried to be friends, but that proved difficult. One of the saddest moments of Kim's life was when she came home one day during that summer before college to find a parcel from Ron containing his mission clothes, grappling gun and Kimmunicator.

She gulped as she read the accompanying note:

Dear Kim,

I thought long and hard about this, but I just can't do this any more. It hurts too much. You need a partner who can keep his head in the game, and I can't do that when I'm with you. I want things to be different for us, but you've made your choice and I respect that. I'll always be your best friend, but I think I need to start doing stuff on my own, so I can get used to things when you're gone this fall.

Love,

Ron

p.s. I hope you don't mind if I keep the jetpack. It's the coolest thing you ever gave me and I'd like a memory of our time together. Besides, it was too big to wrap up.

Kim cried that afternoon, and questioned what she had done, but concluded she had made the right decision. In just a few weeks she would be leaving Middleton for college. She was Kim Possible, and she had a bright future ahead of her. She just hoped that future could still include Ron's friendship.

IV.

Kim went off to college and quickly became involved in multiple clubs and activities. She double majored in political science and pre-med. And she began to go on missions with GJ. Out in the field she learned new skills, dealt with new foes. Her life was full and fulfilling. She made new friends, dated new guys. And she slowly fell out of touch with Ron.

At first they spent time on the phone, then they exchanged emails, then holiday cards. They would occasionally check in on one another through Wade or Monique. But their lives had taken different paths and the once unimaginable happened: they drifted apart as Kim became ever more involved with her new life and Ron found it difficult to deal with the reality that he and Kim were no longer dating or even close.

After college, Kim became a full-time Global Justice operative. She knew that Ron had gone to cooking school in California and learned that he had taken a job as a chef in Malibu. Kim began thinking about reviving her friendship with Ron; she had hoped to see him and her other Middleton friends at their Middleton High Fifth Reunion, but missed the event when a mission took her to Sumatra. And much to her frustration, she missed Monique and Felix's wedding because of a sitch in Antarctica involving DNAmy, penguins and walruses. She considered contacting and visiting him – Wade, Monique, and her parents all knew where he was – but something always came up – and when finally she was ready to act, her mother, of all people, told her that he'd finally adjusted to life without her and unless she was ready to fully invest herself in a romantic relationship with him, it would probably be for the best if she left Ron alone.

Kim wasn't ready to date Ron again and so instead she allowed herself to mourn the loss of him in her life, though she didn't have too much time to dwell on the subject: she was, after all, a very busy young woman. Her work for Global Justice kept her in the field. And due to her looks and fame, she became the public face of the organization (much to the eternal annoyance of Will Du, formerly GJ's top agent). She was on television, magazine covers, even tabloids. She was invited to movie premières and state dinners at the White House. And so, she plunged back into her Ron-less life.

Kim had more suitors than she could handle: in fact, she was in hottie heaven. But she'd learned enough about herself to know that she didn't just want looks – she wanted substance. She'd actually learned that from Ron, the first guy who ever cared about her because of who she was, not what she did or how she looked. So she was choosy and picky, looking for the right man. She thought Adam Carlisle, her current boyfriend, had potential: he was an astronaut with great hair, perfect teeth, a Wade-level IQ and a nice disposition. They had been dating for about two months and it looked like there was the possibility of things getting truly serious.

But it was New Year's Eve. And so Kim found herself doing what she did every December 31st: thinking about her one-time best friend and first love Ron Stoppable. In the early years, she just had fond memories, but more recently, she found herself entertaining regrets over what might have been. She wondered where he was and what he was doing.

V.

Ron Stoppable splashed some water on his face before washing his hands. He was bushed but exhilarated. He'd reached the big leagues: associate executive chef in a four-star Manhattan eatery. The restaurant was packed to capacity, not surprising on a New Year's Eve. He was satisfied working that night. Long ago he'd made his peace with the failure of things to work out the way he'd wanted with Kim and accepted that she didn't have room for him in her life. He'd been hurt, then angry, then depressed, then finally reconciled to reality. Ron Stoppable was, if anything, surprisingly resilient. Prone to melodrama, perhaps, but able to bounce back.

Ron always knew Kim was a go-getter destined for truly great things. He took pride in knowing he'd played a bit role in helping Kim become who she was and treasured the fact that he was her first love. Yet New Year's Eve still caused him pain. They'd never had that night together in New York and he knew they never would. So ever since that first year alone and his discovery of how much he hated peppermint schnapps he'd kept himself busy on December 31st. This year he was able to do so in style, knowing he was cooking for some of the most famous and powerful people in the world.

But what was making this night truly remarkable for Ron was the fact that he was running the show. His boss, Henri, had to have an emergency appendectomy that afternoon, so Ron found himself as the lead chef. And based on the reports he was getting from the waiters, he had a dining room of very satisfied patrons.

Ron looked at his image in the mirror. It had taken awhile, but he'd ultimately done okay for himself. Life was good. He had a small loft just a few blocks away near the Empire State Building and a glittering culinary future; he even had dates now – women seemed to like going out with a guy who could legitimately claim to be a gourmet cook.

But it was New Year's Eve, the one night Ron was willing to admit something was missing from his life, something that had been gone a long time that he wished he could get back: Kim. I wonder where she is? he asked himself as he pushed open the bathroom door.

VI.

Kim meant to turn right but, lost in her thoughts about Ron, turned left as she exited the ladies' room. She realized she was heading to the kitchen, turned to head back into the dining room, and was surprised when she bumped into someone.

"Excuse me," she said before she realized who she'd just walked into. "Ron?"

The man looked at her. "Kim?"

They both stood there silently for a moment.

"W–what are you doing here?" they both asked.

Without even thinking, Kim said, "Jinx! You owe me a soda!"

Ron gawped at Kim, but soon found himself grinning. "Awww man, I will never win," he said with a chuckle, shaking his head. "I work here. I'm the associate executive chef."

Kim noticed how Ron puffed out his chest and had to stifle a giggle. She wasn't sure what to say – but she knew what she wanted to do. "Well don't just stand there," she insisted, "give me a hug!" Much to her relief, he complied. After a moment they pulled apart.

Ron couldn't help but appreciate Kim; he had flashbacks to their moodulator-inspired date those many years ago and the little black dress she'd worn that very strange night. And he noticed she was wearing the earrings he'd given her on that New Year's Eve so long ago. "You're looking badical, Kim."

She blushed a bit, finding herself enjoying the attention from her former boyfriend. "Thanks. It's the GJ exercise plan. Chase a villain, scale a mountain, chase another villain …"

Ron chuckled. "My way's easier. Sit in front of the TV, press the button, blow up the zombie!"

Kim rolled her eyes. "Still with the Zombie Mayhem?" she cracked.

"On-line edition!" he said enthusiastically. "I am still da zombie-slaying man! I kicked Felix's butt last week," he added with unfeigned pride.

"You are too much, Ron Stoppable." Kim felt like she was resuming a conversation she'd broken off five minutes, not seven years, ago, experiencing a level of calm and comfort she'd forgotten she'd once enjoyed, even taken for granted.

"Yeah," Ron said, looking at Kim, as he realized all of his old desires were resurfacing. Desires he knew could never be fulfilled. "So, uh, you here with that astronaut?"

"Uh, yeah, how'd you know …" she answered, suddenly feeling uncomfortable, wishing that Ron didn't know about Adam.

"Weekly World Wonder, aisle six of the Foody Faire. Just tell me that the two of you aren't going to be the parents of two-headed mutant monkey boys." Much to Kim's amusement, Ron still shuddered when he said 'monkey.'

"No monkeys in my future, Ron," she said.

"Good. Look, I have to get back to the kitchen. I'm actually, uh, running things tonight. I'll make sure you guys get a good dessert, on the house."

"Thanks," she said, a catch in her throat.

Kim was now looking into Ron's eyes, wanting, with a force she found surprising, to kiss him and to be held by him, as memories of that New Year's Eve in the tree house returned, memories of a time before she began to worry so much about her future and had enjoyed being a young woman in love with her goofy best friend. She'd missed his lopsided grin. She'd missed those eyes. And the ears. She'd always had that weird thing for his ears; they only seemed larger and more enticing now that he had sideburns. And most of all she was missing his "essential Ron-ness" as he had called it. She was feeling very confused by the sudden rush of emotion, yet at the same time she felt a dawning clarity.

Ron, looking into Kim's eyes, thought, at least hoped, he sensed something. He knew what he wanted. He'd never stopped wanting it since they were teen-agers.

Slowly they drew together, forgetting where they were.

"Ron …" Kim said huskily.

"KP …" he said, his body shaking.

They closed their eyes and opened their mouths. They could feel the heat of one another's bodies, the warmth of each other's breath. Their lips drew near.

Beep-beep-be-beep.

Beep-beep-be-beep.

Two sets of eyes popped open.

Kim growled, "This so cannot be happening …"

"Yeah, I understand," Ron said, misunderstanding Kim. The fantasy had been nice, he thought, even if it had lasted only a few seconds. Kim had her astronaut and her high-powered life to return to; she wasn't going to throw that away for a kiss with an old boyfriend outside of a bathroom, and he didn't expect her to. "Look, I, uh, should go …" Ron said, looking deflated.

He was turning to go when Kim, realizing what must be going through Ron's head, grabbed his arm. She'd seen that look on his face once before, when she broke up with him; she knew then she never wanted to see it again. And she knew then without any doubt that she wanted him back in her life.

"Ron, I think we need to talk about …"

Beep-beep-be-beep.

Beep-beep-be-beep.

Ron turned and looked at Kim and, seeing the expression on her face, took a deep breath. Maybe it wasn't a fantasy after all. As if readying himself to do battle with every monkey ninja in the world, Ron steeled himself, then uttered the word he didn't think he'd ever say again, at least in this context.

"Us?"

Kim smiled and nodded.

"You, you, really mean that?" he asked.

Kim, still smiling, let her hand, which had been gripping his arm, drop down to Ron's hand, which she took and squeezed.

Ron grinned. "Okay, I'd like that. But I've got a kitchen filled with probably now frantic sous chefs and you'd better not keep Wade – I assume that's who's calling you – waiting. I think a lot of people here would freak out if a Wade-bot showed up in the dining room looking for you!"

Kim wanted to say something, anything, but found herself at a loss for words. Instead, she just continued smiling at Ron. In the course of just a few minutes, Kim Possible's life had been turned upside down. She didn't care though; she felt like something incredibly precious she'd been careless with and lost may have just been returned to her. This was proving to be a truly memorable New Year's Eve. What neither she nor Ron knew was just how memorable it would be …

TBC …