Note: Hmm… I'm not sure how much I like this chapter. It's definitely my least favorite so far, keeping in mind that I'm actually farther along in writing than I've got posted. But bleh, I just had a weird time writing this. But, of course, this pairing is kinda sorta pretty much why I watched the show for a while, all thanks to the brilliant kikikun who has such awesome and addicting fanart (two of which are the basis of this fic). So yeah, props to her, and the creators of Ben 10 for being so infinitely wise for making this pairing crack-turned-cannon HELLZ YEAH. So I hated just abandoning this piece. It's been a long (long) time cooking, but it's getting there. I predict…about five chapters. Maybe six. But definitely at least five.

Oh yeah, also, any guesses for who the Voice might be? *wiggles eyebrows* And yes, you have met him before. He's in the show. Hmmm…

Disclaimer: Me no own Ben 10.

Kevin lay still, sprawled out on one the giant rocks that hung suspended in the Null Void. Currently, he was alone, with no monsters, no people, and most of all no Ben Tennyson: exactly the way he liked it. Just the thought of that traitor made him clench his teeth. Involuntarily he glanced down at himself, at his mismatched, misshapen form, before looking away quickly. He tried to avoid glimpsing himself whenever possible; it just made things easier that way. Not that they were ever easy. And it was all. Ben's. Fault.

Growling, Kevin rose from his position. His fists were clenched, all four of them, and his breath was becoming harsher. Ever since he had met that runt, everything had been going wrong. He had made Kevin into this monster. He had made Kevin even more of a freak. And he had ruined everything.

Kevin's fist slammed into an out-jutting rock. Fissures appeared beneath his clenched hand. He hit it again, and again, finding satisfaction in watching it crumble at his will. If only Ben Tennyson would be crushed so easily. But no, no matter how many times he had him, within the grasp of his sweet, sweet revenge, something always got in the way! If it weren't for his family, Kevin was sure Ben would be dead by now…

And that turned Kevin thoughts to someone else: the bothersome red-head that always seemed to be with Ben. Little do-gooder… But always saving Ben's ass. She could be useful though, he was sure; he couldn't count how many times his fantasies of revenge had included her, for bait or bargaining or just to make Ben riled. And from what Kevin had seen, there wasn't anything that could do it better.

She would help him get his revenge, if only he could get out of this damned place. There had to be some way out of this godforsaken dimension.

"So you know them, do you?" Kevin practically jumped out of his deformed skin.

"Who's there?" he shouted. "Who said that?"

"Just someone who wants the same thing as you." Kevin gazed around warily. If there was one thing he had learned in his relatively short life, it was trust no one. Especially not voices in your head.

As if he weren't freaky enough.

"Sorry, whoever-you-are, but there's quite a bit that I want. You'll have to be a bit more specific."

"Well, I believe that we have both been facing interference from troublesome Tennysons." Instantly Kevin perked up. Any enemy of Ben's was an opportunity for him.

"Ahh, that." Kevin felt a grin fighting to spread across his mismatched features, but he suppressed it. Just because he couldn't see that person didn't mean they couldn't see him – a matter which would soon have to be addressed. In the mean time, no need to appear too eager. "…I'm listening."

The voice chuckled, a deep, definitely masculine sound. "Good. I thought you might be interested. Listen well then, boy: I have a proposition. You see, we both want revenge against the Tennysons, one in particular. However, due to circumstances, neither of us is able to achieve that end at the moment."

"Tch, tell me something I don't know," Kevin muttered too loudly to not be heard.

"However, if we combine our particular skills together, I believe that end could be quite within reach."

Well well well… Now wasn't that interesting indeed.

"Alright then," he said to empty air. "You've got yourself an interesting proposition. So, tell me the details, and then…well, we'll see what happens."

So that was how it began. He made a deal with the voice in his head (which he dubbed the Voice, for lack of a better name), and the next thing he knew he was dumped in some street, and he was human. But he could stop and appreciate that later.

"Okay Voice, where am I?" he growled, darting to the nearest dark ally. He was not comfortable out in the open.

"Much has changed while you were away. It's been four years-"

"WHAT?" Kevin yelled. "You mean to tell me I lost four years of my life in that damn hellhole!"

"…Yes. Believe me boy, in the grand scheme of things four years isn't really that long." Kevin fumed. What did this guy know? It was his life, dammit, that had been wasted. "Anyhow, you are currently in the town where all three Tennysons happen to be living. You'll have to go to them yourself, but they aren't far. Here's the address."

And suddenly there was a map in his head, the entire town, with all the Tennyson's houses highlighted for him. He was only a few blocks from Ben's house.

The day just kept getting better and better.

Three months later, and Kevin was damn tired of waiting.

Of course, the Voice said he needed to wait. The Voice said that he needed to be cautious, needed to think carefully about his previous encounters and what he had done wrong, needed not to underestimate him; then again, the Voice said a lot of things, and thinking too deeply wasn't really Kevin's style.

So, he was currently hiding in a tree, watching the red-head. She was in the process of practicing her martial arts moves in her backyard. In fact, he had already seen her do this a couple of times, and each time it never failed to amuse him. She may have grown, but she was still small, especially compared to someone like him. How could she ever hope to win in a fight, no matter how much she practiced? Really, it was a basic rule: the big ones win. End of story.

He conveniently forgot all those times little Ben had still managed to beat him.

It was kind of funny how different they all looked, though; the first time he had seen the two again, he had hardly recognized the cousins. Ben was taller, more mature; go figure. Kevin had even heard his voice crack. And the girl, Gwen, right? Yeah, that was it. She, well, she didn't look like a little girl anymore, that was for sure. And she was only fourteen, too. He idly wondered how she'd look when she was even older.

Actually, she was a lot of fun to watch. If she wasn't practicing martial arts she was practicing what would appear to be magic. Of course, Kevin didn't really think it was actual magic; more likely she had some alien blood and didn't even know it. But she obviously believed it was. Really, it was kind of amusing. And she always tried so hard at everything.

He could just watch her all day.

But he obviously couldn't do that – he had to keep tabs on Ben too. Kevin was surprised to discover that somehow Ben had gotten rid of the watch. Or at least, it wasn't on his wrist anymore. Not only that, but the two cousins had actually become quite close while he was away. It felt odd to see them without their familiar animosity. Then again, he had known for a while now anyway that she meant more to Ben than just about anything; he would even trade the Omnitrix to keep her safe.

Kevin wondered what it would be like to have someone care about you that much. He wondered what it would be like to care about someone else that much.

He wasn't completely sure how it had happened, but Kevin was increasingly finding himself following Gwen's movements rather than Ben's. It was entirely odd, as she was not really his target; what would possess him to stalk her instead? But watching her was addicting in a way: how she moved, how she spoke, the way she acted. It all fascinated him, for whatever reason.

Maybe… Maybe it was because she seemed to accept pretty much everyone around her with little question. They were just people, same as anybody else. He bet it had something to do with running into her fair share of aliens in the past couple years – you kind of got used to people who were different.

More and more, Kevin also found himself entertaining fantasies that included not only a bloody, violently decapitated Ben but also a Gwen that looked at him the same way she looked at all the people around her: with cheerful, willing acceptance. (Sometimes, he'd even allow himself to imagine her look held more than merely that, too.) But that would require their past to not exist; no matter how open-minded, it was hard to trust someone you had a bad history with. Granted, his enmity had been mostly directed at her cousin… But, Ben was her cousin, who she cared deeply for, childhood antagonism or no. There was no way he could just erase all that.

Damn.

But maybe, maybe, if he could convince her otherwise, that he wasn't all bad, that he deserved a second chance…

(Everyone deserved a second chance, right? Even him the monster the freak the bad guy.)

She was good at giving second chances.

His first picture of her was not actually one he had taken.

The Tennysons, or really Ben, Gwen, and their Grandpa Max, had been going on a picnic. Max had brought with him some recent pictures he had gotten developed. For a few moments they had been left out on the table, unguarded, so on a whim (what do happy moments look like?) Kevin went and grabbed one.

The photo on top had been of Gwen.

When he got back to the place he was staying (not much really, just a smallish cabin in the woods not far from town that the Voice had told him about; he'd grown up in the city, but he didn't want anyone finding him easily), Kevin spent a while just staring at the picture. He wasn't sure exactly what it was, but he liked looking at her. It made him feel calmer, peaceful almost.

After that, whenever he went out to do some Tennyson watching, he always took a camera.

It was strange to see just how close the two Tennyson cousins had become. He had noticed it right away, yes, but really sometimes it could be downright unnerving. The way they talked to each other. The way Ben went to Gwen for advice. The way they looked out for each other. It was a kind of relationship Kevin had never had. It was a kind of relationship he found himself wanting.

And so, of course, it was all Ben's fault. Stupid, lucky bastard.

Kevin's fantasies kept expanding though. In place of Ben – he himself. Gwen would talk to him like she did Ben; she would look at him with the same happy green eyes; she would watch out for him, like with Ben, when he wanted it and he would take care of her always. He wouldn't leave her like some people might, and she wouldn't abandon him like some (Mom Dad friends family Ben strangers everyone) had.

They could be happy, just the two of them. They could. Couldn't they?