Nothing Else Matters

DISCLIAMER: All...You know what? Screw it, you oughta know the drill by know.

(Surprisingly, this is a straight fic. Much with the K/R-ness in this story.)

Piercingly green eyes stared out of their owner's window, wondering if her boyfriend of exactly nine months was OK. The eyes belonged to a Ms. Kimberly Ann Possible, from Middleton, CO. She had a head of the firiest shade of red imaginable. When standing tall, she clocked in at around 5'8". Not exactly the tallest heroine the world had ever seen, but then again, she was only 18, after all.

The boyfriend in question, a strapping young man by the name of Ronald Dean Stoppable, of the same town and age, was off on a spiritual journey-he had gone off to "find himself", as he had put it. He had told her that he would contact her at least once a week before leaving. Thus far, he'd kept his word-a wise choice on his part. Kim was getting restless, for today was the day that his next letter was supposed to arrive.

I hope he hasn't forgotten, thought Kim. No sooner had that thought crossed her mind than her father called her from downstairs:

"Kimmie-cub! Package for you!"

Kim tore down the steps at lightning speed. Sure enough, there was a package waiting for her on the living-room couch. On the side were the words, For Kim...Much Love, Ron. It was surprisingly small, though, so Kim was confused. She bolted back up to her room, ripped off the lid, and turned the box upside down.

Out fell...a casette. Kim was surprised. Nobody ever used those anymore. Still, she knew where she could find a casette player. She went down to the basement and pulled out an old Walkman. Back in her room, she then popped the casette in and hit the "Play" button. A small guitar arpeggio started. It went for a minute or two before she heard the first words of the song:

So close, no matter how far
Couldn't be much more from the heart
Forever trust in who we are
And nothing else matters

That verse struck a chord with Kim: She knew this song oh-so-well. She still remembered how shocked she had been to learn that the performer of the song was actually Metallica, a band known for fast-paced music and furious rhythms that made everyone take a headbanging session.

Only Ron would show how much he loves me through a Metallica song, thought Kim with a chuckle. She started singing along, and it was like she was singing right back to him:

Never opened myself this way
Life is ours, we live it our way
All these words I don't just say
And nothing else matters

Kim smiled to herself. She had heard a recent concert these guys had done, and even after 27 years as a singer, James Hetfield still had a great voice.

Trust I seek, and I find in you
Every day for-a-something new
Open mind for a different view
And nothing else matters

As the song came into the chorus, Kim was still in amazement that Ron would take the time to send her something like this.

Never cared for what they do
Never cared for what they know
But I know

So close, no matter how far
Couldn't be much more from the heart
Forever trust in who we are
And nothing else matters

Never cared for what they do
Never cared for what they know
But I know

The song went into the first solo, and Kim chuckled to herself. She would never have expected something this soft to come out of Jason Newsted's bass guitar.

Never opened myself this way
Life is ours, we live it our way
All these words I don't just say
And nothing else matters

It was right about now that the orchestration, led by the late, great Michael Kamen, started to make its presence known. Kim let a slight grin escape her lips.

Trust I seek, and I find in you
Every day for-a-something new
Open mind for a different view
And nothing else matters

Never cared for what they say
Never cared for games they play
Never cared for what they do
Never cared for what they know
And I know...Yeah!

Now Kim was starting to really get into the music. This was more of what she expected from Kirk Hammett's guitar and Lars Ulrich's Tamas. After a few seconds, though, the song began to wind back down. Kim didn't miss a beat:

So close, no matter how far
Couldn't be much more from the heart
Forever trust in who we are
No, nothing else matters...

This signified to Kim that Ron was OK, and thinking of her. She felt a surge of overwhelming happiness as she went back to watching out the window, waiting for her love to return, for she now knew that she was at the top of his good list...and that to him..."Nothing Else Matters"...

A/N: Never knew I could write a story with a straight pairing the whole way. That's an accomplishment. Happy Valentine's Day, everybody.

END