A/N: Just remembered that I started this a while ago and figured that I needed to write another chapter. May or may not finish it tonight. Anyways, here goes nothing. Based sometime after the first episode of Alien Force. Just like between it and the second one, but not set between the halves of the first episode. After the whole thing.

Edited because I was threatened to be reported for my songfics. So lyrics have been taken off, but title is still the name of the song.

Disclaimer: I don't own Ben 10's character or this song. Song is by Counting Crows and Ben 10 is owned by MOA.

When I Dream of Michelangelo

"Why did you and Ben decide to take me in?" I ask as I take her home. Ben got me to take him back to his place. It was a thing of trust. He trusted me to know where he lives. It's hard to know that I'm a criminal and that these two innocent heroes are trusting me to watch their backs. I don't like Gwen really and I'm not the biggest fan of her cousin, but I'll deal as long as I have to. The whole Plumber's badge is big for me and I have an opportunity to save the world here. It's something my dad would've liked me to do. Maybe not exactly save the world, but at least help people. Ben and Gwen were giving me that opportunity.

Gwen looks at me, jade eyes curious. "You think we're doing this for personal benefit?" After I give her a wary stare, she sighs heavily and sinks into the backseat even further. Ben had been in the passenger seat and she hadn't moved from the back to the front. I let her stay there. I wasn't about to ask her to get closer to me. "Kevin, really, we could take care of things on our own."

A thin smile touches my lips like an old friend, pricking up the corners of my mouth. "After today, I don't believe that." I check for her expression in the rearview mirror and let's just say that it's hilarious to see her face when she's caught between flustered and angry. It's kind of cute. But I shouldn't be thinking that, now should I? It's a temporary thing, being with the Tennysons.

"We could've taken them without you," she huffs and folds her arms neatly across her chest, eyes slicing from watching my expression in the mirrors to staring out the side windows; the whole thing is kind of ruined since she's sitting in the middle of the car. It would be better if she were on the sides and staring out the window. It doesn't make sense to stare out the windows if you're in the middle. "I'm sure we could've."

She's playing my nerves like a piano, but I won't give in. "Mhm," I mutter sarcastically, just loud enough for her to hear me. "Of course you could've." I know she'll get mad and that's what I'm banking on. I don't want her to be happy with me. I don't want to be her friend. I don't want to grow attached.

"You doubt me and Ben?" she asks, the words like venom rolling off her tongue. The way she gets mad is enough to make me excited to see her mad. It gives me the kind of rush I like. "You don't think we're cool enough to run with you?" She cocks her head to one side and gives me that challenging look that makes me want to turn around and show her how smug I'm being. The chick is crazy, I swear, but I'll bask in every second of it.

I give the smallest shrug, trying not to care. I don't want to grow an attachment. I can't start to like being with people. It'd ruin everything I built up around me in the world. It'd ruin my defenses. I want something normal, something easy, something I'm used to. I don't want things to change now just because I met a pretty girl and a guy who could potentially be a friend for me.

Things won't change.

"Here," she says, dragging me from my thoughts, pointing to the big house in the neighborhood she had told me to go to as Ben was getting out of the car earlier. Her finger sweeps across my vision and the house I'm looking at is like a small mansion. It's nothing compared to what I could ever imagine. It's quaint but big. That must be her lifestyle. "This is my house. Just pull to the curb and I can get out."

I do as she says, not because she told me to though. Just because it seems like a good idea and because I agree with her. I stick the car in park and she's beginning to get out in the back. "Thanks for bringing me home."

Without saying a word, I blink at her as a response and she's out of the car in a few seconds. Before I have the chance to pull away, she reopens the passenger door and shoves a piece of paper towards me. "Here," she says with those perfect green orbs trained on me.

"What is it?" I ask, taking it from her with two fingers and unfolding it to see numbers scrawled across it in neat handwriting. The dread sinks in and I realize something. I've dug my own grave.

"It's my number," she says, pulling a few strands of fiery crimson hair that hang in her face over her shoulder and out of the way of her glistening emerald gaze. "You should be able to reach me if you need to. I could give you Ben's too, if you want it."

I shake my head. "Nah, I'm good." I won't tell her that I don't have a phone. I'll just call her from the payphones or something if I really have to. "I could always call you and you could call him. Doesn't matter."

"Okay. Goodnight, Kevin." She closes the door behind her and makes her way up the sidewalk to the front door of her house before disappearing inside.

And I just know that my whole life is going to change because of those Tennysons.

A/N: So I'm happy with how it turned out. Shorter, yes, but I like it. Reviews are appreciated! Thanks for reading!

~Sky