I Dream of Witches with Long Red Hair
AN- this is SO not about the third season of AF. At this time I am pretending the third season never happened. It does take place after War of the Worlds. I just can't write Ben to be such a turd and I really dislike what they did to Kevin. Gwen is still fine :D I only saw the first four or five episodes of season three. I hope they've improved since then.
SUMMARY
Gwevin and Benlie, action adventure a little romance. Mild language.
Gwen and Kevin have fallen in heavy, romantic love and they have been practically inseparable. They've even been talking about the future together. Things like getting married and having kids someday. After they talk to Ben, he starts thinking about what he wants to do and realizes that he doesn't know. A report of alien activity in the small town of Willden interrupts the whole team's thoughts about the future and may change their plans for good.
Short Summary
When people witness Gwen fighting an alien they think it was a demon that she summoned using witchcraft. With communications cut off Ben, Gwen, Kevin, Julie and Ship have to fight Albedo, his alien companion and the ignorant townsfolk who want to burn Gwen at the stake.
I Dream of Witches with Long Red Hair
Chapter 1 – Doubts about the future
By Crystalquirt
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Kevin took Gwen to the lake to Grandpa Max's secret fishing rock. It took some convincing on Gwen's part. Kevin was worried if they picnicked there she would feel sad again. "But Grandpa Max is fine now Kev. I was only sad then 'cause he was missing when we were here that time."
"Well I want to be sure you aren't just feeling sad missing your childhood or something."
"I don't really miss my childhood. I'm probably lucky I lived through my childhood. At least for the time after Ben found the Omnitrix."
"I don't want to upset you. I wanted this to be a nice day." Kevin stopped the car and turned off the motor. They were in a little clearing with the fishing rock right below them down a sloping hill. They could see through the trees enough to know that no one else was around. "Maybe we should have gone someplace else today, Gwen."
"Kevin stop. Why are you so worried about upsetting me. You usually don't even seem to know when it's happened unless I tell you."
"You seem real uptight lately. Like you're upset about something. I don't think I did anything wrong . . . yet and I want to make sure I don't."
"No, you've done nothing to upset me. I'm just worried about classes. I've been feeling a little overloaded. This will be good for me to spend as much time on our spring break with you as I can. I like it here and besides, I'm happy to go almost anywhere with you."
"Almost? . . . I guess you're right – you don't seem to enjoy the car shows much."
"I do if you're there."
Kevin pulled Gwen close and kissed her cheek. She blushed. "Well, you should come with me to a magic show before our break is over."
"Awe, magic? But you're the real thing. Why would I want to watch some guy faking it."
"You know I'm not really doing magic and they aren't really faking it – the good ones are great showmen – going to a magic show could be fun."
"Okay – I'm game. I remember when I first met you and Ben, you were doing magic; chantin' spells and all."
"Really, I think my Anodite powers were just starting to develop and the easiest way I knew to explain them was to call them magic. I thought I really could do magic at the time though. I even had a spell book I took from Charmcaster in Salem, Massachusetts."
"Salem huh? Isn't that where they used to do witchhunts and burned innocent people at the stake? Funny that you'd find a spell book there."
"This spellbook wasn't in the town like a souvenir. But sure, you can find all things 'witch' in Salem now. The witches of Salem are their tourist attraction. Charmcaster attacked us while we were there and I wound up with her spellbook after she and I traded bodies because of one of her spells had gone wrong."
"You traded bodies with her? Weird."
"She wanted to trade bodies with Ben so she could get the Omnitrix, but got me instead."
"So she was a witch? She could do real magic?"
"I don't really know, she and her father could have been aliens or something too." Thoughtfully, Gwen snapped her fingers and watched a small pink flame pop into existence over her palm. More like a tiny, very intense sparkler made of mana than a flame; she let it burn for a few moments and closed her hand around it to make it disappear. "I guess that would count as magic anywhere on earth, huh?"
"I think it would." Then Kevin grinned, "I find you magical and you have me under your spell."
"Oh that was cheesy."
"But true." Kevin got out of the car and Gwen scooted over to get out on the same side. He started unloading their stuff from the trunk. Gwen reached in the back seat and got out a large canvas bag.
"Hey Gwen, did you bring your bathing suit?"
"Of course I did! It's warm enough to swim." Gwen reached in her bag and pulled out a little wad of black material. She unrolled it to hold it out and show him. Upon seeing it, Kevin whistled. "Oh, new suit huh. I bet you look great in black, my little witch."
Gwen giggled like a little girl as she walked with Kevin to spread out their blanket in the grass near the rock. Kevin sat down as soon as the blanket was down to start looking through the food that Gwen packed for them.
"Kevin, did you bring your suit?"
"Well yeah, but I want to eat first. I'm starving."
Gwen sat down next to him. "You shouldn't eat and then go right into the water."
"I know, I plan to do other things in-between." He smiled at her and she knew what he wanted. She leaned in for a kiss. He played with her hair while they kissed and she got goosebumps. "Oh Kevin, you probably shouldn't exert yourself at all right after you eat."
"Hey, I can take it. This body is a well-cared for powerful machine. I can count on it to not let me down under any circumstances."
"Oh really, well I'm gonna swim a little first. I'm not hungry yet."
"Okay. Don't go to far away to change into your bathing suit; there might be animals out there."
"The only animal I have to worry about while I change clothes is sitting right here on my blanket."
"Groowwllll" Kevin grabbed for her knee as she got up. Gwen squealed and jumped away. He landed on his side with his foot in the air gazing after her. She took her bathing suit behind some bushes. Kevin kept watching as his girlfriend's clothes appeared one article at a time spread out on top of the branches.
Suddenly Gwen yelled; ran from behind the bushes - jumped over the blanket with Kevin on it and launched herself off the rock into the water. She popped back up again right away and squealed, "OH it's colder than I thought it would be!"
"If you come back up here I'll warm you up." Kevin spoke with his mouth full of cold fried chicken. Gwen swam in a circle and then climbed out on the rock. Kevin watched her hopefully, "You gonna let me warm you up?"
Gwen ran by him, but kept going. "Not yet - this time I'll do a swan dive with a twist and three rotations!" She ran back, getting a different angle on the rock so she wouldn't have to jump over Kevin this time. She took off running like a track star, launched herself off the rock and made a perfect dive three times farther out in the lake than she had the first time.
The chicken leg Kevin was chewing on fell out of his mouth and onto the blanket when he clapped and cheered for her. "I give it a 'leven!" he yelled.
Kevin was focused on finding the piece of chicken he was chewing on. The greasy thing had rolled under his crotch and got oil on his pants in an embarrassing place.
"Oh gross," he grumbled when he picked it up, picked the lint off and took another bite. While he chewed he brushed at the stain on his pants with a paper towel. Soon he gave up trying to get the grease off of his pants to find Gwen. Perhaps she is ready for me to warm her up? He wondered as he looked around. He watched the water's surface for a moment, but didn't see her out in the water or on the rock.
"Gwen?"
Kevin got up slowly and looked again, shading his eyes from the sun. Gwen was still no where to be seen.
"Gwen! Where are you?"
His heart skipped a beat, "Oh shit, this isn't funny! Please Gwen, please be hiding." He kicked his shoes off on the way down to the fishing rock and jumped on it pausing to look before he jumped to be sure he didn't land on her. Still not seeing her, he dived in.
Once he was underwater, his eyes adjusted quickly and he saw her. She was moving back and fourth gently, only with the slight movement of the water, eyes closed. "What's she doing?" he couldn't see clearly in the murky lake water. He got a little closer and could see she was tangled up in something.
"Is that? - Rope?" Kevin frantically kicked down the rest of the way to her. Her head, neck, an arm and both legs were tangled up. Crap! its an old net! He whined in the water, if he had been on dry land he would have screamed. Kevin pulled a knife from his belt and started cutting.
After five cuts in the net, he only had her arm free. This is taking too long! He dropped the knife and pulled on the net with his bare hands. He exerted such power that it looked like the old fishing net was falling apart in his hands as it came apart.
Gwen was completely limp. He was trying to be careful not to hurt her, but now it was slowing him down. He yanked harder, he body jerking with the ropes snapping. He finally got the net off of her. He used his toes to push it off her legs then he started to pull her toward the surface.
Suddenly she was yanked to a stop. Kevin was surprised and lost half of the breath he was still holding. A loop of net still around Gwen's ankle had almost yanked her away from him. "Grrrr!" He growled underwater making more bubbles and losing more air. Kevin let her top half drift free in the water for a moment while he reached down with his hands to get her ankle free.
Almost out of air himself, he started to panic. She wouldn't last while he messed around going up for more air for himself! With lungs that felt like they would explode, Kevin swam frantically to the surface with Gwen in tow. After he broke through the surface with a huge splash and gasping for air, Kevin wasted no time checking her.
Floating out in the water, his second breath went through her lips while he held her nose. "Gwen!" he gasped in between. "Gwen!" He gave her another breath and when his lips came away from hers that time she started coughing. Kevin started kicking and using one arm to pull her to the rock. Holding on to her, he climbed out first and then lifted her out like she weighed no more than a feather.
She coughed more while he carried her to the blanket and laid her down. Staring into her eyes, he almost screamed at her, "Gwen! Are you alright?"
She coughed again, but nodded to mean she was okay. Kevin turned her on her side to help with the coughing. With his hands on her shoulder and waist to try and support her, he closed his eyes in relief and rested his forehead on her arm.
"Thank-you K-Kevin." Gwen rolled back on her back to see him when the coughing spasms stopped. He opened his eyes with relief and terror both still showing in his expression. "Are you sure you're alright? I thought I lost you!"
"I'm fine Kevin. What happened down there? What grabbed me?"
"Someone left an old fishing net down there. Oh man! That was the scariest feeling I've ever had. A hundred times scarier than anything I experienced in the null void."
"I'm sorry I scared you. I understand how you feel though. I hate seeing you in a fight or in danger. Each time you get hit or slammed into something so hard that what ever material you've absorbed cracks and flakes off, I think my heart stops beating for a moment."
"But this is so different – I can take it! You could have drowned! I'm so sorry I looked away! I can't lose you Gwen!"
"You don't have to watch me every minute."
"I should have realized right away that you were in trouble!"
"Kevin, I'm fine calm down."
"Gwen I wish we could get married now. I don't want to wait. Can't you get married younger in this state with your parents consent or something? I saw it once in a movie that some states will do that."
"I think so; I don't know, but my parents would never give permission and I want to wait anyway. We aren't ready."
"I'm ready, what if something happens to you before we get married?
"Um, well I don't see how that could make much difference. If something happens to one of us with or without a piece of paper saying we're married, it would still be awful." Gwen paused thoughtfully. "Of course later, being married if one of us dies will make things easier financially; especially if we have kids."
"Well yeah, but I want to be married to you right now and hopefully for a very long time – and not just to make the paperwork easier."
"Ditto Kevin, but we still have things to do and stuff to take care of before we'll be ready to get married."
"Like what? I love you - what else is there to do?"
"Well, getting married means moving in together and having a home of our own right? I don't want to live with my parents when we're married. Do you?"
"No – You can move in with me."
"Last I heard you were still moving around a lot and staying with people whom I've never met and whom you say I wouldn't want to meet."
"So we'll buy a house."
"With what? Your good looks? That would only work if I had a house to sell. Neither of us even have jobs, let alone careers that will earn us enough to afford a house. Especially not one big enough to raise kids in."
"Oh Kids . . . Okay. But I'm already making money and I'm not even trying real hard, I can start making more right now if that's what it takes."
"Yes, but legally? Kids cost a lot to raise, they need clothes and food and toys and all kinds of stuff I probably haven't even thought of. You won't be able to buy yourself toys anymore, we'll have to think of our children first . . . Oh! Like health insurance and paying the deductibles. We may each have to have a second job to afford that for a whole family. We won't ever have time to see each other long enough for me to even get pregnant let alone play with them and teach them once they're here."
"Gwen, come on, it won't be that bad."
"How do you know? – Its scary out there and its expensive!"
"I know, but with my knowledge of alien tech and how it works I should be able to make a lot of money, no sweat and you're brilliant. Anything you decide to do, you will be the best in your field."
Gwen had herself so worked up, it was like she didn't even hear Kevin anymore, ". . . and then there's the alien threat. I don't think we should fight aliens so much anymore . . . Ow, I hurt all over." Gwen rubbed her arms. Kevin put his arm around her. "Are you cold?"
"No, just sore. Oh, and look – what are these marks and bruises from? They are starting to show all the way up my arm, and my ankle."
"Sorry Gwen, it's probably rope burns from where I had to break the ropes to get you loose."
"Oh Kevin, I just came real close to dying didn't I? Thanks for saving me!" What if I had really been hurt! I wonder if my parents insurance would have covered it? . . ."
Kevin gently took her in his arms and hugged her, she was still talking so he covered up her mouth hole with his lips for a kiss.
"Mmma-mm." Gwen moaned and finally shut up. She relaxed and let Kevin nibble at her lower lip. While they kissed he let her lie down on the blanket and she didn't argue at all. When he was sure she would stay put and stay quiet, he rose a little to talk, "Now stay here. Rest. I'm gonna run up to the car and get some towels."
"And some aspirin too please – I have a huge headache." Gwen squeezed her eyes shut and pressed her palms to her temples. A minute later when Kevin returned, he couldn't help but pause for a moment just to look at her.
She had her arm over her eyes, blocking the bright sun. Even with a headache and looking a little like a drowned rat, Kevin could only see how beautiful she was. He kneeled next to her and observed, "Yep Gwen, you make that black bikini look great too."
"Thanks Kev." She sat up and took the aspirin with the cup of water he brought. He draped a towel over her wet hair. "Gwen, do you seriously want to quit the plumbers? I mean, don't you like fighting aliens and protecting the earth with Ben?"
"Yeah, I'll miss parts of it at least, but we need to stop devoting so much of our time to it."
"You know if we quit, Ben's gonna get his butt kicked."
"No way Kevin, he'll be fine. He has recruited a whole team of new plumbers in training and he has Grandpa back to help him. I will miss the adventure and action, helping people, but it's just too dangerous if we're trying to have a family. Don't you think it's time to do something for us?"
"Something for us? Like what?"
"Well, our relationship for one thing. It would be nice to go on a date where I'm not grabbed by tentacles or we don't get shot at by laser weapons."
"I don't know Gwen. That can be kind of exciting and I kinda like seeing you wrapped up in tentacles. Gr-ow-wow-wow!"
"Stop it Kevin! . . . Be serious - I want kids, don't you?"
"Well yeah! Kids would be great. I think we should have a boy and a girl, a boy to teach the finer things about being a man and a girl so special she will grow up like you in every way."
"Well if we are still fighting aliens in a few years when we're ready to get married and have kids, it will be too dangerous. I don't want to be pregnant and running from aliens."
"Well yeah, I don't want you doing that either. In fact, you should be home where you're safe; barefoot and pregnant and cooking my diner." That statement got Kevin's arm punched hard. "Ow! Only kidding Gwen."
"You'd better be, you caveman."
"But you're the one who just said marriage and having kids is still years away. Why do you want to stop now?"
"Seriously, If we're going to be ready, especially financially ready, we need to start now. I need to focus on school and college and don't you want to hone your skills to be able to provide well for your future family?"
"My skills are fine."
"Yes, but you will have to take classes and get certified as an electrician before you can get get a civilian job with the military. A couple of degrees wouldn't hurt either. Having knowledge isn't enough anymore, you have to have the diplomas and certifications to go with it."
"That's true, I really want to help our country and the world out with the tech for the more top secretive operations. Even if we're not fighting on the front line with Ben anymore, I still want to help protect the earth from any alien threat."
"We better talk to Ben and figure out exactly when we'll leave the plumbers. We will stay in touch with Ben won't we? I want to know what's going on, you know?"
"Yes, I want to stay in touch of course, but I say now we should do it right now. The new semester is starting for me after break, and I want to concentrate on my grades. If you start a four-year program now, you should be graduated and working by the time we're ready to start a family of our own."
"Wow Gwen, I suddenly feel all grown up and responsible and I'm not sure I like it."
Gwen ignored Kevin as she took her phone out of her bag to call Ben. "Yello'," Ben answered. "Anything happening Gwen?"
"No, not really. Everything's quiet on the alien front. Kevin and I want to talk to you; want to meet us at Mr. Smoothy's?"
"Sure, Mr. Smoothy's anytime, but whats up? You sound serious."
"Later Ben, when we see you."
"Alright, in a half-hour?"
"Sounds great, See ya." Ben pushed 'end' on his mobile phone and frowned. "I wonder what's going on? I hope nothing's wrong." Ben pulled on a clean black T-shirt and grabbed his jacket. "Bye Mom, going to Mr. Smoothy's with Gwen and Kevin. They want to talk about something."
"Okay, don't be out too late – call if you run into aliens."
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At Mr. Smoothy's the three teens sat at an outdoor table in front of Kevin's car. Gwen was talking, and had been for a while.
"So Ben, that's what Kevin and I are thinking."
Kevin clarified, "Well its mostly Gwen thinking, but I agree with her – if you think you can do without us. Gwen had a little accident and made me think about getting married. Unfortunately for me, it made her think about being responsible and planning for the future and not getting married right now."
"Wait, Gwen had an accident? What happened? Are you okay?"
"I'm fine thanks to Kevin. But about our plans; its not just us. You should be thinking about this stuff too. I don't know how much being a plumber pays. I bet it isn't much. What do you want to do when you graduate?"
"I don't know . . . I guess I haven't spent a lot of time thinking about it. I should talk to Grandpa Max; being a Plumber must pay something, right? I want to keep protecting the planet! The whole universe is counting on me."
"Counting on you, for what? The Highbreed threat is over, Ben."
"Well yeah but . . . There might be other whole planets of beings standing in line to attack next. The Highbreed are only one species that we had to defeat over the years."
"What an ego you have Ben."
"I didn't say they would attack me specifically . . . I meant the earth! Since I have the Omnitrix I have a responsibility to help don't I?"
"For now maybe, but what are you going to do for money for the rest of your life? Will you depend on the generosity of people you save from aliens to buy you diner and keep a roof over your head? You can't live with us you know."
"Hehe," Kevin butted in, "You're gonna be hungry and cold a lot and I don't think Julie will want to live that way."
"Julie?"
"Yeah Julie, don't you see a future with her? Maybe you'll want to set up housekeeping with her and have kids someday." Gwen raised her eyebrow at Ben expecting an answer.
"Yeah, Gwen - Ben will have ten kids named, Heatblast, Humongosaur, Swampfire . . ."
"Kevin! Don't tease him."
"It's okay Gwen, he only does it because he doesn't know any better. Not too original Kevin."
"What original? Who else can I tease about naming their kid DittoDitto and EchoEcho? That was totally original."
"I want to talk to Grandpa Max." Ben finished off his smoothy and got on his bike. Kevin and Gwen smiled at each other and got in Kevin's green muscle car. When Kevin pulled out of the Mr. Smoothy's parking he took Gwen in the opposite direction from where Ben turned.
When he saw them leaving Ben thought, "Kevin is such a jerk. I wonder what Julie's doing? Maybe after I see Grandpa Max she will want to have a smoothy with me."
[[[[[[[[[[Ben10AF]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]
Ben arrived at Grandpa Max's motor home in less than a half hour. The Rust Bucket was parked in a spot near the back of a KOA campground just outside Bellwood. He found his grandpa home, playing cards with his new neighbor, Earl.
Max saw Ben ride up on his bike and met him at the screen door. "Hey pal, What's going on? . . . Oh, Ben this is Earl, my neighbor on the west. He just pulled in this morning from Tennessee - Earl, this is my grandson, Ben Tennyson."
"Hey Ben." Earl offered his hand and Ben took it. "Nice to meet you Earl, Grandpa, can I talk to you for a minute?"
"Sure Ben, outside?" Ben nodded and went back out. Max got up from his seat. "I'll be right back Earl. Keep the cards warm okay? Help yourself to anything in the fridge."
Ben called from the steps, "Just make sure its dead before you eat it." Max hurried Ben out. Earl looked at Ben like he thought him strange. He didn't know how serious Ben was until he found a bag of what looked like giant roaches behind the milk.
Ben led Max over to a picnic table under a tree. "What's going on?"
"Gwen and Kevin want to quit being plumbers and fighting with us full time."
"Well, it hasn't exactly been full time since you defeated the Highbreed, but why?"
"I think Gwen or maybe Kevin is feeling all maternal; they are talking about wanting to get married and have kids someday. They say fighting aliens is too dangerous and Gwen wants to concentrate on school."
"Ben, Kevin would be feeling Paternal not maternal."
"I know, but I think I just called him a girl . . . nevermind. I'm worried – they are both important members of our team and I'll miss them."
"Well, they're right. It was hard keeping my family safe while I was a plumber, which was most of my life. There was always the fear that someone would find out where my family was and use them to try and get their way and I hated not being able to tell them what I really was. It was like living two completely different lives. What do you think about spending your life that way?"
"I don't know, they got me thinking I guess. They want to concentrate on their school and training, and I haven't even thought about what I want to be doing in a few years or for the rest of my life. What did you do for money when you were working with the plumbers? Didn't you spend a lot of time doing it . . . a lot of time off-world?"
"Sometimes I was gone for months at a time. I totally missed you're father's first steps and most of the diaper stage when he was a baby. Mixed blessings. Hehehe."
"But what did you do for money?"
"I did a little of this and that whenever I had time. Don't worry Ben, what ever you decide to do, things will work out and I don't think you have to make any decisions just this minute. Think on it for a while."
"Well, now that the Highbreed threat is over, I wonder if I should take the Omnitrix off again now. I can be a normal kid again too. I hate missing the soccer games and practice after school sometimes just because someone's alien-pet gets loose."
"Well Ben, don't think that just because you defeated the Highbreed that the real alien threat to the earth is all in the past. There have already been alien problems all over the world. It's like, now that the Highbreed are gone other alien races are not afraid anymore to take advantage of what Earth has to offer. Materials, weapons, slave labor - even water and the air itself has been threatened by selfish aliens unwilling to deal with us or even talk to us. Many species are like the Highbreed in that they think they are superior to everyone else."
"Wow, Grandpa why didn't you tell me? You could have called – I would have helped."
"Me and the other Plumbers handled it. I didn't want to take you out of school unless I had to."
"School? I've learned way more about life and responsibilities traveling and working with you than I ever could have at school."
"Yes Ben and I am so proud of you. You have matured so much in such a short time. But there are other things you need to know and school is still the best place to learn about them. Whether you decide to work with the Plumbers or not, life will be too hard for you if you don't continue and graduate school and college. I won't blame you at all if you want to join Gwen and Kevin and give all this alien fighting business a rest for a while."
"But Grandpa, I have the Omnitrix - that gives me a responsibility - right? The earth and even other species need me. Azmuth said so."
"I have to admit - having you around with the Omnitrix really helps, but the Plumbers have been battling and stopping alien threats for long before you were even born Ben. We will survive I suppose, but we will miss you."
"I can still put the Omnitrix back on for special occasions, like the Highbreed were - right?"
"I'm sure we will always welcome you're help, whenever you can give it, Ben."
"Thanks . . . really Grandpa, the more I think about it, the more I think I will wait a while to take it off. There's always next year - maybe after the summer. Thanks for letting me talk to you – I have to go meet Julie . . . Um, homework."
"But aren't you on Spring Break?"
"See you later Grandpa!" Ben called back. He was already rounding the corner on his bike to the campground exit. During the ride to Julie's house, he realized talking to Grandpa Max didn't help at all. He still didn't know what to do, or what his future might be or if the Plumbers got paid somehow. "Guess I still have a lot of thinking to do."
In only a short time, Ben was riding side by side with Julie on a scooter down a residential street on their way to Mr. Smoothy's. He had been quieter than usual and she noticed. He caught her looking at him with a curious look on her face.
"Julie, what do you want to do?"
"Mr. Smoothy's is fine Ben. Chocolate, banana and wheatgrass is a great combination; I think I'll have it again today." They crossed the street and coasted into Mr. Smoothy's parking lot.
"No, I didn't mean now Julie. I meant in the future - like when we're out of school and even graduate college."
"Oh, I don't know. I used to think I wanted to be a nurse, maybe I still will. Do the plumbers have a medical branch I could join?" Julie put the kickstand down on her bike and took her helmet off. Ben followed her toward the order window.
"I don't know; we'll have to ask Grandpa. What I meant was, do you think you want to get married and have kids someday?"
"Ben," Julie stopped and almost sang with happiness; her voice very high a the end, "Are you asking me?"
"NO! I just wanted to know what your plans are."
"No? . . . Wow that sounded final. I guess my plans better not include marrying you someday - huh Ben?"
"No, that isn't what I meant! Julie . . . I just meant . . . um . . ."
"You meant, Um? That was deep." Julie giggled knowing she was really getting him all flustered. Then Ben said something she never expected.
"Julie, I love you."
"Wow Ben! I love you too. It is so nice to hear. I wasn't sure how you felt. You know, I don't remember if you've ever even tried to hold my hand."
"Well I do love you. I was just afraid you didn't like me 'that' way and I didn't want to make you feel uncomfortable. Now, I'm wondering what you want to do; you know, future stuff. What you want to be and if I might be included in your plans somehow?"
"Well Ben, I don't have any plans set in stone, but I can tell you for sure that what you decide to do will have something big to do with where I end up." Julie closed her eyes and softened her mouth, parting her lips slightly as she leaned in for her - and his - first real kiss.
Even Ben realized what Julie was waiting for. He took a nervous, deep breath and leaned in for his lips to meet hers. A loud engine and squealing tires scared her right out of the mood. Julie jumped toward the building and turned away from Ben to watch the car heading right for them.
Kevin was at the wheel of the noisy green car, a big grin on his face as he squealed the tires to a stop.
"Kevin! You jerk!" Ben held his hand over the Omnitrix like he intended to go Humongousaur and grind Kevin between his toes. Julie smiled at Ben and quickly gave him a peck on the cheek before she went around the car to greet Gwen.
Ben was still blushing and frowning, his eye was twitching when Kevin got out. "Did you get anything figured out man?"
"Not really, but I was about to . . . fungus face."
"Yeah well. That can wait. We have a report through the plumber network of alien activity going on in a small town about eighty miles away as the crow flies. You up to it?"
"Sure."
Julie was already in the back seat and Gwen was turned around in the front seat filling her in with what limited information they had. Ben got in the back seat with Julie. Kevin roared the engine and squealed the tires as they left the parking lot. The others barely got their seat-belts on in time. Ben whined, "Wait! Can't I at least get a smoothy?"
Gwen frowned at him, "You've already had two large smoothies today that I know of - you'll live."
Giving up, Ben found Julie's hand and gently gave it a squeeze. She took his hand to hold. Kevin chuckled when he looked in the rear view mirror at the two staring at each other. Gwen punched his arm "Eyes ahead Kevin."
[[[[[[[[[[Ben10AF]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]
To Be Continued . . .