“NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!”
The shriek echoed throughout Middleton. It came from the house with the mailbox marked: Possible.
Kim Possible was on her knees, crying. “We just got married…JUST HAD A KID 4 YEARS AGO!”
“I – I’m sorry you had to hear it from us, Kim.” Mrs. and Mr. Stoppable, who were in the room, were also crying. “But they just came and told us the news. I told them I’d tell you – that it – it’d be easier…”
“Mommy? What’s wrong?” The tears in the eyes with which Kim looked up at her daughter were more than enough to tell the 4-year old something was gravely wrong. And with Grandma & Grandpa here… “Daddy – he’s – he’s…” At Kim’s tearful silent nod, the girl burst into wails and ran to her mother, holding her as tight as she could. “IT’S NOT FAIR! SHYRO’S DADDY CAME HOME 3 TIMES!”
Shyro was actually Cousin Shyro, and Cousin Shyro’s daddy was Kim’s Cousin Larry. When Shego had reformed 5 years ago, Kim had invited her to a family gathering one year. There she’d met Cousin Larry – a year before he’d gone into Basic Training with Ron - and much to everyone’s surprise, they’d fallen in love instantly, quickly gotten married, and soon after, Shego had given birth to a beautiful baby boy.
“IT’S NOT FAIR! IT’S NOT FAIR!” Asa shrieked again. Her name had been picked because it held two special meanings to Ron: In Hebrew, it meant “Healer;” “physician” – and in Japanese, it meant “Morning.” Given his training at Yamanouchi, the double meaning of the name fit perfectly. However, this morning, even all the love from his daughter, wife, and his parents could do nothing to heal the pain.
“I’m sorry, baby. I know. It’s not fair. But it happened. We have to remember him as he was, sweetie: Someone who loved everybody.” She forced a smile through tears as she cradled her daughter. “Okay?”
Asa looked up at Kim. “Did any of the Iraqi kids die? Or lose their Daddy?” Her eyes pleaded for “no.”
But fact was fact. Ron’s unit had been escorting a group of Iraqi children to school when the ambush came. According to what Mr. & Mrs. Stoppable had been told, Ron was furious that someone would attack anybody while innocent children could get caught in the crossfire. He’d killed several of their attackers before someone threw two grenades with no time left in its fuse at his feet. The explosions had not only cost Ron his life, they’d also engulfed the lives of many of the children he’d been protecting.
“Yes, Asa. Some Iraqi children died. And your father killed some men I assume had children, too.”
“Why, Mommy? Why did Daddy have to kill people?” Asa asked, grabbing Kim’s shoulders and shaking them, her eyes wide with pleading, pain – grief. “Daddy told me killing was wrong! He said-”
“He did it because he was protecting those children, and – Sweetie – knowing your father, he didn’t want to kill anybody. But some of the people over there were trying to kill him, and he did what he and I always did when we faced the bad guys when were young – fought back without giving up. It’s just, when we were saving the world, none of the bad guys we fought were ever protecting their homes like - oh, god, this isn’t how it should be! Ron joined because he wanted to be in the Guard! He didn’t want to travel the world to fight anymore! He wanted to stay home! Spend time with his family! Why’d the Guard have to get shipped oversea-” She broke down again, bawling. “This isn’t right. None of it is…”
A knock on the door. Somehow, by the sound, Kim knew who it was. She slowly got up to answer it.
Shego crashed into Kim, former archenemy turned cousin-in-law embracing Kim in a sympathetic hug. “Your parents just called and told us. I – I don’t know what to say… I’ve tried, but… All I can think of is “I’m so glad it wasn’t Larry,” but what in the hell kind of reassuring is that ever gonna be to you? I-”
“Shego – the fact you’ve come over is enough. Ron died doing what he did best – defending people.” Kim looked up at her parents – who were at the top of the stairs, looking at her with all their knowing.
“I know what we should do.”
Kim looked down. Shego had brought Shyro with her. Kim hadn’t even noticed the young boy.
Asa dried her tears. “What, Shyro?”
“Every time Daddy’s come back from the war, he’s told us he can’t understand why it seems that only the world cares about the soldiers that are killed, and that it seemed like the Iraqi people were the only ones who cared about the fact that their own people are being killed every day. We should remember everyone at Ron’s funeral – him, the children, and the men he was fighting. It’s what he’d have done.”
Asa blinked. Then she ran and hugged Shyro tightly. “You’re right. Daddy would have done that.”
And just like that – after just a few words from one little child – everyone’s pain was lifted tremendously.
THE END