Possible for a Possible
Summary: Saving the day is so not the drama for preteen Kim Possible. Too bad her parents and classmates have mixed reactions. At least the people she helps are grateful – they might even return the favor.
A/N: I recently marathoned KP on Disney Plus, and it made me curious about Kim's journey from ordinary student to hero. This is a short multi-chapter fic exploring what happened directly after Kim's first mission from Sitch in Time - the original events, before time travel got involved. It's my take on a canon prequel.
Kim Possible and Ron Stoppable rode home in Mr. Paisley's limo. While Ron excitedly pushed every button, and helped himself to the stocked mini-fridge, Kim couldn't enjoy the luxury. She'd have to tell her parents about her brush with deadly lasers. Oddly enough, this was one time she worried about their reactions...even though she didn't do anything wrong. She'd saved the day, hadn't she? They'd be proud when Mr. Paisley, who sat across from her, told them what happened.
Kim struggled to believe it as she replayed the incident in her mind. What made her think she could flip through those lasers? Like, she wasn't a ninja! She should've run for a phone and called the police.
But she HAD dodged those lasers. Somehow. It freaked her out a little. No one else her age would've, or could've, done what she did. Even now Mr. Paisley stared at her in unwavering awe. Would Kim's parents even believe what happened? Thank goodness Mr. Paisley volunteered to bring the tape from his security camera.
How did she do it? Did she have some kind of...superpower? No, that was ridiculous.
She'd always been an energetic kid. Her parents told her stories of how she'd run them ragged as soon as she could toddle. The minute she was old enough, they put her in gymnastics, sports, karate, anything that would tire her out. Nothing ever did. She stopped taking naps at three and never looked back, much to her parents' horror. Kim still went from activity to activity without pause, even on a school day. Her rare moments of down time consisted of catching up on homework and studying.
So did her experience kick in when she finally needed to use it? She was the only kid in her school with a second-degree black belt in kung fu.
"This would be so cool...if we weren't in major trouble," Ron said. Her thoughts far away, Kim nodded absently in agreement.
The limo pulled up to the house and her parents ran outside, their expressions bewildered. Her younger brothers watched from their second-story window. No one looked sure who would step out, and Kim didn't blame them – why would they expect her to arrive home in style? Bracing for their reactions, she lowered the window as the limo driver parked.
Her parents had to pick their jaws off the ground. "Kimmie!" Dr. James Possible raced to open the door before the limo driver had a chance. "What on Earth...how..."
"Dad!" Kim leaped out of the limo into her father's arms, relieved to see him after everything she went through. She held onto her father even though she knew her parents would want an explanation.
Dr. Ann Possible also hugged Kim tightly, sensing her daughter's distress. Then she checked over her daughter's best friend with a doctor's eye. Something happened – she and her husband couldn't tell if it was good or bad just yet. "Are you okay, Ron?"
Ron gave her a weak smile. "For now."
His guilty look, and his choice of words, made Ann realize her daughter might have caused trouble. "Why, what did you and Kim do?" she asked sharply.
"She saved the day, Mrs. Possible," Mr. Paisley said, walking up to the family.
"Dr. Possible," Ann corrected out of habit. Shaking her head, she asked, "What do you mean, how did Kimmie save the day?"
"Um...that will take some explanation."
They moved into the living room. Mr. Paisley explained everything while the parents listened with understandable skepticism. Kim and Ron sat on the couch, both silent and very willing to let the adult take over. Mr. Paisley had the best chance of explaining this – without making it sound punishable by grounding. "Why didn't you call the police?" James asked the billionaire.
"We only had access to a laptop," Mr. Paisley answered. "And hiring a service like Team Impossible guarantees privacy. I didn't want the incident leaking to the press – it would tip off thieves to my priceless Cuddle Buddy collection."
"Cuddle Buddies?" Ann said, an eyebrow raised.
"Of course," James replied, struggling to hold back sarcasm. "They'd be the biggest target in a billionaire's mansion." Ann had to look away to keep from laughing.
Missing her parents' exchange, Kim exclaimed, "It's true, Mr. Paisley actually has a Flamingoat! They only made ten!"
Mr. Paisley smiled, happy to meet a fellow Cuddle Buddy enthusiast. "You'll have to come back and tour the entire collection."
"For real?" Kim gasped with her eyes wide.
"Okay, let's get back to the lasers in the vault," Ann said, preventing a Cuddle Buddies fan club meeting. "It's still unclear how my daughter and her friend got involved with a lethal security system."
Undeterred by the parental scrutiny, or maybe missing it completely, Mr. Paisley nodded. "Due to our precarious position, the salesman found Ms. Possible instead of Team Impossible. I assure you, I'd never ask someone Kim's age to go on a rescue mission. How old are you anyway, thirteen?"
"Twelve," Kim answered.
"You don't say. Simply outstanding."
James interrupted when he put two and two together – or what he thought were two and two. "So Kimmie called the police when she got there! Oh, Kimmie-cub, I'm so proud of you!"
"Not exactly, Mr..."
"Doctor."
"Not exactly, Dr. Possible." And Mr. Paisley played the security footage.
After watching their daughter flip around deadly lasers, the Possible parents sent Kim to her room. Ron could stay with her until his mother arrived to pick him up. James and Ann were more confused than angry, unsure of how to react. Meanwhile they politely showed Mr. Paisley out while turning down his many offers to pay for...anything they wanted. The billionaire insisted on rewarding Kim Possible for saving his life. Stuck on an appropriate gift, the parents promised to think about it as they pushed him out the door.
"I'll go with Kimmie when she tours that Cuddle Buddy collection," James said with a grin. "Part of me is curious to see it myself. Why would anyone combine a goat and a flamingo?" Ann sighed as they moved to the kitchen, eager for coffee to clear her headache. Her lackluster response caused James to look at her with concern. "Are you okay?"
"No, of course I'm not okay!" Ann exclaimed. "James, you do realize we almost lost our daughter, right? If Kim made one wrong move in that vault..." Ann trailed off, a hand over her mouth as tears began to form.
Becoming more somber, James wrapped his arms around his wife. "I know. Did you notice my reaction during that security video? Took everything I had not to shut it off. It's going to haunt my nightmares."
"Mine too," Ann said, calmer now that James was on the same page. "I'm too relieved to be mad at her. I should be mad at her. She took an unnecessary risk that could've killed her."
James hesitated before he replied. "Well, I agree, but it sounds like the risk was necessary. The police wouldn't have gotten there fast enough. You saw the shape Paisley was in – I'm surprised the old man balanced himself as long as he did."
"Same here. I guess people do have super strength in life-threatening circumstances." Ann sat down at the kitchen table, struggling to compose herself while James put on a pot of coffee. "Maybe it's easier to be upset than to address what really happened. I knew Kimmie was talented, but that...I've never seen anything like it. I wouldn't even believe it was possible if it wasn't caught on video."
James smirked. "Come on, Ann. Anything's possible for a Possible, remember?"
"But..."
"It's in her genes," James explained confidently. "We knew it when she started walking at six months old. Running by seven months. There's nothing our Kimmie can't do, especially when she puts her mind to it."
Ann slowly nodded in agreement. "I guess I'll have to get used to the idea. She certainly proved herself today. Maybe we should talk with her about setting goals, give her some direction. Kim could be an Olympic gold-medalist."
When the coffeemaker beeped, James was quiet for a minute while he poured their cups. "She seems happy enough with that website she created. A hands-off approach might work best here. Most likely, she wouldn't listen to us even if we did try to guide her."
"That's true," Ann conceded. "She's always had her own ideas. If she wanted to be an Olympic gold-medalist, she would've researched it herself."
James gave her an encouraging smile. "Exactly. Let her be a kid while she can – soon enough she'll be growing up, chasing boys and whatnot. We're probably worrying for nothing. Once Kimmie goes to high school, she'll be a completely normal teenage girl."
Kim's delighted shriek rang through the Possible home.
Over a month after rescuing Mr. Paisley, she found a letter from him in the mailbox one day. The lasers in the vault were only a memory to the busy preteen. She didn't have time to dwell on it thanks to school, babysitting gigs and her new position on the cheer squad. Her parents had been majorly freaked by the vault incident, but they did say they were proud of her. More importantly, they made their daughter promise to call the police if she ever faced danger again.
Kim easily agreed – like, what were the odds anyway?
So the letter from Mr. Paisley was completely unexpected. After raising an eyebrow at the return address, Kim had ripped open the envelope. Two concert tickets slid out of a folded piece of paper onto the floor. Her shriek followed when she'd picked them up and saw the performer's name.
Britina. Every twelve-year-old girl's favorite singer, including Kim's. She never allowed herself to hope for tickets since Britina's Middleton concert sold out instantly. Bonnie Rockwaller snagged tickets and consistently bragged about them, even more so with the concert fast approaching. Kim had approached green-eyed monster status though she tried her best to hide it.
And now, she was going too!
Holding back more shrieks of excitement, Kim forced herself to read Mr. Paisley's letter:
Dear Ms. Possible,
I cannot thank you enough for saving my life. You put yourself in great danger to rescue me that day, and I'm forever grateful. For the last few weeks I've struggled to think of the perfect gift for you. After consulting my assistant, she insisted every girl your age would want to attend this concert. I've never heard of Britina myself but apparently she's quite popular. My assistant also said to inform you that these tickets include VIP backstage passes, whatever that means.
This is only a small token after your act of heroism that day. If you ever need a favor, please, do not hesitate to ask.
Sincerely,
Mr. Paisley
Kim missed the last line entirely. She'd zeroed in on the one, life-changing detail.
"VIP BACKSTAGE PASSES?"
The letter was followed by a call from Mr. Paisley himself later that day. He apologetically explained Middleton tickets had been unavailable, so hers were for Britina's next available show – in Chicago. (Something Kim missed while screaming.) He offered to fly Kim and a parent round trip in his private jet, insisting it was no inconvenience at all.
James and Ann discussed whether Kim should be allowed to go. On the one hand, Kim more than earned it. On the other...this would be a lot for the preteen to take in. Flying in a private jet, and VIP backstage passes? The Possible parents felt uneasy about accepting the extravagant gift. That night they sat around the living room after the kids went to bed, the TV volume on low while they talked.
"We should at least pay for the plane tickets," Ann reasoned. "There's no reason she can't fly commercial. It'll be her birthday present."
Tilting his head in thought, James reasoned, "But Ann, this guy is a billionaire. Who spent a fortune on Cuddle Buddies. At least now he's wasting money on someone else."
"So you're saying we should take advantage because he's rich?"
James held up a hand in defense. "Taking advantage would be asking for more. I'm sure he didn't bat an eye when he paid for those Britina tickets, and he already has the plane. I think it's okay for Kimmie to enjoy this – she did save the guy's life. We just need to make sure he doesn't spoil her any more than he already has."
"Alright." Ann let out a long sigh, accepting the argument. "Which one of us is going with her?"
It had been the most amazing day of Kim's life. She flew in a fancy private plane with her mother, who wound up coming along for the overnight trip. (Dad insisted on the mother-daughter bonding while he spent time with the twins. Kim suspected he wanted to avoid teen pop singers and their screaming fans.) Though her mother had objected to Mr. Paisley's generosity, Ann relaxed about it and even accepted a complimentary glass of champagne.
Through most of the flight, Kim educated her mother about Britina and other pop stars. While she would've preferred Ron to go with her, she admitted her dad had a point about the mother-daughter bonding. Kim didn't get to see her mother as much as her father because of Ann's intense work schedule. As for Ron, he wasn't a huge Britina fan anyway.
The concert turned out to be even better than Kim imagined. In addition to Britina, a new group she liked called N*Tune was the opening act. Kim couldn't wait to tell Bonnie all about it. They both loved the group, but a less-popular act had opened at the Middleton concert.
Even better, Kim's VIP passes meant she could go backstage before and after performances. She almost fainted when she took pictures with N*Tune. Meeting Britina though...Kim would never forget it. Britina was just as nice and down-to-earth as the tabloids said. The girls clicked instantly, so Kim told the pop star why she traveled from Middleton to Chicago. Ann could only raise an eyebrow while her daughter made friends with a celebrity.
Right before Britina went onstage, more of Kim Possible's destiny unfolded. An overheated breaker box erupted into flames. Since it was set into a far corner, no one noticed until the smell reached the main area.
"Hey, uh, what's that smell?" Kim was the first one to ask and look around. "It's like something's burning...oh my gosh!"
Everyone finally saw the fire when the flames leaped higher, then caught on the edge of a stage curtain. Before anyone could stop her, Kim took the fastest route to the fire extinguisher. This meant flipping onto the craft services table, jumping onto a rolling chair, then surfing the chair several feet. She hopped off and grabbed the extinguisher in one swift movement. With the extinguisher in hand, she flipped onto a speaker, using the height to her advantage as she put out every last flame.
All of this happened before the fire alarm even went off. As Kim stood on the speaker, fighting to breathe through the smoke, Britina and crew below burst into enthusiastic applause. She basked in the moment...until she saw her horrified mother, staring up at her with wide eyes.
Ann couldn't yell at Kim at first, not when her daughter saved the day again. And again, she was too relieved to be truly angry. She rushed forward as Kim gracefully hopped off the speaker, crushing her daughter in a tight hug before the crowd descended. "Kimmie! I'm so proud of you," Ann said. "Are you okay?"
Kim was still coughing even as she protested. "Thanks Mom, I'm fine – "
She was cut off as Britna pushed forward to hug Kim. "That was totally awesome!" Britina exclaimed. "I'm jelly of your moves, and I've been dancing my whole life! What classes do you take? Is it a special training program?"
But there wasn't time for small talk since Britina needed to start her concert. Attention quickly shifted to the show. While Mr. Paisley bought Kim some of the best seats in the house, Britina one-upped him by insisting Kim and her mother sit right in front. Soon after her opening songs, Britina introduced Kim to the crowd as "the girl who can do anything!"
Kim and Ann were also invited to the after-party. Ann couldn't say no since it would be considered rude, so instead she watched Kim like a hawk. They both ended up having a good time and left just before midnight, equally exhausted after a long day. Ann didn't have it in her to be stern with Kim when they'd had such a good time together. As they arrived at the hotel (also free due to Mr. Paisley's connections), Ann decided the lecture could wait until they got home.
Still, Kim saw her mother's initial reaction. "I scared you today, didn't I?" Kim asked, her question soft and filled with anxiety. They sat around their shared room, relaxing in their pajamas before going to bed. "I'm sorry," she went on. "I know I'm just a kid, and someone else should've done it, but...I don't know, it felt right. I saw danger and I had to do something. People could've gotten hurt!"
"Including you," Ann replied gently. Though moved by her daughter's confession, she had to make sure Kim understood the risk. "Kimmie, you're not invincible. I know that's hard to believe at your age, but you could've gotten seriously injured. Today you inhaled so much smoke they had to give you extra oxygen." She sighed, remembering the sight of her daughter backstage, wearing an oxygen mask while Britina's concert started. The on-site nurse insisted on checking Kim out and discovered a small amount of smoke inhalation.
Looking guilty, Kim insisted, "But I'm fine now! It was no big!"
"What you did was a major 'big,'" Ann replied. "You have an instinct to save people. I think you got it from me – that's why I became a neurosurgeon. Combined with your incredible courage, and your unusual skill level for your age..." She trailed off, giving her daughter a proud smile. "I can see how you get these ideas. But you also need to be smart and look out for your own safety."
Kim frowned. "So you're saying I shouldn't put out fires. Or jump through lasers."
Ann hesitated, unsure how to respond. She needed to invent a new set of rules for her highly-capable daughter. "Well, it's safe to say you should always avoid lasers. It's just...you're selfless in the face of danger, and I so admire you for that. It also terrifies me because you're my daughter. I guess...at the heart of it, I'm asking you to think before you run into these situations. If there are adults around, or you can call for help, let them handle it. Okay?"
Though she didn't look convinced, Kim shrugged in agreement. "Okay, Mom. I'll try."
Almost as soon as their flight landed on Sunday, Kim ran over to Ron's to tell him every detail about her trip. They celebrated at Bueno Nacho and sorted through pictures on Kim's digital camera, discussing which ones were the best. By Sunday night she could not wait to go to school. A few of her friends already called her for the recap.
Even though Kim had an exciting weekend, she expected things to be the same when she and Ron arrived at school Monday morning. Instead they found the hallways half-empty. They walked towards Kim's locker, searching for any of their friends. "Where is everybody?" Kim whispered to Ron.
Ron gave her a panicked look. "Oh man, did school start already and we're super late? I didn't actually look at the clock when my mom woke me up this morning."
"You're such a loser. Everyone's in the computer lab, and it's all because of Tin Teeth here."
Both seventh-graders sighed when Bonnie Rockwaller blocked their path. "Good Morning, Bonnie," Kim grumbled. "F-Y-I, we just got here, so I don't see how that could be my fault."
Bonnie sent her an evil, knowing grin. "You really don't know, do you? I'm guessing no one bothered to call you."
Though normally intimidated by Bonnie, Ron didn't have the energy to be scared. "Look, can we cut to the chase here? My brain's a little fuzzy before I get my homeroom power nap."
"Oh, don't blame homeroom, your brain is always fuzzy." Bonnie smirked triumphantly while Kim glared. "It's all about that stunt Kimmie here pulled at the Britina concert. You know, the one that's all over the Internet."
Kim's eyes widened. She'd expected everyone at school to hear about it, but the Internet? "But how? I didn't post anything on my new site."
"Please, as if anyone would check your little bore-fest," Bonnie retorted. "I'm talking about Britina's official website. She told the whole world about your big lie. You must be feeling so rock-bottom."
Confused, Kim asked, "What lie?"
"Oh, come on, like you really put out a fire all by yourself. You made up a story so she'd let you sit in the front row."
Kim didn't even catch the end of Bonnie's insult. Britina posted about her on the official fan site? When? How did Kim not see this yet? It must have just happened because she checked that website every night for updates. "Oh my gosh! She posted about me, really?"
When Kim tried to run for the computer lab, Bonnie refused to be ignored. "Uh, hello? Like, this isn't a good thing. You should come clean and admit that you totally lied to Britina."
"Reaching much, Bonnie?" Kim was quickly losing patience. She needed to check the website fast before the bell rang. "Now excuse me..."
"Running from the truth, K?"
"Running from you, B!"
"Well – EEK! WHAT IS THAT? THAT FREAKY THING!"
Ron's new pet Rufus had poked his head out of Ron's pocket, yawning and stretching. He blinked at Bonnie, then chattered something that sounded like "Hi!"
Bonnie screeched and ran away. Ron high-fived the naked mole rat. "Way to go, Rufus!"
Even Kim smiled at the odd pet. "You're still weird, but you have great timing."