Disclaimer: I own none of the characters that are present in any of the Ben 10 shows and do not stake claim to any of them. Man of Action did indeed not give me permission to use their characters, but I plan on using them anyway. Please do not call the police on me, I am just an innocent writer trying to do what she loves. Understand that I own no characters from the franchise, I do not make a profit from this or any other fic that I may write. Thank you for understanding. So do not sue me please, I have no money.
A/N: So I am aware that this is a strange little thing but... I'm going to do this anyway!
It had been three summers since the red headed honors student had first discovered her true powers. It had been a simple enough trip in the plan book, but once the trio was on the road nothing had been normal for the family. Her cousin had discovered his inner hero, her grandfather had discovered his inner child, and Gwen herself had discovered something inside her that made her feel stronger than she had ever felt before. But as that summer drew to a close the freedom and joys of being a child had disappeared along with the excitement. Over the years the events over those few months had blurred together; clowns bent on sucking the life from everyone; Forever Knight stuck on the plan of killing all that wasn't human; common thieves trying to make a quick buck; insane space conquers tracking them down trying to take over the world. A lost boy only a year older then them completely broken with nothing else to look forward to, besides taking his anger out on Ben.
Gwen had never been able to forget about Kevin Levin. Even three years after she had met the boy, his face still plagued her mind. Something behind his black lined eyes had held her attention; even to this day. The end for Kevin had been far from fair. He didn't deserve ending up trapped the Null Void, spending the rest of his life stuck in an endless prison. He had worked his way into her mind and she had been unable to get him out. He had followed her and her cousin for months as the two traveled across the country with their grandfather. She had become used to him showing up in the most awkward and irritating moments. She had not planned on seeing him sitting in the little street corner restaurant three years after she had last seen him.
The Jr High that Gwen went to had planned a small trip for it's upcoming honors eighth graders. This trip had placed Gwen outside the small restaurant in Chicago, Illinois. Beside her were her two closest friends. On her left was Emily; the blonds short blonde hair chopped neatly at her shoulders, a loose red shirt draping over her thin frame, a tight black shirt over her black tights. On the other side of Gwen was Kanya, the dark skinned beauty holding herself tall as they walked in, her long ebony black hair feel down her lower back in a shinning wave, large grey eyes bright against her deeply tanned skin, she wore a tight black tang-top under her jean jacket, light blue skinny jeans ending at the top of her high top Converse. Gwen stood in the center wearing her black and white short sleeved shirt that clung to her body nicely, a pair of dark jeans covering her legs, her white tennis shoes clicking against the floor as they entered into the small corner restaurant with the rest of their up coming classmates.
"I'm going to go swing by the bathroom," Kanya shifted her eyes towards her two friends before she skipped off towards the restrooms. "Save me a seat please," she called over her shoulder before disappearing into the bathroom. Gwen shock her head while following Emily towards an empty table for the three of them. This trip had been her break from everyone, her moment of peace before the summer ended and she was forced back into the world she had grown used to.
A flash of familiar ebony hair caught Gwen's attention drawing her eye into the crowd of young teenagers filling into the area. Her heart froze for a moment as she recognized the familiar face as it vanished. He couldn't be here could he? After all these years would she see the boy who had terrorized her cousin's life for months? It wasn't possible. Kevin Levin, as tough as he pretended to be, could not have survived the Null Void on his own. Under his strong shell he had been scared and broken, and Gwen knew this. She knew he had been hurting the last time they had seen him, and he wouldn't have been able to keep himself alive in the prison world.
"What's wrong Gwen?" Emily was able to draw Gwen's thoughts away from Kevin long enough for her to loose him in the crowd. Kanya appeared beside them suddenly, landed gracefully in an empty chair and picked up one of the menu's.
"We got an hour to eat before we have to meet them back at the bus," Kanya continued to smile up at them. Gwen loved her friend greatly, but her mind was one tracked, and the track tended to circle around Kanya's world.
"What do you two want to drink?" Gwen asked not fully paying attention to her two friends.
"I'll take a water," Kanya replied her eyes drifting towards the boys at the table across from them. Her attention was clearly not on her two friends.
"I'll take a water too," Emily continued to look at Gwen with concern. "You want me to go with you?"
"I got it," Gwen headed up to the counter.
She saw him there. Sitting at one of the counter stools, his rugged black hair covering his downward cast face. Gwen knew it was Kevin without having to see his face fully. She had two options. One, she could go back to the table and come up with some excuse to get her and her friends out of her before Kevin realized she was there. Option number two was to confront him, let him know that she wasn't scared of him and wouldn't run. She choose option number two.
"Been awhile sweetheart." Kevin kept his eyes focused on the glass before him as he spoke. His voice drew her those last few steps; forcing her to slide into the stool beside him. She looked him square in the face and noticed instantly the changes that he had undergone in the last three years. He had grown a foot taller, finally gained some weight. His eyes no longer held the black bags they had when she had first met him, as well his eyes had turned from their murky brown to a shinning coal black. His old ripped clothes were replaced by a clean black shirt and baggy blue jeans; his feet still wearing those combat boots; they seemed to be his Kevin thing, those boots."So where's that cousin of yours? I was really hoping I could talk to him."
"Back in Bellwood," Gwen answered keeping her eyes on the side of his face. Kevin downed the last bit of the soda in front of him before turning to face her. "Why? You know you can't beat him." She couldn't help but taunt him. It was only fair after everything he had done to her.
"Wasn't planning on it," his eyes dropped away from her in what Gwen was sure was shame and regret. She wasn't completely sure because he instantly changed the subject."So what have you been up to?"
"Living the normal life," Gwen replied with a smirk. "You?"
"Living the Kevin life," he replied getting the gleam back in his eyes.
"So what does the Kevin life consists of? Spraying puppies with water guns, stealing cookies from Girl Scotts, running grandma's over with their own motor carts?" The thirteen year old girl could help but smile at her own cleverness.
Kevin snickered slightly, her comment unfazing him, "I have you know Miss Tennyson, that old lady was asking for me to run her over."
Gwen couldn't help but smile at his remark. She inwardly cursed herself for allowing the smile to appear, but was unable to stop it from spreading over her face. "So what exactly have you been doing than Mr. Levin?"
"Mr. Levin was my dad," Kevin's attitude shifted slightly, "call me Kevin. I've been doing the usual..." His voice trailed off for a moment as he allowed his eyes to stray as well.
"Kevin..." she wasn't sure what to say after that sentence; she sure didn't know what to think after the tone her own voice held. She hadn't meant to say it in as much of a comforting tone as she had, but the sudden change in his voice just drew that caring side out of her. This was the boy who had tried to kill her cousin, tried to kill her a few times. She shouldn't be comforting him.
"Well not the usual," he picked back up from where he left off, "been laying off the energy, still causing all the trouble I want, but with a clearer mind. The only down side is that now if I get caught, I can't plead insanity anymore. You know what they say; honesty is the best policy, but insanity's the better defense."
"So your no longer electrically charged," Gwen wasn't sure how to feel about this news. Not only had Kevin managed to live through the Null Void, but he also seemed to have much better control over the whole energy insanity bit. "Turning over a new leaf?"
Kevin couldn't help but laugh at Gwen's statement. The red head found nothing funny about her comment. "A new leaf? God no! You must be out of your mind. What do you think, I'd just start over and become a good guy? Do good things? Be a hero? You must be crazier than I was if you think I'd do that. I like working for myself thank you. Got too much of a record to change my game completely anyways."
Gwen couldn't help but blush at what he said. She had thought along the lines of him starting over, but there was something behind his voice that worried her. He said it in the most sarcastic tone she had ever heard come from someone's mouth, yet under the cover she was able to pick up the desire that was hidden beneath. Maybe she was looking too far into his words; maybe she wasn't looking deep enough.
"Your friends are obviously wondering who you're talking to." Kevin tilted his head towards her two friends staring intently at them from the table. The moment Gwen looked over her friends turned their eyes away trying to pretend they had not been staring. "You should get back to them before they worry."
Kevin slid from his stool slipping his hands into his pocket as he moved. He inclined his head towards her in a nod, and made an attempt to leave. Gwen's hand grasped onto his shoulder freezing him in his tracks. He felt his heart stop for a moment at the contact, but he willed himself to turn back to face her.
"My friends can wait," Gwen looked him dead in the eye. "Kevin were are you going? Where have you been at?"
"I don't really know where I'm going right now. Depends on the moment really." Kevin shrugged. "As for where I've been, I've been pretty much everywhere where I can find a way to. There's a lot to see on this planet, a lot more to see off of it too."
"You don't have a place to live?" Gwen was beating around the bush at this point. She didn't know what she was digging for, or why she all of a sudden cared about what happened to the young teen.
"Right now it's just a temporary place. I got a place I'm planning on going back to in a few days. I was told they were missing me like crazy. Figured I should stop by and make sure she's alright." He couldn't help but brighten up at those words. Gwen couldn't figure out what he meant by the statement.
"Kevin," Gwen took her hand from his shoulder and let it drop to her side. The thirteen year old stared him straight in the eyes unable to look away. "Will this be the last time I'll see you?" Gwen knew her question sounded stupid and childish but she felt the need to ask.
"Most likely not, you know how I am." Kevin couldn't keep the edges of his lips from turning upwards slightly. "You should really get back to our friends." He turned and started towards the door, his hands once again shoved deep inside his pockets.
"Kevin," she spoke once more not wanting him to leave just yet.
"Don't worry Ginger," he grinned wickedly; a spark in his black eyes, "the next time I see that cousin of yours I'll make sure to show him how much I missed him. Just take care of yourself will ya."
She watched him slip into the crowd of teens, his back hair melting away into the mass. She had to fight the urge to push through the people and pull him back to the counter. He didn't get to just show up, confuse her on her feelings towards him, and disappear before she even got a chance to learn what she wanted to know. But just what did she want to know?
"What can I get you Miss?" The voice behind her forced Gwen to turn back to look at the waitress working the counter; who looked at the young red head impatiently waiting for her order. The Anodite ordered the drinks and watched the waitress walk away from her. Sitting waiting for the order, a silver mass caught her attention.
Looking at the spot where Kevin had sat was a small bike lock on a silver chain. She instantly recognized the lock as the one Kevin had worn when they first met him New York. She tried to rake her memory to recall if the teen had been wearing it when she had sat beside him. He hadn't
Taking the three drinks she pocketed the lock and made her way back to the table. Thoughts of Kevin Levin plagued her mind as the conversations at the table fell away from the subject.
So? I know, weird little thing. I am aware that Emily is in a wheelchair during the show, but I have decided that for right now she isn't. Looking up her character it seems that there is no info that tells rather she was born unable to walk or if it was an accident that came in later. So for now she has the ability to walk. I decided that I was going to continue this, so I decided that if I don't have Emily in the wheelchair yet, than this will give me a chance to work with it.
So for now Emily will be able to walk. This will come into play later on though.
Comments are much appreciated and loved.